Feb 27, 2017

Aligning Your Brand with a Philanthropic Cause

How to Get The Most Out of Your Next Charity Event

Hi everyone, Ping here. Something about the start of a new season makes me want to give back and help others. I’m not alone. According to GivingUSA.org, charitable donations hit a record high for the second year in a row, estimated at $373.25 billion in 2015, making it the most generous year ever. (https://givingusa.org/giving-usa-2016/) (They’re still calculating 2016’s numbers.)

What’s even better than going out and volunteering or donating to a charitable cause yourself? Getting your entire company or team on board and hosting a philanthropic event! The benefits of producing a function that gives back can include: networking opportunities, community advancement/outreach, positive PR for your company, and—of course—knowing you’ve done a great thing.

We at The Icebox are always thinking about marketing, and if you want to make the greatest impact with your next charity event, you should wear a marketing hat too. If you want people to attend your event, make a donation, or put in hours of labor for your cause, you’re going to have to make the experience, fun, memorable, and engaging. Does all that sound a bit overwhelming? Never fear, today I’m sharing a few of my best tips for ensuring your next philanthropy event hits a marketing high note.

Stay on Brand

If your company knows the importance of keeping everything you do on brand, you know that even your charitable acts should be in alignment with your core values. This consistency helps your employees feel more engaged and excited about the cause(s) and ensures your participation with the charity will be a great fit. When it comes time to choose a cause to support, consider backing charities that share your company values and ideals. If you’re a fitness company, find a local organization that builds playgrounds in underserved neighborhoods. If you’re a healthcare company, align yourself with a charity that provides health screenings for underprivileged populations.

Keep it Memorable

If you’re aiming to spread awareness for your cause (and who isn’t?) you’ll certainly want people to continue thinking about it long after the event has wrapped. So certainly throw a great deal of your resources into planning the logistics of your event, but don’t forget to give participants a takeaway that will remind them of your cause. Once again, the importance of remaining on brand and in alignment is key to creating a streamlined and memorable experience, so make sure that your giveaways make sense for both your event and your brand. Offer blood drive donors a stress ball they can use while donating. Give a t-shirt to your 5K run participants that they can continue wearing long after the race. Not only will participants enjoy these tokens as fond reminders of the great time they had at your event, your brand and the charity with which you’ve partnered will also remain in their mind for years to come.

Show Your Volunteers Some Love

Chances are your event’s success or failure will hinge on a strong team of volunteers who are passionate about both your organization and the philanthropic cause you are supporting. It will take many hours of brainstorming and executing to get your event off the ground, so don’t forget to show them some love too. Whether it’s a special volunteer t-shirt to wear during the event, or a higher-end gift like an engraved pen or a desk award, your volunteers will greatly appreciate your recognition of their hard work and dedication to the cause.

I know I’m biased, but I truly feel that a little swag can go a long way toward getting the most marketing power out of your next charity event. Whether you’re looking to cross promote your brand and the philanthropy you’re supporting, get the word about your event out to your community, or provide a lasting memento participants can enjoy, swag is a must for your next charity event. If you’re ready to give back, let our team of Creative Experts guide you to the best and most effective swag for your cause. Contact us today to get started.

Feb 14, 2017

Promo Items: The Star of Your 2017 Marketing Campaign

Ping here. This morning, I waddled into work and poured my usual cup of coffee. In my pre-caffeinated state, I began admiring the mug I was using (gifted to us by one of our awesome clients) and I thought to myself, "Everyone should be using swag to stay top of mind with their customers, prospects, and business partners!"

As a marketer or business owner, you want your company to always “be there” as your target client goes about their day. I was actually just reading through a survey done by PPAI, and they found that promo items are one of the most effective forms of advertising because they address all Five R’s of Marketing. You know the ones I’m talking about — Reach, Recall, Resonance, Reaction, and Relativity.

Reach: Promo items almost guarantee a reach larger than what you might guess. Most people are exposed to promo items every single day — and the survey I mentioned earlier found that consumers will keep the item for one to five years on average. And when they’re done with the item? 5 out of 10 pass it on to someone else. What does this mean for you? More exposure with no extra costs!

Recall: 8 out of 10 people can recall a brand from a promo item they’ve received. Promo items are typically placed in locations where consumers don’t expect to be advertised to, like their own kitchens or bathrooms (or shared office space). When we aren’t bombarded with other advertisements, we’re better able to remember the ones we do see.

Resonance: If you can create resonance with your audience, you have helped them connect with your brand, especially when providing a useful or entertaining product. In fact, 82% of people say that their perception of a brand positively changed when they received a promo item. This helps increase the chance that they will choose your business time and time again.

Reaction: Your ultimate goal is to get a reaction from your audience – most often, that reaction is to buy your products or services. Receiving a quality promo item from a brand results in a feeling of loyalty to your brand, and almost 9 in 10 millennials say they are more likely to do business with brands after receiving a promo item from them.

Relativity: In reality, there are many different ways you can advertise, so it all comes down to how each method works compared to the others. Specifically, you might be asking how promo items work compared to other channels to satisfy your audience. You’ll be happy to know that the majority of all generations say promo items are the least avoided form of advertising and the most effective at getting them to take action.

When you look at the statistics, you see that promo items are really unmatched when it comes to cost-effective and efficient marketing methods. Not only that, but people love to get something cool for free! It helps you stick out in their minds and will leave them with a lasting impression of your company.

If you need some ideas on unique, quality promo items to take your marketing to the next level, we’d love to help! Contact our team of Creative Experts today to get started.