Engage your Customers in CSR
CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) is a good way for a business to give back. It offers essential services to the community, but it also helps the business reach more customers. While this may seem like a selfish way to think about helping others, it’s actually more of a positive by-product. By giving customers help and assistance, the business shows that it cares.
CSR initiatives express the beliefs and ethos of the business, and customers who are aligned to these principles may then be willing to buy from the business. In addition, community members who didn’t previously know about the brand will now be exposed to the business. There is evidence that Millennial employees are more likely to work at a company that pursues ethical CSR.
Chart your progress on your website
One of the best ways to engage your customers is to let them know what you’re doing. As you carry out your CSR activities, share what you’re doing on your website. You could use your blog or your news page to post interesting blogs, articles, press releases, videos, and photo galleries featuring your CSR activities. Make your content interesting and informative so that your readers keep coming back. As they get to know you better, conversion will improve.
Offer soundbites on social media
Many digital gurus claim that the blog is dead, and that modern netizens don’t read long copy. While this isn’t true of everyone, it is true that many consumers do prefer bite-sized content. Make sure your website has social media integration. For every blog or article, pick a catchy excerpt and post it on social media with a link to your website. For live events, use real-time social media updates to garner interest, let consumers know what you’re doing, and invite them to join in.
Invite fans to donate funds
One of the main components of CSR is fundraising. A company might host an entertainment event, using ticket money to support their cause. They might also partner with other corporate sponsors, or ask their staff members to help. The company will sometimes offer to match or double funds raised by the public.
To get your customers involved, make it easy for them. For example, you can put a ‘donate’ button on your website. You can also announce that a percentage of product sales, service fees, or purchased merchandise will go towards a specific CSR target.
Use credit cards for quick donations
Most consumers use cards to buy or donate. The easier it is to process their cards, the more likely they are to contribute. To facilitate and encourage impulse donations and purchases, select a good payment processor. Barriers to card payments include, delays, multi-step processing, and security concerns. Pick a payment provider that has high levels of encryption, instant verification, and low processing fees. Low rates allow more of the funds to be channeled into the CSR initiative.
For more information about using your website to engage your customers in CSR, or to sign up for a merchant account, please call (888) 924-2743 or go to Charge.com.