 Have you ever been at the grocery store and they have food item or product at the end of the counter, then after they ring up your groceries, they ask: "Would you like to donate $1 for (fill in the blank) charity?". More often than not, most people say yes because, they have already purchased my groceries and hey, what is an extra dollar? How about when you get that call on the phone to ask if you would please buy a magazine subscription at a ridiculously low rate to help a particular charity to raise money? Again, most people would sign up because well, they like to read and always wanted that particular magazine. Normally you would not subscribe to it as it is an unnecessary expense. But now it is for charity so, why not? You get the enjoyment of your favorite magazine and the charity gets the funds it needs. These methods are just some of the ways that charities have instituted to help them to raise funds. Rather than ask outright, why not give people something that they may already want while asking for a donation. Retailers have similar way of working. Product Red aka (PRODUCT)RED was formed to raise awareness to awareness and funds to help eliminate HIV/AIDS in Africa.  And as most people know, pink products are what Avon has to raise awareness and funds for the fight against breast cancer. They have also introduced purple products for the fight against domestic violence.  Tastefully Simple has also joined the ranks of retail brands introducing products for charity. Their cause is Share Our Strength via No Kid Hungry campaign to fight against child hunger in America.  These are just some of the ways that charities try to make it easier for people to give. Whether it be beautiful clothes and jewelry or delicious gourmet food, charity can now be more than an annual event. Giving to charity is no longer something that is considered obligatory. You can give when you want, how ever you want and feel rewarded by not only in making the contribution, but getting something that you can enjoy as well. Charity can truly begin at home. |
charity (10)
we have been working hard for the past year, building our numbers, networking with people who want to be involved, getting ready; while waiting for our tax exempt status to go through...we are now officially a 501 (c)(3) organization and now we can really start working for God. Let us know how/if you would like to get involved. For those of you that don't know what this means...the biggest thing is that anyone who donates to us (time, money, services, etc.)you can claim your donation on your income tax. It is not legal to claim donations to any non-profit; they must be a 501(c)organization to be tax deductible.
A spirit of giving should be something that we embrace all year round, and shouldn’t be limited to the months of November andDecember. Here are my top 5 reasons to give back all year long:
1) Because there’s always someone in need. As residents of this planet, and members of the humanrace, we have an unspoken responsibility for one another. Wealso have an innate, God-given desire to love, be loved, protectourselves, as well as others. Whatever your comfort level or situation,there’s always a way to give back, and help someone in need. You havethe option of donating all types of goods (not just money) to non-profitorganizations, or giving a little money to that single mom in yourbuilding or in your child’s school, and even giving back through yourtime. Which leads to my next item…
2) Because it is so rewarding! There’s no feeling like the feeling of knowing that you’re helping someone in need, makingtheir life better, or simply taking time out to focus on the needs ofsomeone outside of your family and inner circle. So, my suggestion?Volunteer! I have been a dedicated volunteer for Animal Care and Control of New York City for 2 years now, and it has beenone of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done in my life! I happen tolove dogs (borderline-obsessed), so, this is a perfect scenario for me.However, if you’re thinking that you don’t have time to volunteerbecause of your already hectic schedule, or that with all of the stressof life, you don’t have much to give anyone, then I have news for you.You absolutely DO have something to give! You just have to get creativesometimes. So depending on your personal interests or free time, thereare many options out there for you. You can volunteer for a non-profitonce-a-week, or once-a-month, you can mentor a young person, or a newbusiness-owner/entrepeneur, you can do a free, quarterly seminar in alocal high school, college, or church, on a topic that you areknowledgeable about that may be helpful to others. The possibilities areendless!
3) Because making the world a better place starts with individuals each doing their part. It’s not enough for us to votefor politicians who we think will make a difference, or to sign apetition for a good cause, every so often, or even participate in arally of sorts. These are all very important of course, but it’s alsoimportant for you to recognize that you alone can make a real differencein this world. From sending a friend a kind e-mail just reminding themthat they’re doing a great job, and that you admire them, to taking outthat really quiet kid from your church, that always seems a little sad,to lunch, to the park, or to a ball game. It’s always good to recognizethe small gestures that we can do as individuals, that will help to makethe world a better place.
4) Because giving is like a river which flows gracefully into an ocean of goodness that affects the masses. Okay,that was a little bit of a poetic stretch, but the point is, you getback what you give. Call it karma, reaping what you sow, energy, “The Secret”, or whatever you like. But, I’vefound that people with a true, giving heart, that actively choose tomake giving back a way of life, find that they always manage to havetheir needs met, sometimes in surprising and miraculous ways, and findthat good always comes back to them, even in the midst of adversity.
5) Because it’s the right thing to do. It’s a little sad that giving back has become something optional for so manypeople, as opposed to a way of life. This really needs to change. Aspirit of giving combats greed, selfishness, and arrogance. So that’sanother great reason to do it! If you’re a parent, your kids arewatching. Don’t just tell them what is right, show them, through yourlife, and through your actions.
You may notice that I didn’t notate any specificorganizations to volunteer for, or donate to. No, that would be tooeasy! I would love it if you would take the time out right now, to lookwithin yourself, and see what unique and special way that you can giveback. Don’t just look at a site with tons of non-profit organizations,or a volunteer options checklist. Think about what you’re good at, whatyou enjoy doing, and the qualities that you already embody that arespecial, and then find something that fits for your personality andlifestyle. Please let me know what you find out. Once you start givingback, you’ll never stop!
Marketing is a contest for people's attention. Traditional mass marketing fights for people's attention by interrupting them. A 30-second spot interrupts your favorite TV show, a telemarketer calls right when you are sitting down to dinner. In the past, this has been quite effective. But now, there's been a paradigm shift. There's too much information - too much going on - and we're being overloaded with interruptions.
Last year, the average consumer saw or heard over 1 million marketing messages - that's close to 3,000 per day. No one can pay attention to that many distractions. So what consumers have started to do is ignore them. So how does a small business owner combat that?
Most small business owners complain that "Nobody knows who we are or what we do!" I know the answer to that predicament: "They don't tell anyone!" And if they are marketing and promoting - they are not doing it effectively. They are forgetting who their customer is (target market) and they give little consideration to how to reach them.
Most companies market haphazardly. They are drawn in a million marketing directions and often fail to create a targeted marketing strategy.
Just like The David Letterman Show - Here's a list of Top Ten Small Business Marketing Mistakes:
1. a different logo, look and tagline with every promotional piece
2. Believing one or two print ads will give a business instant success
3. Not hiring professionals to do a professional job
4. Forgetting to make the most of a first impression
5. Not understanding, defining or remembering your target market
6. Creating a marketing plan but never looking at it or implementing it
7. Neglecting to track marketing dollars - return on investment
8. Ineffective use of time and money with networking and charitable giving
9. Selling features not solutions, benefits and value to the customer
10. Not reserving their domain/URL
Have you evaluate last year's marketing plan or do you have a plan at all?
Planning is the key to effective marketing - but it doesn't have to be complicated or costly.
STOP BEING THE BEST KEPT SECRET. STAND OUT FROM THE CROWD.
Please feel free to share your thoughts and HELP SPREAD THE WORD.
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