Everybody loves to feel they are doing something positive for the world, and supporting businesses that are giving back to the community is an increasingly popular way of doing this. Our World Today will provide businesses/organisations with a wide variety of unique ‘cause related marketing’ benefits that are unlike any other not for profit or community organisation.

Cause related marketing is defined as "When a company with a product, image or service to market, builds a relationship or partnership with a cause or not for profit organisation for mutual benefit." (AICR, 2010)

Our World Todayoffers a huge range of cause related marketing opportunities and benefits to any business partner. In our ‘About us’ section you can see the positive, community-minded nature of Our World Todayand the science behind how and why our idea will create a happier community and world, all of which your business could be a part of. Due to the core nature of its business being the disseminating of news via the internet and abroad, Our World Today will have the power to publicise its business relationships far and wide. We believe every business and person has a positive story to tell and would encourage your business and staff to become involved in submitting stories to Our World Today.

Our World Today offers a range of interesting initiatives to be involved with. One example is that with every click onto our website (www.ourworldtoday.com.au), we are hoping one of our sponsors will donate five cents directly to a charity, which will be rotated every three months. This means over a three month period a charity will receive $50 for every 1000 visitors to the site. So simply by visiting our not for profit positive news website, people will be able to feel as though they are helping the world.

Partnering with such a unique, positive and (one day) influential organisation would be in the best interests of any business who wants to attract more customers, through cause related marketing.

The benefits of cause related marketing

Consumers are becoming increasingly aware of the environmental, social and community records of companies through the media, campaigns by activist groups like GetUp!, and advertising paid for by companies proud of their good work.

Research shows not only a growing awareness of corporate responsibility, but also an increasing number of consumers looking to show their support for responsible business practices through their purchases.

The following research results are hard evidence behind the benefits of cause related marketing. 

- A study by Worthington di Marzio forCavill + Co found Australian consumers were increasingly likely to be influenced in their purchasing decisions by a company's association with a cause.
The 2001 study of more than 750 consumers found:

• the number of consumers influenced to buy a product or service because of a company's association with a cause had almost doubled (from 19% to 34%) when compared to a similar study conducted in 1997
• more consumers expected Australian companies to be more involved in supporting charitable or community causes (almost six out of ten, compared to 50% four years before). It is expected to be much higher today
• considering similar products in terms of price and quality, 77% of consumers would prefer to purchase a product associated with a cause, and 54% would switch from their normal brand
• more than a third of consumers were influenced to buy a company's products or services in the previous year because of its association with a charitable or community cause
• a company's contribution to charitable or community causes ranked seventh on a scale of Consumer Purchasing Influence Factors, ahead of its media advertising, its customer loyalty programs and its sponsorship of sporting events or the arts
• the percentage of consumers likely to switch to a retailer associated with a cause rose markedly from 45% in 1997 to 56% in 2001.

- Cause-related marketing secures more product purchases than regular advertising, according to research conducted by Cone and Duke University.

• 74% more participants purchased shampoo after viewing cause-related marketing than those who viewed regular marketing
• 28% more participants purchased toothpaste after viewing cause-related marketing than those who viewed a regular advertisement for the same product.

- Cone has been conducting research into consumer responses to cause-related marketing for 15 years. In 2008 consumers told Cone:

• they would be likely to switch from one brand to another if the new brand was associated with a good cause (79%)
• they have a more positive image of a product or company that supports a cause they care about (85%)
• companies should tell them how they are supporting causes (92%)

- A Research International survey published in AdNews in 2001 found:

• "81% of people agreed that when price and quality were equal, they were more likely to buy a product associated with a cause"

- A Cone/Roper survey published in AdNews in 2001 found:

•  "23% of respondents thought celebrity endorsement was important in product choice but 68% - just under three times as many - thought supporting a cause was important."

Further to the research above, a relationship with a positive not for profit organisation can also help with:

Staff morale and recruitment

• Prospective employees often seek out companies with volunteering opportunities. Our World Today would offer you and your staff the opportunity to take a volunteer writing workshop with us, as well as post your/their stories on our website. 
•  The opportunity to volunteer for a not for profit can lift morale, increase retention and generally make staff happier to work for you.
• Having happier staff will increase productivity.

Profitability

• A partnership with Our World Today will open up new business opportunities when our online community of followers directly or indirectly refers customer to you, and others in the community who are impressed by the initiative choose to support your business.
• Ethical investors may also be more inclined to put their money into your business.

Profile and influence

• Higher visibility, with Our World Todaydisplaying all logos and website links on its sponsor’s page. We also offer advertising space (see ‘Advertise with us’ below).
• Not only will more people know your name - they will also associate your business with Our World Today’spositive and inspiring philosophies and results.
• As the old saying goes, actions speak louder than words, and this is true for community-business partnerships. A partnership with Our World Todaymay increase your sway with local decision-makers and build a positive profile with current or prospective customers.
• Our World Today will promote your business to its own members and to wider networks.

An outlet for "giving back" to the community

• Businesses are essentially groups of people, most of whom have values and care for the wider community. A partnership with Our World Today will help you and your employees feel that the effort they put in at work every day is contributing to the greater good.

Brand differentiation

Brand differentiation is the ability to market your business as significantly different from other, similar businesses or groups. It is also the ability to market yourself as a more attractive option than similar groups.

Community business partnerships can foster brand differentiation through the positive work they do in the community. This can then make your business more attractive to potential customers, clients, investors, members or volunteers.

Developing contacts and expanding knowledge base.

• Another benefit of a community business partnership with Our World Today is that it will add to your businesses contact list and knowledge base.
• These benefits can increase your potential clients/customer through contacts developed through the partnership. It can also add to your business' knowledge base through new information and skills gained in the partnership. In the case of Our World Today, its directors could help your business with promotional video and written material.

Our World Today will provide its partners with a written breakdown of where their money is being spent and how it is helping to make the world a happier and more inspired place to live for our and future generations. This will allow partnering organisations to report back, and market the great work they’re involved in, to their customers or investors.

Marketing a cause related partnership

Marketing is a key component to the success of cause related partnerships, and Our World Today will work with you to ensure the right people know about the partnership’s successes. Marketing this sort of partnership is in many ways about marketing the "cause" - in this case, the partnership – so that people are aware of it and the benefits it produces for your business, as well as the wider community itself. From this perspective, for Our World Today the marketing will be about giving due credit to you as a business partner. For your business, it is about showing what you are doing as part of the partnership and publicising the community-mindedness that people would associate with your connection to our organisation.

Note: the above information relating to cause related marketing was sourced from the AICR website listed in resources.