The document discusses the lessons learned from a cause-marketing initiative between the Email Experience Council (EEC) and the Andre Agassi Charitable Foundation, highlighting strategies for leveraging email marketing and new media to enhance donor engagement and fundraising. Key lessons include the importance of authenticity, careful planning, and the benefits of integrating cause marketing with business strategies. Ultimately, the initiative aims to transform public education for underserved youth while providing mutual benefits for both the non-profit and participating businesses.

1. Lessons Learned
from a Cool, Cause-
Marketing Initiative
The Andre Agassi Charitable Foundation / eec
Program Supported by eec-Member Volunteers
February 11, 2009

2. Abstract
In 2008, the Email Experience Council partnered with The Andre Agassi Charitable Foundation
(AACF) for its non-profit initiative. A volunteer-team of industry professionals, from more than
eighteen different organizations, has had its share of challenges and successes in creating and
sustaining a program focused on growing the list, building awareness, and increasing donations
from event and online channels.
This presentation covers:
• How our virtual team organized around a cause marketing strategy
• What not to do in a cause marketing context
• Why email marketing is a natural fit
• What can be accomplished with new media/Web 2.0 assets and channels (i.e. blogging,
social networks, Twitter, video, etc.) on a limited budget
• How cause marketing can help your business grow and make a difference for others

3. Panelists & Moderator
• Julie Krell, Director of Marketing & Communications, The Andre
Agassi Charitable Foundation
• Dylan Boyd, Vice President of Sales & Strategy, eROI
• Chris Frasier, Account Development Manager, BlueHornet
• Heather Vessey, Email Group Manager, Bonnier Corporation
• Erick Mott, Communications Director, Lyris

4. In this Presentation…
• How to organize for a cause
• What not to do in a cause marketing context
• Why email marketing is a natural fit
• What can be achieved with Web 2.0
• How cause marketing can help your business
and make a difference for others
• Q&A

5. What is Cause Marketing?
• Marketing that involves the cooperative efforts of a
“for profit” business and a “non-profit” organization
for mutual benefit; also referred to as “cause-
related marketing”
• Marketing relationships that do not include direct
donations from a “for profit” to a “non-profit.”
– Example: eec-member organizations collaborating to
support The Andre Agassi Charitable Foundation

6. Supporting eec-Member Organizations

7. About The Andre Agassi
Charitable Foundation
Who is Andre Agassi?
- Tennis champion with 8 Grand Slam
titles and an Olympic gold medal
- Started The Andre Agassi Charitable
Foundation in 1994
- Retired from the tour in 2006
- Deeply focused on improving U.S. public
education for underserved children
- Foundation has raised nearly $75 million
- Grand Slam for Children benefit concert
has been primary fundraising vehicle

8. The Foundation’s Mission
The Andre Agassi Charitable Foundation is
dedicated to transforming U.S. public education for
underserved youth. The Foundation drives reform
by engaging in practice, policy and partnerships that
provide quality education and enrichment
opportunities.
The centerpiece of the mission is the Andre Agassi
College Preparatory Academy.

9. Andre Agassi College Preparatory
Academy in Las Vegas

10. How to Organize for a Cause
• Commit
• Secure executive sponsorship
• Set goals
• Plan and communicate
• Manage tasks and expectations

11. eec’s Program Goals
• Grow Foundation database of donors and friends
in order to reach out to more people who may
have interest in giving
• Communicate with donors more regularly with
meaningful content; segment database to better
target messaging
• Increase online giving (year over year
comparison, how far can we move the needle?)

12. Tactical Planning
Month 1 Month 2 Month 3 Month 4 Month 5 Month 6
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13. LESSON #1
Manage priorities and plans carefully
so everyone on the team is on the
same page and can deliver on
commitments. Don’t bite off more
than you can chew.

14. What Not to Do
• Use it for personal gain
• Commit without executive sponsorship
• Expect too much from volunteers
• Over promise and under deliver
• Ignore the power of good collaboration

15. LESSON #2
Participate for the right reasons;
be authentic and transparent.

16. Why Email Marketing is a Natural Fit
• Overview of 2008 accomplishments
– Before and after examples
• Focus for 2009
• Next Steps
Email marketing works for trusted fundraisers.

17. Program Accomplishments from 2008
• Refinement of creative and strategy
• New sign-up page
• Implemented branded double opt-in email targeted at
new site sign-ups
• Welcome letter sent daily to all new subscribers
• Post card and new newsletter templates completed

18. Double Opt-In
• New process
• Focused on building
strong list of engaged
subscribers
• Will help respect people’s
choice of how they would
like to communicate

19. Welcome Letter
• Personalized introduction to
the Foundation
• Provides history about the
Foundation and sets
expectations of what’s to come
• Acts as an immediate touch to
new subscribers
• Subscribers able to donate
from email

20. Newsletter: Before
• Time and resource limitations
resulted in duplication of print
version sent via email
• All content contained in email, no
links to Foundation site or other
call to action
• Required a lot of effort on behalf
of the subscriber to digest
messages

21. Newsletter: After
• On brand, shorter, more dynamic and
incorporates smaller articles which people
can link to the full version online
• Also includes snippet text, anchor tags,
view online and navigation links for readers
to use as a jumping off point to get to
different areas of the Foundation site
• Goal is to further engage subscribers and
help create an emotional connection with
the Foundation
• Vehicle to provide an update about
projects and initiatives

22. Focus for 2009
• Monitor subscriber behavior and continually adjust plan
based on measurable results
• Implement segmentation strategy based on preferences,
demographic data and behavioral information
• Optimize list growth opportunities where they make sense
and will produce the best engagement possibilities
• Recruit partners to help drive sign-ups, awareness and
online donations to the Foundation

23. Next Steps
• Fold in additional communications such as follow up
emails based on what new subscribers stated they were
interested in during the sign-up process
• Continue to shape communications strategy with
Foundation staff in a sustainable way
• Branding updates
• Leverage Web 2.0

24. LESSON #3
Solid email marketing strategy and
execution = lower costs and increased ROI
[manage bandwidth and expectations when working
with partners and volunteers with other commitments]

25. What Can Be Achieved with Web 2.0?
• Social capital online does convert to $upport
• Move people with authentic stories and a
cause (consider Obama’s election campaign)
• Scalable, cost effective channels and tools:
• Facebook’s “Cause” Application
• LinkedIn; Twitter
• Blogging; Web 2.0 badges

26. Examples
Create a 501c3 cause in Facebook
i.e. Keep the Arts in Public Schools,
500,000+ members & growing
Supporters add cause link to profiles
This helps to create social capital

27. Examples (cont.)
Supporters post
mentions and
links on Twitter

28. Examples (cont.)
1) David Armano’s Blog, Network and
Social Capital
2) Her Family’s Story and Needs
3) Their Cause and Online Results!

29. Web 2.0 Badges for 2009
Creative by Smith-Harmon
These new Web 2.0 badges
will enable supporters to
post in their blogs, social
networks, newsletters,
websites and email to drive
more support and donations
for the Foundation.

30. LESSON #4
Get in the Web 2.0 game with leaders and
powerful stories. Brands with fans, and a cause,
create results.

31. How Cause Marketing Helps
• Business:
– Morale
– Goodwill
– Awareness and PR
– Networking
– Brand loyalty and differentiation
– Sales

32. How Cause Marketing Helps (cont.)
• Non-profit:
– Mission impact
– Revenue generation beyond donations
– Enhanced visibility
– Audience access
– Leadership and volunteers
– Connections/expertise in marketing
– New channels

33. Cause Marketing Tips
How can my team boost business by giving back?
1. Identify a cause that fits your business
2. Don’t manufacture your concern
3. Define your marketing goals
4. Don’t gloss over the business benefits
5. Put metrics in the process
6. Don’t be modest about your involvement
7. Integrate cause marketing with your other marketing efforts –
through internal communications and marketing plans
8. Make sure that your charitable organization promotes your
business in all of their marketing programs
Source: Joanna L. Krotz

34. LESSON #5
Cause-based partnerships benefit businesses
and non-profits. Enjoy, everyone wins.

35. Summary
TOP FIVE LESSONS:
1) Manage and don’t bite off more than you can chew.
2) Be authentic and transparent.
3) Solid email marketing = lower costs & increased ROI.
4) Brands with fans, and a cause, create results.
5) Enjoy, everyone wins.

36. Q&A
Ask good questions and receive a signed ball from
Andre Agassi…

37. Support the Foundation to Help
and Learn More
• Subscribe to the newsletter; visit
www.agassifoundation.org
• Add the Foundation link in your Facebook and
LinkedIn profiles
• Blog and Tweet about the Foundation
• Join the eec / Foundation team