For many of my years at 'Big Orange' we sponsored charity golf outings for dealers with St. Jude's being the primary beneficiary. I've had the opportunity to tour the facility in Memphis twice and I've been blown away by the great work they do.
@Koton , doing good in and for your community will raise awareness and good feelings for your brand... BUT don't expect sales as a direct result of your participation. It's a long term investment in community relations, not an advertisement per se.
And It has the added benefit of doing some real good.
I completely agree with Ed.
I've given a lot of thought to this and had the opportunity to talk to some incredible people in our industry in preparation for a session at Digital Dealer next month. The title of the session is "The Case for a Cause." I'd love to meet any Refreshers that are going to be there. Here are a couple things to think through.
Charitable giving and Cause marketing are not the same thing. It doesn't typically go well for the marketer when they confuse the two. The proposition of donating a little money so you can sling business cards is not going to generate the kind of ROI your dealer will be looking for if you pitch him on the idea that way. Ed's absolutely right, the chance of tying a car deal back to that expense is a long shot at best, but that doesn't mean that there is no ROI to be found with cause marketing. Have you considered sponsoring a team for the walk, buying some shirts, inviting your employees and customers to join you, offering a free shuttle to the starting point, maybe breakfast or lunch after with a bouncy house for the kids, using your social channels to promote that you are participating with the community before the event and showing all of the pictures afterwards? Those are just some ideas, but you see the difference I'm sure. Charitable giving is giving with no expectation; Cause marketing is an investment (See the next point on ROI.)
Redefining ROI. Cause marketing requires a different investment and generates a different return. I could write you a novel on this bullet alone if I shared all of the stories I've heard of dealers doing great work investing in their communities. The investment in cause marketing is often checks, but it is ALWAYS checks and balances. You have to have a clear vision of why you are doing what you are doing, and you have to accept that selling a car today is not the primary return. Cause marketing is an internal and external community building effort. Don't miss the importance of "internal community building" as it relates to a changing employee mindset. That could be another novel.
Be Passionate. Most dealers that pull back from cause marketing do so because they fear looking like they are just doing it to sell a car. It feels gimmicky. The dealers that I've talked to that see a monetary return on their efforts truly don't do it for that reason. It is an ancillary benefit. They align with causes because they are passionate about that cause and they are genuinely terrific people that have the ability to help and CHOOSE to do so. (See the quote from Socrates in my signature.)
Last thoughts. I absolutely hope that you participate in some way in the St. Jude's walk, and I really hope I didn't discourage you
@Koton . Those that know me here know that this cause is intensely personal to me. Pediatric cancer is a monster and it is going to take far more than the Federal government allocates to research to find a cure. I do hope you'll get involved in the fight. If I can help you in any way, please don't hesitate to reach out.