Wednesday, June 14, 2006
To give or not to give?
It seems most people fall into the "give" category with one special caveat: It must be an organization/charity they have an emotional and deep connection with. Evidence, the two fund raising events that I attended this past weekend. The first was the Annual Reggae Boat Ride hosted by the Jamaica Minnesota Organization on June 10th. This event is held to raise scholarships for high school students in Jamaica. The tickets were $30 dollars per person ($35 at the door). The boat was docked at the St. Croix river in Stillwater and there were people arriving from all parts far and wide across the Twin Cities. Not only was this event an opportunity to celebrate our Jamaican culture and heritage--live band and dJ/dancehall music--but it was for a cause that is near and dear our hearts--educating our children. So the fact that it was quite a haul to get there and the boat was only going out for a few hours, people happily made the journey for a greater good.
On June 11th, the Penumbra Theatre held their Annual Jazz Jam fundraiser at the Dakota Jazz Club in Minneapolis. The Penumbra is one of the nation's premier black theatre companies and produces a variety of culturally relevant and thought-provoking plays. Tickets to the event ranged from $50 for general admission to upwards $400 for a table for four. Regardless of the cost of entry, the place was packed and jamming. During the silent auction portion, items were bidded on furiously and with great zeal. I even got in on the action and had the winning bid of $2100 for Season Tickets to the Vikings Home Games! Now normally I would not be in the business of buying season tickets, but because the success of the Penumbra Theatre is so vitally important--I was compelled and moved to outbid at any cost.
This gets me to my main thought of how companies can generate goodwill and loyalty among their clients and customers. People want to do business with companies they feel good about. One way to do that is to identify a charity that makes sense for your brand and contribute/support that cause in a meaningful way. It's a proven fact that, with all things being equal, people choose brands that are relevant to them and their lives.
Regardless of the state of the economy, people will rise to support causes that make a difference in the world.
How's your charitable giving going? We want to hear from you.
It seems most people fall into the "give" category with one special caveat: It must be an organization/charity they have an emotional and deep connection with. Evidence, the two fund raising events that I attended this past weekend. The first was the Annual Reggae Boat Ride hosted by the Jamaica Minnesota Organization on June 10th. This event is held to raise scholarships for high school students in Jamaica. The tickets were $30 dollars per person ($35 at the door). The boat was docked at the St. Croix river in Stillwater and there were people arriving from all parts far and wide across the Twin Cities. Not only was this event an opportunity to celebrate our Jamaican culture and heritage--live band and dJ/dancehall music--but it was for a cause that is near and dear our hearts--educating our children. So the fact that it was quite a haul to get there and the boat was only going out for a few hours, people happily made the journey for a greater good.
On June 11th, the Penumbra Theatre held their Annual Jazz Jam fundraiser at the Dakota Jazz Club in Minneapolis. The Penumbra is one of the nation's premier black theatre companies and produces a variety of culturally relevant and thought-provoking plays. Tickets to the event ranged from $50 for general admission to upwards $400 for a table for four. Regardless of the cost of entry, the place was packed and jamming. During the silent auction portion, items were bidded on furiously and with great zeal. I even got in on the action and had the winning bid of $2100 for Season Tickets to the Vikings Home Games! Now normally I would not be in the business of buying season tickets, but because the success of the Penumbra Theatre is so vitally important--I was compelled and moved to outbid at any cost.
This gets me to my main thought of how companies can generate goodwill and loyalty among their clients and customers. People want to do business with companies they feel good about. One way to do that is to identify a charity that makes sense for your brand and contribute/support that cause in a meaningful way. It's a proven fact that, with all things being equal, people choose brands that are relevant to them and their lives.
Regardless of the state of the economy, people will rise to support causes that make a difference in the world.
How's your charitable giving going? We want to hear from you.
