Make a Difference and Make a Living

A man came upon a construction site where three people were working. He asked the first, “What are you doing?” and the man replied: “I am laying bricks.” He asked the second, “What are you doing?” and the man replied: “I am building a wall.” As he approached the third, he heard him humming a tune as he worked, and asked, “What are you doing?” The man stood, looked up at the sky, and smiled, “I am building a cathedral!” Each of these men were doing the exact same actions. The first two were just working their jobs. The cathedral creator saw the end result, the greater good, and found joy in his job. So, who are you in this story?

You can work to make a paycheck and you can have a greater purpose at the same time. You can make a living and make a difference. Plus, there’s nothing wrong with telling the community about the difference your company makes. This popular type of branding is called “cause marketing.” Here’s how it works. Your business chooses to support a nonprofit group or social cause. A percentage of sales or profit is donated and the customer partners with the charitable act. This allows clients to feel good about you and do good at the same time. One example of this is TOMS shoes. This brand has risen in popularity due to its cause marketing. Every time someone buys a pair of TOMS shoes they donate a pair of shoes to people in need. They advertise the promotion and are known for their kindness. When people buy TOMS shoes they have an emotional connection with the brand.

Maybe you can do the same with a food bank, environmental effort, or injustice that’s locally important? Even a small donation that is multiplied through a customer’s repeated purchases makes a huge difference. By helping your business, people can help others. With cause marketing, you’ll be building more than just a brick wall. You’ll be building a cathedral.