Leveraging partnerships with top music-related non-profits for brand impact
Want to improve brand reputation AND help the world?
Brands have discovered this little secret.
By partnering with charities in the music industry, companies can give back while supporting causes close to their customers’ hearts.
…and the results are phenomenal.
….
Partnering with music charities is about more than getting good PR.
When you find the right partner, these relationships create genuine customer connections based on shared values. That leads to:
- Better customer loyalty
- Stronger brand awareness
- Positive press coverage
- REAL business results
Don’t just take our word for it.
Partnering with music charities is a win-win for…
What you’ll learn:
- Why music charity partnerships are important
- The business reasons to partner with music causes
- Real-world examples of brand partnerships with music charities
- How to find the right music charity to partner with
- The formula for success
Why music charity partnerships are important
Music is powerful.
It transcends language barriers. It breaks down economic differences. Music creates emotional connections that can last a lifetime.
That’s why smart brands are looking towards top music-related non-profits as partners.
Music charities work hard to serve everyone from students learning music for the first time, to professional musicians and artists who need help. They do good work, and use music as their vehicle to create change.
Brands who connect with the right music charity partner can:
Build customer connections that go deeper than a normal marketing campaign.
People don’t just buy from brands. They support businesses that believe in the same things they do. By aligning their brand with a music charity, companies can showcase their values to the world.
And in a competitive marketplace…
Creating that emotional connection can be the difference between buying from Brand A or Brand B.
The business reasons to partner with music causes
Okay, stop us if you’ve heard this.
“Charity partnerships are good for the world, but they don’t help the business.”
WRONG.
Customers are 45% more likely to purchase from brands who donate to charity.
Yep. You read that correctly.
Almost half of consumers would purchase from a company based on how much money it gives to charity.
That’s a huge number, right? But it gets even better…
Social impact sponsorships are one of the fastest-growing types of partnerships right now. The chart below from Lumency shows that there are 22% higher consumer engagement rates with social impact sponsorships versus “traditional” sponsorships.
(cough Music = social impact? cough cough)
The live music industry is another example.
The worldwide live music market is booming and corporate sponsorships/brand partnerships are helping unlock new revenue for every party involved.
Companies want to invest in music.
Real-world examples of brand partnerships with music charities
Okay, so music charities are great… But how can brands actually use them?
There are a few different routes companies can take.
Music education partnerships
Brands team up with charities to fund music programs at schools and non-profit music education organizations. By supporting these programs, companies help kids learn instruments, start bands, and explore their creative sides.
It works because:
- Parents have kids. And they love brands that support their children’s education
- Music education creates positive publicity for your brand
- Kids playing music creates authentic content your brand can promotion
- Music is fun and helping kids can build long-term brand loyalty
Helping musicians in need
Brands team up with charities that help musicians and artists with financial, mental health, and career resources.
This strategy works really well if your target market LOVES music. There’s nothing more heartbreaking to music fans than seeing their favorite artists struggle.
And when a brand rallies behind musicians in need… Fans take notice and feel good about supporting that brand.
Music therapy
Music therapy helps people who are fighting illnesses, dealing with trauma, and more. By supporting music therapy charities, brands can help those who may not be able to help themselves.
Plus. Customers can SEE the people your partnership is helping.
When you support a music therapist charity, it’s easy to visualize where donations go. Brands can provide support that allows families to watch their kids heal through music.
You know. The kind of support that brings home real, undeniable results.
How to find the right music charity to partner with
Your brand shouldn’t partner with every music charity out there.
In fact, partnering with the wrong nonprofit can hurt your brand more than it helps.
Look for music charities that:
- Have values that fit with your brand’s mission
- Serve a target audience that matches your customers
- Have a history of helping others (do your research!)
- Are transparent about how they use their donations
It may take looking at several different music charities before you find the right one. Visit their websites. Read their “About” pages. Seriously. Do your research.
The formula for success
Okay, so you found the perfect music charity to partner with…
Now what?
Successful brand partnerships take work from both parties.
Here are a few things that set successful partnerships apart from ones we won’t remember in a few months.
Don’t just write a check
Allowing your charity partner to do their thing while your brand shops around for sponsorships at Walgreens is KINDA cheap.
Brands that go above and beyond when supporting their charity of choice will always outshine the companies who just mail a check.
“Getting involved” can look like:
- Allowing employees to volunteer with the charity
- Hosting a concert or event and branding it together
- Promoting each other’s content on social media
- Collaborating on products
When both parties are involved in the partnership, customers can see that real thought and care goes into the relationship.
And that’s important.
Instead of putting money in a black box and calling it a day, influential brands find ways to get involved with their charity partners.
Share stories, not statistics
Storytelling is huge right now.
Whether you realize it or not, your customers respond to authentic stories MORE than they do dry facts.
Share stories about how your partnership is affecting real people.
Throw on some authentic nuggets about the musicians, students, or families your partnership is uplifting. Better yet, LET THEM TELL THEIR STORY
Insincerity rings horrible in 2022.
Think long term
Once-a-year donations are great… But imagine if your brand committed to your charity partner long-term?
Consistent support allows your partnership to develop a deeper relationship. The better your partnership gets to know each other, the more authentic your involvement can become.
Don’t give your partner a wedding gift.
Measure your impact… Then tell your customers
“How did your partnership help?”
Ideally, your charity partner should be able to provide you with reports that measure your impact.
Were X amount of students able to learn music? Did Y number of families receive support?
Figure out how your brand is making an impact. Then let your customers know!
Wrapping it all up
Partnering with music charities is one of the best branding decisions your company will ever make.
Sound partnerships create customer value that stretches beyond “good press.” When you find the right charity to team up with, you’re able to form genuine connections with your customers based on similarities.
Let’s recap:
- Music is universal. Music charity partnerships allow brands to tap into that world.
- 45% of customers SUPPORT brands that donate to charity
- Social impact sponsorships (music = social impact) have 22% higher engagement than traditional sponsorships
- Successful music charity partnerships require authentic involvement and investment
- When done right, brand charity partnerships create win-win-win situations for the brand, the charity, and the public.
Finding the right music charity to partner with can take time. But when you find that diamond in the rough…
You’re going to see some serious results that your customers will LOVE.
You’re building brand loyalty that lasts. You’re helping to change the world for the better.
And that, friends, is good business.