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The businesses with raving fans are usually nice businesses — ones that use their success to give back to their community. But you can do more than just the right thing by putting a word of mouth spin on your corporate responsibility.
Here are some examples:
1. Highlight employees doing great things
2. Help out the people who support you
3. Use your services in charitable ways
1. Highlight employees doing great things
Photo thanks to Johnson & Johnson.
In a blog series called “Doing Good in the Neighborhood,” Johnson & Johnson features their employees who do volunteer work, like helping out at shelters or mentoring children. It puts the spotlight on individuals, not on the company — which is something their employees will feel good about and talk about. Their blog sends the message that Johnson & Johnson not only hires generous people, but also celebrates them. You probably have employees doing amazing work outside of your business, too. Find ways to show them off.
2. Help out the people who support you
Photo thanks to Whole Foods Market.
Whole Foods Market has been giving low-interest loans to local farmers and producers since 2007. This year, they announced they will more than double those efforts. On their site, each loan recipient of their Local Producer Loan Program has a profile showing what they make, where they’re from, and how they’re using the loan money. It makes sense that Whole Foods would support the businesses that make their stuff since they’ll be the ones spreading the word to other small producers. But it’s even better that they show them off to everyone else.
3. Use your services in charitable ways
Photo thanks to ASPCA.
For National Cat Day, Uber, an on-demand car service, delivered kittens on demand. Their site explained that for $20, you could have a carload of adoptable kittens delivered to your office for “15 minutes of snuggles,” with the proceeds benefiting your city’s local animal shelter. It seems weird, but by using their car service to do something unique, Uber brought attention to their cause as well as their product.
