| You have a business or a book that you want to | | | | other volunteers. You email press releases to your |
| promote. And you only have limited time to promote | | | | local papers and talk about this pilot program on social |
| this business or book because, let's face it, you need | | | | media sites. |
| to be making money, not spending it. And you're also a | | | | Of course on your website home page you talk about |
| good citizen of the world - you'd love to help heal the | | | | this project - even asking for volunteers to |
| earth if only there were 48 hours in a day. | | | | accompany you to learn what you do so the |
| Are the goals of finding time to promote/market your | | | | volunteers can take your exercises to other schools in |
| business/book and doing good deeds mutually | | | | the district. |
| exclusive? | | | | Pretty soon you are the person who offers "6 steps |
| Or can these two goals be combined to produce a | | | | to good physical health for women and children"! |
| powerful marketing strategy that helps promote your | | | | You've used your brand to do good deeds plus get |
| brand and heal the earth at the same time? | | | | publicity and hopefully more clientele for your fitness |
| Let's look at how this might work: | | | | gym. |
| Case study 1: | | | | Case study 2: |
| Your brick-and-mortar business is an exercise gym for | | | | What about books? A nonfiction book can usually be |
| women (no being intimidated by those burly men all | | | | worked into the model above. If, for example, your |
| around you in short shorts). You have a Web 2.0 | | | | book is about positive communication to get what you |
| website - you capture email addresses and send out | | | | want - you might start a pilot program in a battered |
| discount coupons for proteins shake at the gym's | | | | women's shelter to teach the women how to |
| snack counter and for those cute exercise outfits you | | | | assertively stand up for themselves. |
| sell. Now what can you do to increase your marketing | | | | What's harder to visualize is how a novel can fit into |
| and good deeds at the same time? | | | | the above model. So let's take an imaginary example: |
| First, let's decide on your brand. | | | | Your novel is about the early years of the United |
| Yes, you have a women-only gym. (And let's say the | | | | States after the Colonies have broken away from |
| gym has your name - Sally's Fitness Center.) But what | | | | England. How can this be made relevant for today? |
| is the brand? What is your unique benefit that you | | | | You can go to the nearest school teaching English as |
| offer your clientele? | | | | a second language and volunteer to teach workshops |
| We're going to imagine you offer a "6-step program | | | | on cultural differences. Yes, some of this may be |
| for getting and staying in shape." So your brand is "6 | | | | covered in the language classes, but there's never |
| steps to good physical health. (The steps include good | | | | enough time for everything. |
| nutrition besides good exercise techniques.) | | | | You based your workshops on what the founding |
| Now you read in the news that elementary-age school | | | | fathers and mothers wanted to change from the way |
| children are much more obese than they were years | | | | life in England was very much a class society. You |
| ago. In fact, some school districts have special | | | | describe how the concept of equality (for white men in |
| programs to help kids get into better physical shape. | | | | the beginning) was established with no official |
| So you do some research and you discover that your | | | | aristocracy. Then you move on to how this led to the |
| school district is not one of these enlightened districts. | | | | customs of today, such as the American tendency to |
| Here's your promotion opportunity: | | | | address other adults, even strangers, by their first |
| You go to your school district supervisor (you find | | | | names. |
| someone - six degrees of separation - to get you a | | | | Again, you can email press releases about what you're |
| personal introduction) and you offer to try out a pilot | | | | doing. And on your book author's website you can ask |
| program in the elementary school closest to where | | | | for local volunteers to learn your techniques. You can |
| you live or work. | | | | even put MP3 downloads on your website to help |
| You'll come twice a week and spend 30 minutes each | | | | volunteers throughout the U.S. teach similar workshops |
| with two different age groups (the younger students | | | | in their communities. Now you're getting the word out |
| and the older students). During the 30 minutes you'll talk | | | | about your book - and you've established its relevancy |
| for a few minutes about nutrition and then | | | | for today, which should attract more buyers of your |
| demonstrate simple exercises they can do at home | | | | book. |
| without any equipment. And you tell the supervisor | | | | Does this take work? Yes, it does. But it is work that is |
| you'll take care of getting publicity for this pilot program | | | | doing good while promoting your brand and hopefully |
| - including how instrumental the supervisor was in | | | | bringing you more customers for your business or |
| getting this program off the ground. | | | | buyers for your book. Is it worth trying out this |
| Voila! You have just committed to one hour twice a | | | | strategy? You won't know unless you try. |
| week in a pilot program that can later be duplicated by | | | | |