Episode 55: Cause Marketing ft. Joe Waters

We’ve seen for a number of year now an increasing number of cause marketing relationships between nonprofits, corporations, and retailers. But some organizations still struggle to understand cause marketing and how to recognize and make the most of win-win partnerships. To learn more about this topic, we’ve brought in a true expert on this subject. 

Today’s guest is an expert on the subject of cause marketing. Joe Waters has been in the nonprofit world for 20 years, and is the author of Cause Marketing for Dummies. He’s also the author of the blog Selfish Giving.

Tune in to the episode to hear what Joe has to say about changes in the cause marketing space and what to expect in the future. 

Topics Discussed in This Episode: 

• The biggest changes Joe has seen in cause marketing over the past few years
• The difference between a traditional company and a retailer when it comes to changes in cause marketing
• Why cause marketing can tap more potential donors than corporate sponsorships
• What good cause marketing looks like
• How testing helps show which strategies work best to encourage people to give
• What will happen long term when it comes to the exchange of data between nonprofits and for-profits
• Where will cause marketing be in five to ten years 

Links and Resources: 

Joe Waters

Cause Marketing for Dummies

Selfish Giving

Joe’s Newsletter

Blackbaud

Blackbaud - Twitter

Blackbaud - Facebook 

“What we really encourage on the B to B side when you go out there and talk to companies is to find out what they’re really interested in tapping.” 

“The great thing about cause marketing and what makes it different is that the money is raised from stakeholders, it’s raised from employees, it’s raised from vendors, it’s raised from customers.” 

“When I think of the gold standard, I think of authenticity, transparency, and visibility.”