Get the Most out of Virtue - For Retailers

Great, you have joined Virtue. Now you can start making an impact on product sales by supporting great causes.

Many of you will already have some great marketing and optimization strategies, but if you need some ideas this post is here to help you get the most out of Vitrue. Here are a few ideas and templates you can use today:

• Free Publicity

• Virtue Features

• Virtue Partner Ecosystem
  

Free Publicity

49% of customers assume that if a company isn't posting about their causes they simply don't care. - Porter Novelli 2021

Conscious consumers are now the largest demographic for online retailers and communicating your giving is a great way to connect with them.

Here are a few (free) ways to engage with customers, both old and new.

Free Press

If you are looking to get in front of new consumers, exposure through other websites is a great way to do so. Free Press is underutilized especially by small and medium-sized businesses. Step 1 - Find publishers

We recommend looking for publishers that are from the industry you are selling or something local to you

For example, if you sell pet supplies out of Cornwall try searching for the following in google 'Pet Supplies Magazine UK' or 'Cornwall Press'

You will find the following results:

1. https://www.petbusinessworld.co.uk/

2. https://www.petproductmarketing.co.uk/

3. https://www.petsmag.co.uk/shop/

4. https://dogstodaymagazine.co.uk/

5. https://www.cornwalllive.com/

6. https://www.falmouthpacket.co.uk/

7. https://www.cornish-times.co.uk/

Step 2 - Write Release

It doesn't have to be complex, just something simple letting them know that your store is supporting a cause.

There are a ton of free examples online.

Step 3 - Send them your press release

Each of these publications will have a place where you can contact them for stories.

Newsletter

If your store does not have a newsletter you should make one. If it does, talk about your giving.

Supporting charities and causes with Virtue is a great way to reengage dormant customers. Let them know in your next newsletter which causes you are supporting and watch them come back to your store.

Social Media

This one is one of the easiest, make sure that you mention your giving on your social channels. If you are posting any content, feel free to tag us in the post.

Instagram @virtue_impact

TikTok @virtue_impact

Facebook @virtue giving

Twitter @virtue_impact

Linkedin @Virtue (formerly Pledger)

Blog Post

Depending on your industry, you may benefit from discussing your partnerships in a more long-form context. At Virtue, we have a blog that is constantly updated to reflect new causes and partnerships that have joined the platform.

Below is an example of a blog post we created to celebrate the collaboration between One Less Car and their support of the World Bicycle Relief Charity.

Virtue Features

70% of purpose-driven shoppers pay an added premium of 35% for sustainable purchases - IBM 2020

We have built a number of features that you can use on your site to share your giving. One of the most useful is our product page widgets.

Make sure these are enabled and your customers will know which products are supporting causes.

Cause Partners Page

Customers are 72% more likely to stay loyal to a company that leads with purpose. - Porter Novelli 2021

To gain the loyalty of your customers show them that you support great causes. This can be done easily with an extra page on your store. Here is an example of a simple yet powerful way to share your impact with your customers.

The Impact Calculator is also a great feature to showcase your impact on your customers. To get your message across add the Impact Calculator to your Impact Page, Homepage and other pages on your site.

Customer Engagement

Every customer is unique, so why not give them an opportunity to choose where their impact goes?

We allow your online store to support up to 3 causes, and this is a great way to let your customers feel like they are a part of the journey.

Virtue Partner Ecosystem

We have recently been building out a partner ecosystem. This is a carefully curated group of companies that can assist you on your giving journey.

Some will assist with your sustainability goals while others can assist with your marketing and consumer engagement.

We have also negotiated a special discount for Virtue Brands!

Check out our full list of partners here.

If we can support you in any way - email us at support@virtueimpact.com

VirtueTeam