How Does Being Grateful Impact Your Business?
I often talk about “Cause Marketing” or cause-related marketing as a way to strengthen a brand, reinforce a positive company culture and, most importantly, show gratitude for professional success. Cause marketing is a coordination of efforts within a for-profit company, whether in fundraising or simply donating resources, to provide assistance to a non-profit organization. Increasingly, consumers are supporting socially conscious businesses making cause marketing another route to grow business.
I recommend to my clients that the organization to which you offer assistance represent something that the owner and team members feel strongly about. Insincere efforts can easily be sniffed out as “purely for PR” and can damage a brand. Sincere cause marketing is a result of a self-awareness and gratitude for your professional (and personal) success. Being grateful for what you have can significantly and positively impact your business and your professional relationships.
We call this the attitude of gratitude.
In one of his articles, Jeffrey Froh, an associate profession of psychology at Hofstra University, shares his expertise about how gratitude can benefit ourselves and those around us:
“Being grateful helps us form and sustain the most important relationships in our lives. And though there are obstacles to being grateful…it’s well worth the effort with scientifically proven results. For example, grateful people…tend to be happier and more satisfied with their lives, less envious and materialistic, in higher quality relationships, in better physical and mental health, more prosocial and generous and more resilient.”
I am not sure if we would be able to choose any better traits for a successful entrepreneur. Resiliency, specifically, allows one to continue, steadfast, after a hurdle or devastating event. Resiliency creates stronger bonds within the company and outside it. Resiliency encourages a trust which strengthens positive public opinion and allows a business to weather a storm that could have otherwise been catastrophic to the brand and future success.
Gratitude as an attitude takes practice.
How do you become more grateful? Froh says, “Gratitude isn’t just a feeling, it’s an attitude…similar to following a diet and exercise plan that gives results over time if you’re consistent, the same applies to being more grateful.” Don’t get discouraged at some hiccups along the way; being grateful always is difficult, especially when faced with significant challenges. Keep working at it.
So at this time of year, and at all times, I urge you to evaluate your professional success and be grateful for what you have- start flexing that gratitude muscle. Consider incorporating a synergistic cause marketing campaign into your 2018 overall strategy. Share your thoughts and reasons with the rest of your team. Your energy and excitement will be contagious and will integrate this attitude into your company culture. You and your business will be better for it.
If you have any questions about cause marketing or how to develop a long-term campaign and implement it into your strategy, please contact me at jrm@jmpowerstrategies.com.
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