Happy New Year! There is always something so fresh about the beginning of any year. And, it seems all the more fresh with cold-crisp air, and a new snowfall. At givingadvice, I've begun to put fresh, new ideas into the plan which will roll out this year. Even the business giving model and services will be taking on a new twist which I am really excited about. Most of this will be shared first with my givingsuccess! community. If you are not yet a part of my givingsuccess! community, you can subscribe here. It's free.
Part of fresh starts is getting back to basics. In early December, I posted a response about getting back to the use and understanding of philanthropy and cause marketing terms. My concern was that many in the field do not know the definitions of some of the terminology and use it incorrectly. And let's be honest, the general public probably hasn't a clue what the difference is between charity and philanthropy. Moreover, there are companies that don't know the difference between strategic philanthropy and cause marketing. This can muddy the waters and make just about anyone as confused as the next.
So... I am particularly grateful to Joe Waters (@joewaters) for beginning a fresh new year by setting the record straight. Here is his recent Selfish Giving blogpost on "What is Cause Marketing?" If anyone knows, Joe knows. And, as he says, "If Joe says it's true and Maggie says it's true, then it's true." He gets down to the basics about what cause marketing is and is not.
In the Fall, 2009 I gave a talk "Cause Partnerships that Do Good for Good" and if a mirror could be held against Joe's post and my talk, they mirror each other (although I am better looking and a faster runner than he - our inside joke with one another).
Here is to a fresh, new year with a crisp-clean and clear definition of cause marketing. I wish you giving success in 2010. Give me a shout out if I can support you on your journey to making an impact in this world.
