In times of recession or uncertainty you see everyone put away their bright clothes and opt for something more subdued. The streets are full of people wearing black and beige these days. There’s even a fad for dressing children in a dour mix of oatmeal, white and grey, which is parodied magnificently by the Sadbeigechildren site.
But beige is boring. Beige is designed to blend into the background, not stand out. It’s exactly the opposite of what you want when you’re trying to attract corporate partners. You won’t need flashing lights or neon suits to get their attention, but you do want a pitch that sparks interest, engagement and inspiration. The best way to get a corporate to sit up and take notice is to include some stats, figures and facts that will surprise them. Show them why a partnership will benefit their business and they’ll be putty in your hands.
Here are some killer stats to weave into your next pitch.
Employees
Low employee engagement is hampering business productivity. Engagement levels have fallen for the first time since COVID and only 21% are engaged. That’s a whopping 79% globally that are disengaged, disgruntled or actively looking for other jobs. Engagement for managers has fallen from 30% to 27% in the last year, as they are feeling squeezed between leadership aspirations and employee expectations. Leaders are pushing for greater productivity while employees are demanding more flexible workplaces- whilst managers are stressed trying to make it all work.
If the world’s workforce were fully engaged, Gallup estimates that $9.6 trillion could be added to the world’s economy. Businesses need a thriving and engaged workforce. If you can be part of the solution to workforce engagement, you’re contributing to a real boost to a corporate’s bottom line.
Think more broadly than a single day of volunteering. How can you leverage your expertise, networks and skills to offer meaningful engagement opportunities? Better still, use case studies to show the positive effects on the workforce of your previous partners. Your prospective corporate partner will be begging for a similar outcome. See the full report from Gallup here.
Customers
As consumers we’re a demanding bunch. In Australia we spent $7.7bln at Amazon last year, but we like our purchases to come with a side order of sustainability and social purpose. Corporates are wrestling with the contradictory demands of customers whilst wondering if supply chain disruption and global tariffs are going to price them out of existence.
Show corporates how much consumers care about what they are doing for the community and why a partnership with you can help them demonstrate their credentials.
The Edelman Trust Barometer reported the following key insights:
- 60% of people will turn to brands they trust
- 1 in 3 have already punished a brand they perceive as not doing the right thing for consumers
- 71% said that brands putting profits over people during times of crisis will lose them forever as customers
- 62% expect corporate CEOs to be managing the changes in society, not just their business. People expect them to lead the change, not wait for a government mandate.
Have you surveyed your own donors, supporters and networks? I suspect they’ll reflect the global trend. If you’re planning a marketing led partnership, show how a relationship with your non-profit will help a corporate build that important trust and credibility with consumers.
Impact
Some of the most important statistics are the ones that come from your own organisation. For corporates working to an ESG framework, impact measurement is supremely important. It’s linked to their own measures of success and personal KPIs. Failure to hit the metrics will hit corporate CEOs in their annual bonuses and will impact on their share price.
Be prepared to offer evidence about the impact of your work. That means going beyond activity numbers or outputs, to longer term impact. Traditional reporting on programs or services focuses on numbers of people served. Corporate partners need to know how you’ve transformed lives. When Australia Post partnered with Beyond Blue they sent out 16 million Connection Postcards to encourage people to reach out for help with mental health. It wasn’t easy tracking the long term impact, but they’ve both worked hard to identify the change they’ve achieved across Australia. It’s an urgent conversation you need to have with your programs and service delivery teams.
Corporates also want to know how you’ve transformed other businesses. If you want them to make a significant investment in your partnership, show them what you’ve achieved for others. This could include:
- Increase in online traffic
- Net promoter score among customers
- Increased footfall in stores.
- Greater recognition
- Competitive differentiation
- Customer acquisition and retention
- Impact of staff retention and satisfaction
Your pitch or proposal should demonstrate the WIIFM for a future partner by showing what you’ve achieved for others. You want them to be inspired and reassured about their investment.
Your cause and your work is important to the world, so don’t play small and beige. Step out in full technicolour confidence with corporate partners. Weave in some killer stats that will make them sit up and take notice.