It is dangerous to go alone…
The phrase comes from the Legend of Zelda series. But it could not be more useful than in the donation world. Why? There is the thought process that donations should be generated by the work of your own sweat, blood, and tears. Maybe we feel bad about working with others when they do not necessarily get anything out of it. However, that is not true in this case.If done correctly the organization or business you work with generates something that is far more valuable which is PR. A joint venture between your organization that needs donations and their business for PR reasons may be a match made in Heaven.
Why They Need You For PR:
PR is extremely hard to get and it takes something newsworthy. The good news is that your reason for collecting donations, most of the time, is very newsworthy in most cases. If you can attach your cause to another business’s event then you may be able to generate publicity. Even if it does not generate any calls or television interviews it still has the effect of being a feather in the cap of the business that works with you. You both win which makes a great joint venture.
The truth is that most businesses are soulless entities to most patrons. It is a problem that they spend a lot of money to solve. Helping you gives them something they can put on their website . They could add to their social media. They could also just casually mention it in conversations with possible clients. All of which is extremely useful for you because you get donations. You have, also, strengthened their marketing. They get to show that they care about the community. It is a good thing for some of the buyers in the market. There are people who will buy based on this fact and a business is better off having this on their side than not. They all want the leg up and there are some who are smart enough to realize that this is a good marketing advantage.
What to Do Now:
What’s the takeaway here? You are going to have to ask other businesses if they would be willing to donate a percentage of their proceeds to your charity. It is better if they come to you with this idea first, which you may be able to help yourself do by putting a little something on your website about the fact that you accept donations for your organization in this fashion. Obviously, it would be better if you have a relationship with the business first but you may not be in that kind of position. An appointment setter may be a good idea in this case. However, it is a method you may want to try for your own charity or good cause.
