At REW, we do a ton for charities but we feel we could do even more.
Not only does it feel good to give, it’s also very effective in terms of providing us really great content to brag about, run contests around, drive traffic, build backlinks etc
So my question is this, what are YOU doing around charity. And then if you are (which is awesome) how are you leveraging it for the greater good of your business.
I’ll start with one of my favourites:
Every year we sponsor the “Christmas Angels”
This group gets families in need brought to them from schools, counsellors, and other vetted sources.
We get whole families that look like this:
Mom: Needs a coat, Wants “nothing, all mom wants is the kids to have a great christmas”
Dad: needs boots and a coat Wants “mom to have a great christmas… and possibly some cologne”
Child 1 boy: Needs boots and winter jacket. Size medium Wants pokemon
Child 2 girl: Needs toiletries, a jacket and gloves. Wants stories or something to listen music too
Seriously, these families have nothing. I belonged to one of these families before all the kids were taken away by social services. So I know in my heart how much receiving gifts from generous folks makes a difference at Christmas.
What we do? Well we kind of took over. For the past several years REW has actually managed to pay for / sponsor 100% of all families in need in our city (we actually run out of families)
It’s a big deal to give to these folks, and there are more people than just REW that want to help. So we partner with Walmart for a special shopping weekend where our staff, their families and other volunteers come and shop for all the needs of every family
We have our own dedicated lanes, I dress up as Santa (it’s hot as hell!) and everyone gets the warm amazing feeling of not just giving, but being hands on and specifically shopping for / choosing special gifts for all the children, their moms and dads.
Next we donate a space in our commercial buildings where more staff and volunteers come to wrap the presents, write notes on them, do cards etc. A lot of elderly folks who want to be social and give back show up. It makes them feel great.
Finally some of us (myself included) do the hardest and most rewarding part. We deliver special hampers filled with pre wrapped presents and everything they need for Christmas dinner to each family. It’s a tough thing, to see a proud father break down in tears of joy and gratitude. It takes empathy and tact to make sure they feel loved and not embarrassed. And it is SO WORTH IT!
But of course we want to leverage this too! There is more to be gained than just the spirit of giving (which in itself is AMAZING)
What else we get is this:
#1: We get local press and it builds our reputation in the community. It makes it easier for us to hire and receive referrals
#2: It shows our staff that we truly care and are servant minded. People want to work at a place where they feel valued but also in a place that has values and cares for others.
#3: We make sure we share our press and our story well on social media, via emails and blogs etc. Our clients see this and they too feel good about the company they have aligned themselves with. They are more likely to recommend us and send us referrals or share our story.
#4: People who are not our customers see this and go “wow, that is a company I can align myself with, they do great things”
So here’s the thing. You are supposed to leverage your giving! It lends itself to more success. More new sales, greater retention and greater profits. Then you can turn right back around and invest EVEN MORE into giving back at a greater level. It’s a virtuous circle.
And did I mention it feels great? It’s downright good for your soul!
So how about you? What are you doing for charity in your company? How do you celebrate it and leverage it for the success of your company?
We’re coming into the quarter where people need us most. What can we all do to do more. Let’s hear it!
(And please share this thread as many places as you can if you feel that giving back is good for your soul, your community and for your business). Let’s get even more people inspired to do the right thing!
