Consumer sentiment moves businesses to consider causes they want to support

Cause marketing is taking place all around you. It can be seen everywhere from the local fitness center’s “10K to Cure Heart Disease” to Yoplait’s nationwide “Save Lids to Save Lives” to TOMS “One for One” campaign that sends shoes to kids in Third World countries. Corporations and charities are teaming up to make a difference—and generating revenue (and donors) in the process. 

And, by all accounts, consumers like it. According to a 2012 Edelman Goodpurpose Study, 87% of global consumers believe that business needs to place at least equal weight on society’s interests as on its own interests.

Numbers from 2010 Cone Cause Evolution Study reveals:

• 83% of Americans wish more of the products, services and retailers they use would support causes.
• 80% of consumers are willing to switch from one brand to another that is about the same in price and quality—if the other brand is associated with a good cause. 
• 61% are willing to try a new brand or one they have never heard of if it’s associated with a cause.

A few factors that have contributed to the rise in cause marketing are a consumer base that includes more socially minded millennials; increased consumer-brand engagement via social media; and corporate efforts to innovate and compete in a tough economy. 

But, it should be noted that it’s not enough to simply hook your brand to a cause, nor is cause marketing for everyone. Some basic principles need to take root before you will see the cause marketing rewards of increased brand awareness, customer loyalty, a competitive advantage and a boost to revenue.

PLAN AHEAD

Think outside the box. If you own a store and truly desire to connect with your customers’ “cause hot buttons,” take a survey at the counter over the course of a week or send one out via e-blast. What social issues most concern your customers—missions, evangelism, at-risk youth, hunger, sex trafficking? Ask them to rank their concerns. Research how to align with an organization, publisher, author, ministry or church that already spearheads these issues. 

Make sure your cause is a good corporate fit. When you consider a nonprofit partner, make sure it’s a strong brand fit on both sides of the table. Make sure both teams contribute real value and authenticity to the mission.

Head first, heart second. Not every cause is a fit for your brand. Be strategic. Study connections that work: TOMS/shoes for kids, Yoplait yogurt/breast cancer cure, Oil of Olay/skin cancer prevention. Committing to a cause long-term is a decision that is head-first (strategic) and heart-second (passion). That commitment also needs corporate support from the top down. The partnership should extend your brand personality and further tell the story of who you are and what values your company embraces. Ask yourself what matters most to you, your employees and your customers. You will work harder for a cause that is fueled by both strategy and passion, in that order. 

TELL YOUR STORY

Be authentic and communicate clearly. People will move on your behalf if they determine you are sincere, consistent and focused in your mission and message. Your primary task is to communicate—succinctly and with rabid consistency—the definitive impact you are making in the world. Authenticity communicated well builds brand trust—the holy Grail of repeat business. And, authenticity—not inspiration—is what pays the bills. 

Tell a great story. Getting people to listen depends on your ability to tell a compelling story. People want to align with companies that do good, but they also want to know where their money goes and if it’s truly making an impact. 

As we recently experienced with one of our clients, HEAL Ministries, revamping your message and telling your story in a compelling way is key to creating raving fans. In HEAL’s case, no matter how passionate the ministry communicated the mission, potential donors eventually tuned out when the ministry repeatedly asked them to donate money for Bibles to send to widows and orphans in Uganda. They tuned in when we decided to tell the same story, but in a more compelling and consistent way—and giving increased. 

Integrate your marketing. It takes more than Facebook fans and Twitter followers to carry a cause campaign over time. Tell your story consistently and powerfully across targeted marketing channels such as your website or blog, radio or online ads, TV, email marketing, speaking engagements, community events or editorial placement. 

Tell people what you are doing. In the past, companies have avoided appearing boastful about their charitable deeds. However, as the economy limps along and customers leverage online platforms to voice their like or dislike of companies, savvy brands realize that marketing is a two-way conversation in which the consumer has a say—and a pretty big one at that! Not only do consumers want to hear about a company’s good deeds, they expect to, and they want to personally, and publically, be aligned with that cause.

For example, our company recently aligned with The Autism Society of Middle Tennessee. While the group came to us initially for services, it didn’t take long for us to transition from vendor to advocate and tie this group’s mission to our company. We’ve communicated our alliance with this group and supported their efforts on our social channels. By raising awareness for autism, we’ve created an extension of our own brand values of community, education and advocacy around causes we believe in. 

You can’t fake cause marketing. If you are genuine and communicate your cause consistently and well, your customers will likely engage with you at a higher level. This means you end up evangelizing with your business purpose and your business, which is always a win-win.

Doing good is indeed good for business. To be successful, businesses must evolve with and respond to the demands of an increasingly socially minded consumer base. 

Properly executed cause marketing has the potential to fill an important need, create brand loyalty and give your customers one more reason to purchase from you. And at the end of the day, that matters.  

Making space for the newly published can pay off in more sales, kingdom impact

Once upon a time … I was a new author. After years of struggle, when my single goal was getting my manuscript published, the day came when I finally held a copy of my first book in my hands. More copies filled my garage and the publisher’s warehouse, boxes full of them. I was dismayed to discover that I now had a new full-time job, promoting my book. 

To the local Christian bookstore, I was an unknown author, trying to market a book alongside the A-List, best-selling authors who kept the store in business and paid their employees’ salaries. 

AUTHOR’S CREDO

All authors are unknown at some point. Though the economics have changed, unknown authors still get published. It requires flexibility on the author’s part, being willing to change directions toward e-books and self-publishing if standard publishing fails. This route has its drawbacks, of course, as the author picks up the costs of all aspects of editing and design. But regardless of the publishing venue, writers must also be publicists, including building a platform for ministry via speaking, Internet writing, articles and social media. 

New authors must have perseverance, determining to sort the morass of choices—and the temptation to let a less-than-excellent product slide through the chutes of self-publishing. Authors need to decide, if God is calling them to write, to constantly hone their craft, surrounding themselves with a writers’ group, attending writers’ conferences, learning from books on writing.

Getting published also requires creativity, building relationships between retailers and readers. Most retailers are eager to team up with writers if sales are a real possibility. New authors need to communicate why their books will impact readers, and how retailers can benefit from the addition of yet another new title.

As a newly published author, it took some convincing on my part—and a discounted price from my publisher—but my local store agreed to arrange a book signing. They provided a chair and a stack of my books on a table near the entrance… and a giant red tomato. A VeggieTales character was visiting the store during my signing. From my convenient position near the door, I directed the constant flow of excited families to the back of the bookstore where the tomato commanded center stage. I sat alone for three grueling hours, listening to the giggling and singing and clapping out of sight beyond the bookshelves. I managed to sell a handful of books that day, every single one purchased by friends stopping by to show their support. But even my friends wandered back to see the famous tomato. 

At a second signing, I teamed up with Jane Rubietta, a good friend and fellow author who had just published a nonfiction book. This signing was too far from home for friends to attend. There was no tomato this time, but customers made a wide circuit around my table, avoiding eye contact, obviously fearing that I would corner them with a sales pitch and they couldn’t graciously escape without buying one of my books. The plate of dry, colorless cookies was not enough of an incentive for them to stop. At the end of two hours (experience taught me to shorten the time), the store manager said, “I haven’t read your book and I never will. I don’t have time to read fiction, and I especially dislike biblical fiction.” 

That, of course, was the genre of my first book. I didn’t sell a single copy that day. But God was building my character, and trying to instill in me a servant attitude, probably one of the top necessities for authors.

AUTHOR’S TEAM

My first few books were published in an era when Christian publishers still had the luxury of “discovering” new authors. Some big-name authors generated enough money so Bethany House could afford to take a chance on unknown writers. They published three or four of my books that barely recouped their advances until word-of-mouth (and a Christy Award) helped them to begin to pay off. 

Unfortunately, the financial margin for discovery has shrunk in this economy. But a profitable relationship between bookstore, reader and author is still possible. Here are ideas I’ve seen work:

In a bookstore in Switzerland, employees write reviews (like an Amazon review) and tell customers their picks. These picks were on a special shelf, highlighted in the store with a display of the books. Customers learned which employee had their taste in books and always looked for their monthly picks. 

Invite the author to give a short talk, something of substance and relevant to the published work, for people who take the time to come into the store. Jane Rubietta offered a workshop on journaling when her book Quiet Places was released. A large group attended. (And bought books!)

One bookstore had a librarians’ night for all the church librarians in their area. The store was closed, and offered tasty, colorful cookies and food. The owner invited me to talk about my books with the guests so they could get to know me.

Form a book club using the new authors’ books then invite the authors in for a chat. Most readers love to meet the real live author, and hosting the club at the store boosts traffic, sales and good ministry.

Consider using an Internet connection or Skype to host a “live” broadcast for a group with a new author on the screen.

Take advantage of the print media. Local weekend or weekly newspapers love local authors and “success” stories; stringers love to write up an article for those papers. The online version provides added publicity.

AUTHOR’S IMPACT

A “small name” doesn’t mean a small impact for eternity. I didn’t start writing because I wanted fame and fortune. I write because I believe God called me to write. If my stories can touch a single person’s heart as part of God’s plan, then I am a success. Thank God for the bookstores, the middlemen in this process, on the frontlines of ministry, bringing life-changing books to their customers’ attention.

New authors need space on store shelves. They have energy, passion and that vital ingredient of hope. They are willing to work hard and don’t take the privilege of publishing for granted. With teamwork, publisher, retailer and author can take that relationship to the bank. But more than that, new authors offer a new route to impact eternity. And that’s an investment we can’t afford to miss. 

Christian publishing still shows encouraging signs of health despite recent upheavals

Any attempt to analyze the state of an industry, particularly one as volatile as publishing, is a challenge. Late last year, the New York Times ran an article titled “How Dead Is the Book Business?” and Forbes asked, “What is the Future of Publishing?” The implication is that these are dire times and we need to start constructing survival shelters. But before we begin stocking up on batteries, let’s take a look at the state of our own part of the book-publishing industry.

HAND WRINGING

Two major events shook our industry last year. The acquisition of Thomas Nelson by HarperCollins and its subsequent reorganization with Zondervan was the first. And the recently announced merger of Random House and Penguin was the other. But the latter does not impact the Christian market directly since there isn’t a specific CBA division within Penguin. 

While there has been much hand-wringing over these developments, CBA industry veterans have seen this before. Ten years ago (2003), Baker Books purchased Bethany House Publishers, and in 2006, WaterBrook bought Multnomah. The industry adapted. 

It is important to remember that the reading public is “publisher agnostic.” They generally do not know who published their favorite author. They only care that they can still get the next best book to read regardless of its origin.

POWER SHIFTING

The power of the brick-and-mortar retailer is changing. The demise of Borders and the shrinking of shelf space at Wal-Mart has had a huge impact on publishers’ sales success. In the past, they, along with Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble and Books-A-Million could make or break the success of a single title in the general market. 

The CBA market also has its “power accounts” that have influenced publishers’ decisions. But I maintain that the Christian market can still launch a best-seller that the general market later recognizes for its sales potential. Titles like The Harbinger, Heaven Is for Real and Radical are perfect examples of where our market initially drove demand. 

However, the rise of e-books and the power of Amazon have changed the game. This change also has opened the door for the indie author to succeed without a traditional publisher. As a result, publishers are trying new ways to launch authors without traditional sales channels. 

E-books have begun to supplant the mass-market trim size. In fact, the mass-market paperback has seen double-digit drops in sales volume in the last year. Pricing of e-books, therefore, has become a playground for experimentation and controversy. I’ve seen more upheaval in this arena than any other as publishers and retailers—store front and online—wrestle with the economics of digital products.

SOCIAL MARKETING

The success of any book is more art than science. The attempt to market the “next big thing” has changed from the static method of catalogs and print advertising to the ever-shifting world of social media. 

Readers are now able to connect with much larger networks to spread the word about a particular book. Many publishers recognize this and are throwing their efforts into that world instead of into book tours and space ads. An example of this is the NovelCrossing.com reading community created by WaterBrook Multnomah.

LESS RISK-TAKING

If it were your money, you would likely “bet” on those book ideas that you know are going to sell a ton of copies. And only those who already have a track record are assured of a ready-made buying audience. 

In addition, for the nonfiction writer in particular, there is a demand for the author to have a visible or quantifiable platform from which they can sell their book ideas. This makes it very hard to launch a first-time author or for a publisher to stick with an author if their initial titles do not have strong sales. The era of developing an author and hoping that one day they will be successful is effectively over.

Economically a single blockbuster can make or break a publishing company’s bottom line for the year. Think of the impact Twilight, Harry Potter, 90 Minutes in Heaven, One Thousand Gifts, The Shack, Crazy Love, Left Behind, Radical and others have had on their publishers’ profits. Most have created a second book or more, even a franchise—and every publisher wants one of their own.

TREND CHASING

It’s nothing new to have publishers and retailers chasing current trends. The success of 90 Minutes in Heaven and Heaven Is for Real created a burgeoning category of books on the topic of heaven. It will be interesting to see if it has staying power, as the CBA industry has seen books on angels, prophecy, atheism and other topics ebb after a period of intense sales volume.

Amish fiction—the only genre that has its origins completely within the CBA market—is the one place where success created a new category that now has nearly 40 authors writing about the Plain community. We may find some fatigue among publishers and retailers, but readers have continued to ask for more. 

WORLD CHANGING

Overall, it is a great day to be in our industry. In my opinion, the publishing industry is still relatively healthy. Authors have multiple options besides the big publishing companies. Digital initiatives have led to an exploding new area of development. Last year, our agency had nearly 200 new books put under contract. Some were from first-time authors, which means that publishers are still acquiring great content, which will never change.

While it is hard to sell a book in today’s marketplace, I can’t name a time when it was easy. If publishing were easy, anyone could do it. That is why it is called “work.” 

Instead of reading doom-and-gloom, let’s embrace the challenge and enjoy the richness of changing our world word by word.

Steve Laube is the literary agent and president of The Steve Laube Agency. Connect with him at www.stevelaube.com.

New location for 25-year-old store ties in with a re-emphasis on resourcing the church

Northland—A Church Distributed in Longwood, Fla., recently celebrated the 25th anniversary of its bookstore. A September event commemorating the milestone with discounts and drawings attracted attention from customers—and some surprise.

“You’ve been here that long?” became a familiar refrain as Manager Donna Duckhorn and her team chatted with customers. Describing them as “impressed” that the store had been in business that long, she said: “I think we’ve just been a staple and they count on us being here when needed. They expressed gratitude for the years of service and wished us 25 more years.”

Publishers and other vendors responded well to Duckhorn’s email requesting items for the drawings Monday through Thursday, which encouraged shoppers to come in at slower times. Customers submitted tickets for the drawings, and the tickets were then saved for the grand prize drawing of a fall picture from Dicksons, which was part of the inventory.

Near the time of the store’s celebration, however, came a big change. Northland—a congregation with about 15,000 in attendance, including 4,000 online—opted to use the space the bookstore had occupied for connecting with first-timers and new believers and as a small chapel. When the church was considering the move, Duckhorn was asked to be a part of the process.

In mid-November, the store made the transition and now occupies what was the church’s hospitality suite and storage area, which is about the same space as its previous location’s 1,800 square feet, but also is more centrally located.

The store is re-emphasizing its purpose, which is to resource Northland church rather than to compete with area stores.

“That’s always been the leadership’s direction for the store, as it was never designed or intended to be a full-fledged one-stop gift shop,” Duckhorn said. “Resources are our focus to help bring God’s people to spiritual maturity.”

Still, the move is an adjustment, and there have been some layoffs. Two of the store’s part-time, paid employees lost their jobs, another part-timer was moved to a different department, and a full-time assistant manager was added and filled by Abi Mills, a former part-time employee. 

The store is planning a celebration to honor the ministry of those who are leaving. Along with providing scheduling and reference help, Duckhorn said she also appreciates the fact that the church is allowing time for these staff reductions, “letting people transition through the end of the year.”

The store also plans to be more “strategic” with its buying, opting for different vendors than area Christian stores use, Duckhorn said. “We’re going to go a little deeper on meaningful pieces like purity rings and higher-end jewelry.” 

Some areas are being expanded, too, including Bibles, the teen and pre-teen section and the small group study section. There is also a new, comfortable reading area for customers.

Gateway Church bookstore team reads select books that aid in its ministry to customers

Passages Manager Susan Wilson and her team continue to meet the often critical needs of their customers. A jobless nurse whose husband had had an affair and an out-of-state pastor whose wife had left him are among those who recently walked into the store at the Southlake, Texas, campus of Gateway Church. 

To help prepare her staff for such encounters, Wilson selects a book about every two months that she believes would assist them in ministry. 

Each of the nine staff takes 20 minutes a day alone to read the book until they have all read it. Then, in a monthly newsletter, they share highlights of the book with the store’s volunteers.

“When we finish, we each write a paragraph or two describing how the book touched our lives or how the Holy Spirit spoke to us through the book,” Wilson said.

Some key titles staff members have read are How to Stop the Pain by Dr. James B. Richards (Whitaker House), The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson (Zondervan) and Greater by Steven Furtick (Multnomah Books).

A benevolence fund also is built into the budget, allowing staff to give products to any customer as they sense God’s leading.

“It’s not just about giving them that book and blessing them because they can’t afford it,” Wilson said. “It’s about listening to the Holy Spirit about what book to give, give it to maybe the richest person that lives in Southlake, Texas, just what he needs at that time to turn his life around.”

When the unemployed nurse came in, the first priority was “hugging her and telling her how much she was loved, that God loved her, that He knew this was going to happen before she ever knew about it, and He was going to be her support,” Wilson said.

After praying with her and taking her to the back of the bookstore where she could relax, a pastor was called to minister to her further and tell her about the church’s “freedom training.” The store also gave her some books and CDs. When she returned the next weekend, Wilson “didn’t even recognize her,” she said, noting the transformation that had taken place.

The pastor who came from out of state to visit the store was distraught that his wife had left him out of the blue. 

“He said the Holy Spirit had told him that morning to drive to Gateway Church and that he would receive healing,” Wilson said, sharing that he testified to that healing in a letter he later wrote to the store. 

“It’s phenomenal when, I guess, we’re God’s ‘yes’ people, and we’re His hands and His feet,” Wilson said.

Bookstore Manager Gwen Halimon has heard new visitors to her church say many a time that her South Jersey store is the “best-kept secret” of the area—and that’s something she plans to change.

Kingdom Bookstore at Living Faith Christian Center in Pennsaulken, N.J., opened its doors in October 2007 to continue its church members’ “spiritual growth and supplement the teaching that they were receiving from the pulpit ministry,” Halimon said.

Founded by late pastor Lamont McClean and his wife, Constance McClean, who is now senior pastor, the Philadelphia-area multicultural church sees more than 2,000 in attendance for Sunday services. 

“People from the outside, they’re very surprised if they’re not members of this church and they come for a particular event and they see a bookstore,” Halimon said.

To get the word out, the store posts information on the church marquee visible to commuters as they head into Philadelphia. It also runs spots on Praise 103.9, a major market gospel station in the metro area.

With approximately 3,000 square feet of space, including a café with table seating for 50, Kingdom Bookstore was designed by Integra Interactive. The ministry aims to cast a wider net to serve its community, especially since there is only one other independent store still in the area and because four local Christian independent stores have closed in the last three years.

Kingdom Bookstore also has a strong focus on gifts.

Most of the store’s gifts—anything from cards and door knockers to pillowcases and apparel—are functional and have scripture or Christian symbols in their design. Along with the usual companies in the Christian gift market, Halimon hunts for closeouts or unique items from “companies that are not the norm.”

Despite being a multicultural church, “our congregation doesn’t tend to buy things that are very ethnic,” said Rosemary Robinson, church administrator. “They go for the Christian products, but not things of a specific ethnicity.”

The store stocks a significant number of books and a wide variety of Bibles as well as DVDs and CDs, some signed by artists who hold concerts at the church—an outreach that likely will keep bringing in future customers.