Today on CauseTalk Radio, Megan and I talk to Natasha Deganello Giraudie, the CEO of Micro-Documentaries. Natasha and her team produce 1-2 minute authentic, actionable and affordable documentaries for purposeful companies and nonprofit organizations.

Natasha makes the case for short videos that give viewers a powerful taste of the aspirational goals of a cause. She also offers some tips for nonprofits that want to make their own impactful videos, and gives her perspective on the new six-second video app Vine.

Finally, Natasha shares how listeners can access a free guide from Micro-Documentaries that explains everything from writing compelling titles and climbing search engine rankings to sharing the video with stakeholders and getting the attention of the media.

Tune into this short but powerful conversation! … Keep reading

I can’t believe it’s already been a month since the Boston Marathon bombing. It was a harrowing day (and week with the ensuing man hunt), which I recounted in my newsletter and on the For Momentum blog. In the days following the bombing, Boston Strong became the battle cry for a whole nation.

On the cause marketing front, it was a interesting and enlightening to watch things unfold. I saw a lot of great examples of cause marketing that were innovative, creative and downright inspiring. It made me even prouder to be a wicked awesome Bostonian!

But there was also a downside to all the attention the tragedy got, and the mad rush to give when it wasn’t always clear who was getting what and how much.

Here’s my perspective on the good, the bad and the ugly of Boston Strong cause marketing.

The Good

One Fund Boston. State and city officials did a great job moving quickly to establish a single fund to which people could donate.… Keep reading

Today on CauseTalk radio, Megan and I chat with Chris Jarvis of Realized Worth, an expert on mobilizing employees for good causes.

Chris debunks the myths of “Done in a Day” corporate volunteerism, explains the “Proximity Factor” of employee engagement and outlines how companies can woo more employees to participate in meaningful and long-term nonprofit initiatives.

For the real deal from the guy who knows how to get employees to participate in corporate volunteering programs, tune in now!… Keep reading

Today on CauseTalk Radio, Megan and I talk to Jon Siegel, Executive Director, TisBest and Tricia Wilkerson, Marketing Manager, Conifer Health Solutions about ExpoGiving. This new trade show product uses money that normally goes to trade show tchotchkes and funnels it to charitable organizations that fight hunger, work to end homelessness, conduct medical research, and take environmental action.

Tricia shares her company’s experiences with TisBest and ExpoGiving, and Jon talks about the launch of the product this week at the Business 4 Better Conference in Anaheim, California.

Tune in now!

… Keep reading

First, they are similar in that they fall under the umbrella of point-of-sale (POS). For me, POS cause marketing is anything that happens at a business’ register that raises money for a nonprofit. In addition to register and pinup programs, I would put round-up programs and donations boxes under the point-of-sale umbrella.

Register programs differ from pinups in that they are generally passive cause marketing – which means there is no ask from the cashier (e.g. “Would you like to donate a dollar to the One Fund Boston?”). Beyond seeing the signage at the register – or on the credit card terminal when they swipe their card – the customer acts on their without any prompt from the cashier. Pinups also involve some type of paper icon that shoppers sign and is then displayed in the store.… Keep reading

On today’s show, Megan and I talk to David Hessekiel, Founder and President of Cause Marketing Forum.

David shares what’s on tap for the May CMF Conference in Chicago, including my session on Cause Marketing for Small to Medium Sized Businesses and Nonprofits.

He also gives us a peak into keynotes by LIVESTRONG CEO Doug Ulman, Andy Goodman on storytelling and J. Walker Smith on industry trends. Finally, David talks about his recent cause marketing speaking trip to China, for which he kept a wonderful travel blog.

Tune in now and I hope you can join David, Megan and me at the CMF conference on May 29 and 30!… Keep reading

Today on CauseTalk Radio, Megan and I talk to Mark Dority, Director of Marketing for KULA Causes, on how his company helps customers support great causes by simply frequenting their favorite brands.

Whether using loyalty points, shopping through KULA’s affiliate eCommerce platform, or shopping with another KULA partner brand, consumers can earn and collect a charitable currency that they can donate to millions of causes across the globe.

Tune in now!… Keep reading

Also, please let me know if you seen any other events, products or services that are supporting the victims.

This t-shirt created by students at Boston’s Emerson College has already raised $40,000!… Keep reading

Bad behavior:

Good behavior:

Any questions?

More: How to Help the Victims of the Boston Explosion… Keep reading

Today on CauseTalk Radio, Megan and I chat with MSLGROUP’s Scott Beaudoin about the new Purple Index, which ranks Fortune 100 companies by how effective they are at communicating and engaging stakeholders around purpose while still turning a profit.

We discuss why WalMart ranked #1 overall and question how Target fell off the list. Check out this great infographic and be sure to tune in to hear how companies and nonprofits alike can benefit from this new research.… Keep reading