Tag Archives: social responsibility

To Tap Cause Marketing’s Huge Potential, Do Less Of It

This piece was originally written for and published on Reach Students. If 94% of Millennials condone cause marketing why do only 53% report buying a product that benefits a cause in the past year?  The first finding is compelling, the second certainly is not, particularly given that in many stores you’d have to struggle not to buy […]

You’re Not Alone! 51 Small-Business Owners Speak Up About Sustainability

Ever wonder how other entrepreneurs and small business owners build businesses that reflects their values? What areas do others tackle first? Which of their efforts have been most successful in terms of impact and revenue? Which have been the most challenging? Social innovators and small business owners Peter Korchnak and Megan Strand found themselves fortunate […]

Has KaBOOM! Drunk The Kool-Aid?

When I first heard about KaBOOM!’s partnership with Kool-Aid, I thought unequivocally that the nonprofit had swallowed the sugary, Red No. 40-punch.  Kool-Aid’s pledged to help KaBOOM! build 24 playgrounds and provide funding for 20 more. In a campaign aimed at promoting “healthy, active lifestyles for kids,” why is KaBOOM! partnering with an historic obesity […]

Vote4GoodBusiness: Creating More Companies That Get The Value of Sustainability

There are some myths about social responsibility and business that I need to dispel.  There’s too much potential innovation, human fulfillment, environmental and social degradation and dollars at stake to let them linger. You–reader of this blog and likely social entrepreneur–can spot their untruths. But what about the millions of business in the United States that […]

The bigger, better, faster, stronger type of More (Poll)

Note on this post: It’s personal.  Come back tomorrow for stories and tactics, but stay today to participate and be heard. I launched this site in January 2008 to log my discoveries and articulate my thoughts on business and social responsibility. In the last nine months, I’ve worked to shape Cause Capitalism into a resource […]

Choose Your Own Cause-Marketing Ending

To build brand awareness and identity, the Close But No Cigar company is interested in creating several cause-based community events. Close But No Cigar (CBNC) brings in an expert to ask what cause it should support.  Based on the company’s response to several questions, the idea man returns with several areas that the company might […]

How To Grow Your Business By Giving Your Employees a Calling–with Chip Conley

When Chip Conley applied his interpretation of Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs to his hospitality company Joie de Vivre, he tripled its size when most of his competitors were going bankrupt in the post-9/11, Travelocity-frenzy years. Click the player to listen to my 20-minute conversation with Chip or right-click and save for the MP3. [Audio clip: view […]

Do Gooding Isn’t a Substitute for Marketing: 3 Low-buck Tactics to Get You On Your Way

This point is often overlooked.  Your do-gooding and good deeding aren’t a substitute for marketing.  Customers can’t love you for what you do if they don’t know you.  At this point you might be thinking: But Wait!  One of the benefits of a social mission is the visibility it brings to my company.  I’ve even […]