When an opportunity to align with a good cause comes along, many companies will throw their support behind it. It’s good business, especially as increasing numbers of customers say they are more likely to buy a product if a company’s beliefs match their own. But it’s one thing for a company to talk about causes, and a completely different situation when a company matches its words – or its donations – with actions.
The companies with an advantage when it comes to walking the walk are the ones that do so organically. In those cases, the causes tend to be ones that are central to their mission, rather than the flavor of the week that has caught the public’s attention. Here’s a look at how some wine organizations make a meaningful impact, and how data plays a role in helping to make sure they can continue to make a difference.
Sustainability
One of the biggest areas in which winemakers are taking tangible steps is around sustainability. Traditional winemaking can have a negative impact on the environment, but the process also offers a number of ways for organizations to actually reduce their carbon footprint. By employing sensors that help limit the amount of water being used, simply reusing water, or employing solar panels and other methods of renewable energy, companies can have more of a positive impact on the environment.
Aligning with meaningful causes
For some companies, aligning with a cause can be a way to make a significant impact. Wine to Water was started more two decades ago by a bartender who wanted to help communities around the world have better access to clean water. Wine nights and open bar fundraisers led to an organization that has had a global impact.
A number of wine companies are aligned with the organization, where a portion of profits goes towards efforts in countries around the world. The organization, which is based in North Carolina, is also helping much closer to home, helping bring resources and clean water to those in their area affected by hurricane damage last fall.
Using data
Two things can be true: An organization can strive to make a positive social impact for all the right reasons, and those efforts can still be something they can use to increase business. Organizations can use data to track just how much of a difference it makes to customers that they work with certain causes and to see if it drives customers to the brand.
There are a few ways companies can approach the data. One way is to track any sales data around the time of any news coverage highlighting the social causes the company is involved with. Since customers emphasize their likelihood to buy products from companies whose beliefs align with theirs, that sales data could be a good indication of whether it is worth trying to publicize that work more often in some way.
Another option is to directly ask customers, which can provide real-time feedback about the effectiveness of any initiatives. Surveys can be customized to zero in on the aspects of a brand that buyers find most appealing, whether that is something like “taste” or more along the lines of “sustainability.” The resulting information could inform how an organization approaches the markets where customers respond.
The right analytics solution can provide the information organizations need to make these types of data-driven decisions. Whether sales are kick-started by community work or organizations are trying to figure out which areas they need to focus on in order to increase brand awareness, a business intelligence solution can help turn data into actionable information that sets an organization up for success. Customers hold companies accountable for the work they say they are doing. Data can help provide the kind of transparency that builds trust with consumers that an organization is doing what they say they are doing, whether that’s simply through donations or with other actions around social responsibility.
Many organizations doing work that makes a difference are not doing so for the recognition – they genuinely want to make a positive impact on their community or the wider world. Sometimes, though, they might need to brag a little bit about the positive work that they do. Then they can use the data that comes out of that promotion to help them thrive, so that they can continue to make an impact. In order to use that data effectively, though, they need the right analytics partner.
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