Overview
Engage with your local community by hosting events that benefit a charity that you care about. Have fun, and do good!
Details
Here are some great examples of restaurants, bars and retailers hosting charity events.
Happy Hour for a Cause
Vinoteca, a wine bar in Washington, D.C. hosts Wednesday Charity Happy Hours to support a variety of local charities. With a donation in support of the weekly cause, guests receive happy hour specials extended from 5-9pm. This is such an easy way to get cash donations for a charity of your choice! Plus, your customers will feel good about having that extra drink (or two)!
Team Up with A Tasty Treat
It doesn’t hurt to lure your customers in with the promise of something sweet! Recently, Barney’s used the allure of the world-famous Cronut to attract customers to an in-store charity event. All proceeds from the sale of the pastries went to local charities. You could easily combine this type of promotion by offering a special discount to those who purchase merchandise in your store that day. Plus, if you have a local coffee shop or bakery that you frequent, this could be a great idea for a cross promotion!
Donate One Month of Proceeds
UnderGrounds Coffee in Valencia, California made a big New Year’s Resolution this January 1. They resolved to donate all of their January proceeds to their new non-profit partner, A Light of Hope. Amazing! Obviously, you need to be in good financial standing to be able to donate one month’s proceeds, but what a huge contribution! You can be sure that their regular customers felt good about patronizing the cafe, and they attracted a whole new set of customers looking to do good by buying their daily cup of joe.
Hold a Charity Sale
Southern department store chain Belk holds a biannual Charity Sale in all of their locations each Spring and Fall. In return for purchasing a $5 ticket, customers will have access to purchasing the discounted merchandise. Various selected charities will keep 100 percent of the proceeds from each $5 ticket sold.
Additionally, the first 100 customers in each store on the morning of Charity Sale will receive free Belk gift cards ranging in value from $5 to $100, and a chance to win one of three $1,000 Belk gift cards awarded company-wide.
If you own a retail shop, this is such a fun way to engage with your customers and give back to the charity of your choice! Timing it for the spring and fall shopping seasons doesn’t hurt either!
Give Something, Get Something
Jersey Mike’s Subs’ founder Peter Cancro has a long-standing commitment to giving back to those in need. This March marks his 2014 “Month of Giving.” Customers are invited to make a donation to that location’s designated charity partner. The campaign will culminate in the nationwide event, Jersey Mike’s “Day of Giving” on Wednesday, March 26 when 100% of the day’s sales are donated to the local partner charity. To encourage donations, they’ve sweetened the deal by offering customers a free chips and a drink with the purchase of any regular sub when they donate. Easy enough!
See the Making Your Location a Destination Guide for the comprehensive approach to this topic.
Also see the Charity & Community Give-Back Guide for the comprehensive approach on working with Charities.
