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64 May | 2021 SHARING THE STORY When you're doing great things for others you can't help but want to share them. And you should! But how can you leverage your charitable involvement without feeling slimy? It comes down to intention. First, embrace the personal satisfaction your participation brings. Gratitude is healthy and contagious. e giver truly benefits more than the recipient and often inspires others to join the charitable giving. Your communications could benefit the group much more than your donation! Don't be afraid to share your giving part- nerships—in an inspirational way. Keep the message on the group's impact and your connection rather than on your gift. Remember that consumers like to know who they are doing business with and what they stand for. So, plan communi- cation around your giving. SOCIAL MEDIA It's the obvious first stop on the visibility bus. Depending on the length or frequen- cy of your charitable relationship, add an Instagram highlight (and cover) specific to the group. Consider letting the organi- zation do a "Stories" takeover for a day or two during a promotional week. Use your "Stories" to engage followers with polls on products to donate or suggestions for future charitable connections. WEBSITE At a bare minimum, add the organiza- tion logos to your site. If you have the flexibility, add a page or blog post about your involvement. If you're not a writer, ask a charity partner or the organization if they can write a guest post for you to share. And be sure to request backlinks from your charitable organization's web- site to yours. IN STORE Post signage or drop-off spots in strategic locations for visibility. Ask if the charity can provide these to you. LOCAL MEDIA Add on-site or public events to your local community event calendars. Most major newspapers and local media outlets have some sort of events page, especially for family-oriented outings. Many outlets require a few weeks notice, so plan ahead. Try offering your website (if it makes sense) in addition to the charity's for readers to find additional information. Finally, don't hesitate to pitch local media with your story. Local TV stations and lifestyle magazines love a feel-good story to have on hand for slow news days. Prepare a simple write-up of the event and your involvement, and send it to your local media outlets. Make sure to list yourself as a contact. STAY SANE With so many worthy causes, the requests will definitely add up. Once you get noticed for your generosity, groups will seek you out. Here are six suggestions for keeping the wave of requests in check. 1 Keep a calendar of events you can reasonably commit to (clearly not near major holidays or gigs, unless you have the bandwidth). 2 Have a process for requests. Once you start, they will come. Consider a JotForm or Google form to standardize donation requests. 3 Set an annual budget on what you can contribute and how much you may ask from customers. 4 Limit the number of events, and, when possible, try to piggyback them onto scheduled paid events, in case you can personally repurpose any materials. 5 Be clear with partners and charities on expectations. Summarize discus- sions and obligations by email so you have a written record. 6 Ask! Ask for signage, social media tags, photos, follow-up reporting and anything else that will help you promote the cause and your commitment to it. Consult with your tax advisor about de- ductibility. In many cases, it depends on how you file and what you already claim as expenses. A charity may have good in- tentions in saying that contributions are tax deductible, but they aren't the one on the hook if the IRS comes knocking. Talk to your advisors before assuming there is a financial benefit. Even if your donations are not a tax ad- vantage, they will still bring you great joy. Flowers are a medium for emotion. ey are a fantastic product to touch, comfort and celebrate good causes. Find a group whose mission speaks to your heart. Embrace it, and find your unique way to deliver kindness. You'll get immensely more back in return. Photo courtesy of Petals for Hope

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