community involvement, good will creation, making time for things you value, marketing consultant

Walking the Talk

Leave a comment

IMG_0818

 

Friday is usually the day when I create and publish a new blog post.  As you would expect, Fridays tend to be a bit calmer than other weekdays and posting here is always a great way to wrap up the week.  Keep in mind that ideas are always buzzing around in my brain for days or weeks before I actually post on a topic.

Today’s post will be brief because Results Communications will be shutting down early to make good on a promise that I made to myself and to others when I decided to launch my consulting firm — to be a firm with great heart that is committed to giving back to the community and one that supports research related to chronic and/or serious illness such as cancer, multiple sclerosis, and Alzheimers — three illnesses that have plagued family members and friends.

A small “Results” team will be walking in today’s Braintree Relay for Life event that supports the American Cancer Society.  I feel blessed to be well enough to walk in the survivors event-kick-off lap. Last year at this time, I was newly home from the hospital after my second major surgery in two months due to implications from past cancer treatment.  Because of poor weather, the Relay shut down early, but my husband and I went and walked one or two laps of the Braintree high school track because I told myself it was something I had to do for myself and other cancer patients I’ve met during my almost eight-year journey — sadly, some are no longer with us.  And, this just makes the walking more important — to honor and remember them.

gail in backyardivestrong

 (In Recovery Mode, 2013, wearing my “Live Strong” t-shirt)

Whatever the causes are that are most important to you, I encourage you to make the time to support them. As I always say, “make sure your life reflects what’s important to you” by “walking the talk”.

brand promise, community involvement, good will creation, marketing consultant, mission statement, public relations

Why Goodwill Is, Well, Good

1 Comment

During my thirty years of working for various sized organizations in a variety of industries, there’s been one activity that has worked consistently well regardless of industry or company size to both create awareness and effect sales growth, and that is the creation of goodwill.  But, what I really love as both a marketing professional as well, as the decent human being that I believe myself to be, is that goodwill is good for all.  While it helps organizations succeed, it helps the communities that the organization serves prosper, so everybody wins.

good·will

 noun \?gu?d-?wil\

: a kind, helpful, or friendly feeling or attitude

business : the amount of value that a company’s good reputation adds to its overall value

As the above definition from Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary supports, I believe creating goodwill is all about being helpful.  Since there are many ways to be helpful, there are many ways to create goodwill.  I’ve listed below some of the more common examples of how businesses (and, of course individuals themselves) can be helpful, but any organization that really understands and fully participates in the communities it serves, can think of lots of other innovative and unique activities.

  • organize a group of employees to volunteer their time to assist with a community event — whether it be helping with preparations for or promotion of the event, or simply helping to staff the event
  • solicit a group of employees to pitch in on manual tasks that need to be done at a particular location operated by a non-profit/community organization — such as a homeless shelter, park, or school
  • purchase a table/booth at a community event such as a health or street fair, or purchase a table at a breakfast, lunch, or dinner event which senior leaders at your organization can attend to show their support
  • donate tangible new or used goods that are on the “wish list” of a particular organization such as new gloves and socks for a homeless shelter or used coats for a coat drive
  • donate $$ that can be used as needed by the non-profit/community organization; sometimes, these donations will be reciprocated by the non-profit/community organization via the opportunity to have a display table of informational and promotional items at an event and/or a program booklet ad, or to be listed as a key sponsor on any event promotional materials the community organization produces

I’m sure you’ve found, as I have, that most individuals want to make a difference in their communities.  By providing employees with an opportunity to donate or volunteer, you are likely to enhance their engagement — another of the many reasons why goodwill is “good”.   And, most non-profit/community organizations are more than willing to share via a press release, an announcement at the podium, their web site, and/or some other activity your organization’s contribution to their success.

I’m always glad to brainstorm with you about what type of goodwill creation activity might be the most effective for your organization as well as best serve the communities in which your organization operates.

Make today the day you do some “Goodwill Hunting” by starting to research upcoming community activities you or your organization might support.