VolunTourism & Corporate Return On “Involvement” (RO”I”)
A new subscriber from Malaysia sent in a question regarding how to promote voluntourism to corporations. A timely question indeed, given that corporate profits are beginning to reassert themselves following the economic downturn that started in 2007-08.
There is really one axiom to keep in mind when considering how to promote voluntourism to corporations and that is “to speak to their listening.” Corporations have a language all their own, and any entity that is operating voluntourism programs must consider this language when discussing the potential benefits of corporate participation.
‘Return On Involvement’
Back in 2008 during an interview I had with a master’s degree student at the University of Denver, he mentioned the term ‘return on involvement,’ the new ROI. I immediately thought of the community involvement program at KPMG, aptly named “Involve.” This word ‘involve’ and the term ‘return on involvement’ resonate with corporations. Having such terms in your marketing and promotional materials will definitely attract corporations.
Customer Involvement, Not Just Employee Involvement
There is something else when we consider involvement, and this is how voluntourism has begun to fit into the changing landscape of what companies consider to be involvement. Initially, companies looked at community involvement as it pertains to employees. Now, however, through programs like Travelocity’s Travel For Good Change Ambassador Grants, ‘customers’ have an opportunity to also be ‘involved.’ Glad(R) to Give(TM) recently offered a promotional campaign for getting its customers involved. Here is a description of the program via HotMomsClub.com:
Now through June 30, Glad invites families to submit their own “Recipe for Giving”– or a story, idea and example of how their family gives back with food – whether it’s delivering a homemade pumpkin pie to the local fire station every Thanksgiving or hosting an annual charitable bake sale. Entries must be 100 words or less and submitted via the Glad to Give™ page on Facebook® or www.GladtoGive.com. Each of the four finalists receives $1,000 and will go on to compete in a Cookies for Kids’ Cancer™ fundraising event for a grand prize voluntourism trip for four to the island of St. Lucia.”
“… for a grand prize voluntourism trip for four to the island of St. Lucia” – customer involvement.
So entities seeking corporate clients to participate in voluntourism programs need not think only in terms of employee involvement. Developing programs that focus on the participation of customers is, perhaps, even more relevant given the current economic conditions and the way companies are leaning toward supporting customers to engage in local & global civic involvement.
Final Thoughts
There are, of course, other potential benefits to companies besides involvement of employees and customers through corporate social responsibility initiatives. Although this post has focused on the CSR side of voluntourism, it is not to suggest that additional possibilities should be overlooked. The key is to discover the language that one should use when describing such things as options that support the ‘business case’ for voluntourism – differentiation of products and services, for example. There are numerous ways by which you can demonstrate these opportunities through case studies or other examples; you have plenty to choose from, just find the one that works best for the folks who are ‘doing the listening.’
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