The holiday season is usually when most businesses make their numbers for the year, but we shouldn’t forget the other reason to celebrate: it’s also a great opportunity to give back. Being charitable brings people – employees and consumers – together, and it helps communities feel more connected to your brand.
There are several activities you can do to celebrate the holiday season and the spirit of giving. Here are three simple strategies to get started.
1. Match your sales efforts with a charity that’s connected to the holiday.
Have a cause you like to support? There’s no better time for it than now, and a good place to start is with
PayPal Giving Fund — a database of thousands of national and local 501(c)(3) charities. PayPal Giving Fund makes it easy for you to find a charity, and donate without deductions or fees.
You may choose to dedicate a percentage of your sales that day. Then, securely make a donation via the
PayPal Giving site where 100% of your donation goes to benefit charities. From November 28 to December 31, 2017 PayPal will add 1% to donations to make donations go further, see details and terms
here.
Tip: Tie a social media campaign to your giving efforts for more engagement. Let your customers know the charity you’re supporting, how you’re helping, and your target fundraising goals. When your giving campaign ends, make sure to thank and congratulate everyone who participated.
2. Participate in #GivingTuesday.
Giving Tuesday is an international day of giving. This year, the special day falls on Tuesday, November 28, 2017. And if you need inspiration for how to get involved,
here’s a list of #GivingTuesday ideas from other small businesses.
Tip: In addition to raising awareness on social media, you can also promote your #GivingTuesday participation in other ways: attach a reminder to customer receipts, put banners up in-store, or include a note in your
holiday e-mails.
3. Donate items for a charity’s silent auctions.
Another great way to give back – while also promoting your small business – is to donate your products or services to a charity auction. Not only will you be introduced to new people in your community, you will be able to raise money for a good cause and maybe even get some new customers.
Tip: Participating in charity auctions is only one way to get more involved in your community. If you have time, you and your employees can volunteer with a local charity. This not only helps the charity, it can also be a way to bond with your team.