Are you ready for the rush? We are sitting one week away from the busiest time of the year in the world of retail sales. Thanksgiving Day kicks off the Christmas buying season and, because Thanksgiving is happening late this year, there are only four weekends before Christmas. You can expect a tsunami of marketing to be coming your way. Black Friday opens the first buying weekend, which is followed by Cyber Monday, which is just one day ahead of Giving Tuesday.

Giving Tuesday? Have you thought much about the marketing impact of giving to a charity this time of the year? Many nonprofits depend upon individual and corporate contributions for the majority of their funding. They receive the biggest chunk of those dollars between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Outside of being kind and benevolent, are there marketing reasons you would want your company to take part in charitable giving this time of year? Yes! First, it guards your brand against the charge of being all about making a buck and not caring for anyone in need. The company that does not give back in some way is scorned by consumers. They equate it to the tightfisted, miserly Scrooge from Dicken’s "A Christmas Carol.” That happened 20 years ago when Target decided they would no longer support the bell-ringing Salvation Army red-kettle campaign outside their stores. The backlash was harsh and immediately damaging to the Target brand. Even though they have tried to make amends, they still feel the sting of a bad decision two decades later.

That’s the negative side of not giving, but what about the positives? Here is second marketing point: giving actually enhances the value of your brand. Being charitable touches a place in the hearts of people. If they feel good about your brand, it becomes more than just a name and a logo to them. It can become like an old friend. That’s a good place to be if you are marketing for your company. We are striving for customers who are loyal to our brands.

What should you do to get the word out about your charitable giving? Sponsorships are certainly good for brand recognition. Why not sponsor a nonprofit who is in line with your corporate values and is making an impact with the community in which you operate? Challenge your employees and vendors to get on board with you in your charitable giving. Offer an easy way for your customers to give to this charity as well. I often frequent a restaurant that gives back to first responders. They always ask if I would like to round my order up to help local firefighters and policemen. Why would I say no? Make sure you are doing your due diligence as a marketer to get the word out about your charitable campaign. As with any marketing endeavor, spread the word with photographs, press releases and posts. Build brand equity with your goodwill efforts.

In the midst of the most hectic marketing time of the year, don’t miss out on the marketing opportunities that charitable giving offers you. Giving Tuesday might be a good place to start the holiday season.