To research the environmental, ethical and social values and concerns one of your publics, such as your customers, find out their favorite charities. Then volunteer for those charities or hold an event that benefits a favorite charity in some way.
As an inspiring example, New York Times bestselling romantic suspense author Brenda Novak holds an auction every year to support diabetes research. Novak’s auction has grown too large for her to effectively manage as a third-party fundraiser, and she found she had to file the paperwork to become her own nonprofit. Besides providing Novak with the gratification of doing something meaningful with her free time, Novak’s well-known auction has brought her enviable publicity.
Author Jenna Black, for example, who writes urban fantasy and paranormal romance, said in her May 2009 Newsletter that she has donated books for Brenda Novak’s auction every year, because this is a cause that is near and dear to her heart. Jenna has donated signed copies of her Morgan Kingsley series, signed copies of her Guardians of the Night series, and a signed ARC (advance reader copy) of Speak Of The Devil to Brenda Novak’s auction.
You can see a list of the hundreds of other items available at Novak’s auction at: http://brendanovak.auctionanything.com/Home.taf. In 2008, Novak raised $252,300 for diabetes research. Her goal for 2009 was $300,000. Auction items have included a $420 diamond ring, a $200 sterling silver and diamond necklace, an $80 magnetic therapy bracelet, a Brenda Novak Fan Pack of goodies, and a six-month subscription to Dorchester’s book club.
As another example of a business owner who has received publicity as a side effect of his passion for a cause, look at tech billionaire Tom Siebel, the founder, chairman, and CEO of Siebel Systems, which Oracle Corporation acquired in 2006. The May 2009 issue of Fast Company magazine devoted several pages to describing Siebel’s crusade to keep teens off crystal methamphetamine. Siebel’s grisly TV ads on the Montana airwaves about meth abuse have significantly lowered Montana’s meth-abuse rate, so he enjoys the double satisfaction of having the effect he desired on his public and getting some hot publicity to boot.
What professional associations, clubs and organizations does your public join? The Encyclopedia of Associations is a comprehensive source of detailed information on over 135,000 nonprofit membership organizations worldwide. This can be helpful if your service or product targets a certain public.
Are you the owner of a pet store? If so, you have probably joined the local ASPCA. But you can also find out if there are birdwatching groups that meet in your area. If there are, you can join and network with the members. Perhaps you can volunteer to give a presentation at one of their meetings or provide helpful information in some other way.
Almost every association, club or organization you can imagine has a newsletter, a Web site or some form of regular communication with its members. Since these publications are often produced on a shoestring budget by volunteers, you may find yourself welcomed with open arms when you offer to write an article or a tip sheet for them. Focus on providing solid, useful information to people, rather than blatant self-promotion of your company, products or services.
The publication will allow you to provide a one or two-sentence “About” blurb at the end of the article, which gives your readers the information they need to contact you. This blurb can be distilled from your short bio.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
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