Business With a Cause or Business for Money?

There is no doubt that business seeks to make a profit. However, some businesses also seek to create a cause that not only benefits their profit margins but also the world in which they live. Having a cause helps to keep your employees motivated and be on track to achieve higher levels of success in a way that makes the business a good public actor. Why you might want to consider a cause?

A cause is part of your mission statement and says what your business stands for. It sums up your company and an essential reason why people should purchase your products or why people should be attracted to your company. A cause an be anything from affordable education to putting shoes on kid's feet.

An example might be a company that donates one book to unprivileged children for every book they sell. They may provide that book for people of less means in an attempt to encourage greater readership in the future. People often feel good about frequenting this business and making purchases because it is helpful to others.

Sometimes it can be as simple as donating a certain percentage of your profits to a particular charity while at other times it could be printing the cause at the bottom of your product to raise awareness. Having a cause makes people feel good about your company and why they should support its growth.

If you are going to pick a cause make sure it is one that you will stay with for a long time. Once customers begin to associate the image of the cause with your business they will have a hard time separating the two. The cause becomes part of your brand so you want to make sure you feel good about what you are doing and are going to stick with it.