You know that I gave several presentations at WQA 2019. In my presentation on Marketing Water Quality Products to Millennials , I discussed the importance of branding your business as socially responsible. Social responsibility also means using ethical business practices and being an upstanding member of the community. Yes, we know the obvious commensurate good you can do. But, this also resonates with millennials who are looking for a way to make an impact with their purchase. In terms of staffing, we also discussed how millennials want purpose with their paycheck.
I read an article – Selling Coffee for Good – talks about The Well Coffeehouse. This is an organization based in Nashville, Tenn., that sells coffee and directs profits to building wells for those in water-risk areas.
On World Water Day, 100% of the sales went directly to build water projects in Uganda. The customers felt good about their purchase and employees were excited about feeling part of the mission. That’s the kind of connection The Well is creating every day for both employees and patrons.
The Well plans to be close to $2.5 million in revenue this year with only 3% received as direct donations. The majority of the revenue is received through customer purchases either online or at their retail store locations. Their future goal is to find engaging ways to invite customers into donation opportunities. As a result to directly impact the global water work they support in the countries from which they source our coffee.
Social Responsibility Connects with Millennials
And that’s the kind of connection that Millennials are looking for when they decide who to do business with. There is so much research that supports how a branding a business as socially responsible can influence purchasing decisions. This also drives loyalty for many millennials. Since this is a generation transitioning into their prime spending years, developing that brand loyalty is vital for sustained growth.
“Millennials are very aware of when something feels inauthentic or forced. We know this based on the ways they want to be targeted or what they want to see in ads. They are looking for, and respond to, things that almost can’t be inauthentic,” said Joline McGoldrick, senior vice president of Data Insights and Research at VidMob.
Click the link below to read a great more about The Well Coffeehouse, which is a great example of branding your business as socially responsible:
https://www.nonprofitpro.com/post/selling-coffee-for-good-a-nonprofit-love-story/