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BUSINESS
OWNERS
Getting involved in this
charity
will be highly
profitable for your business.
Some time back we
started asking store owners to give us two percent discount on our
purchase. We would send that money to feed hungry children in India,
one percent in their name, one percent in our name. It started
working very well. Store owners were gladly giving us the discount.
No one said 'no'.
So we started spreading
the word and many people in UK and California started doing it.
First we were asking for the discount only at grocery stores. Then
some people started asking at restaurants and coffee shops and then
at other stores. Now everyone is asking for it everywhere they shop,
even on-line. If they are buying something they are asking for two
percent discount and they are telling the owner or manager what they
are doing with the money. The good part is, every store is giving
it. So far, not even one store has declined it. It is amazing. There
is something magical about this thing.
Word spreads fast. This
is becoming a new reality in retail business. Day by day it is
becoming more popular. Customers love it because they are able to
help the hungry children every time they buy something. Business
owners love it because it helps their business. It looks like this
new trend has Divine blessings because it does good in the world
without hurting anyone.
It is very easy to cash in on this new
trend. You don't need to do any special advertising or publicity. It
spreads on its own. All you need to do is put signs like this in
your store. If you have a website, put it on every page, offer it
with every item.
2% discount on your
purchase
if you
send it
to feed
hungry children in India.
1% in your name, 1% in our name.
Ask for
details.
This simple thing
creates a different kind of atmosphere in your store. You and your
customers become partners in helping the hungry children. It creates
a bond between you and your customers. This kind of bond is good for
your business. Your customers will always be your
customers.
The thing is, timing is
everything. You should start early while this thing is still new.
Then your store will become popular because you will be amongs the
first to make this kind of connection with the public. If you start
after every other store starts doing it, then you already lost that
opportunity. This is even more critical if you are selling
on-line.
LONG TERM ADVANTAGE
A very simple stategy will greatly
enhance your name and reputation and give you long term advantage in
the market place.
Get more
involved. See this page for more info:
"EK LAKH MANDAL
- SOU LAKH BALAK"
It
is very simple and very easy
Instead of giving it to the customers,
put aside the 2% discount. Ask your customers to give 2% of their
purchase to match your 2%.
Remove the other sign
and
put this sign on.
We are giving 2% of our sales
to
feed and educate poor children in
India.
Add your 2%. Let us do it
together.
Ask for details.
This simple change will
make
a big difference to your
business.
When you give the discount
to the customers and they send it, every customer sends it to
a different school.
When
you do it yourself the total collection at your store goes
to one particular school every month. Your name gets linked to the
charity work. It creates goodwill for your business. It adds to
your reputation. Name and reputation built with this kind of good work lasts
for generations.
If you are selling on the
internet
SIMPLE, LOW COST
ACTION
WILL INCREASE YOUR
SALES
With thousands of
on-line stores it is almost impossible for anyone to find your store
even through search engines. So how can you help your customers find
you? Make short videos and put them on YouTube. There are a million
chances that people will see your videos on
YouTube.
Shoot your videos
in your store. Show your merchandise, customers, employees, all
business activity. But don't talk about your business, let that be
in the background. Talk about the two percent discount and the
charity work. Talk about how you got involved, how your customers
are getting involved, let your customers participate in the videos,
let everyone share their excitement, talk about you are helping (or
going to help) poor children in (district and state). If your
children are involved, talk about them. In other words, show your
human side. Tell your "human" story. It don't have to be a long
story. You can tell a good story or an incidence in a few minutes.
Tell as many "human" stories as you can, as often as you
can.
Only offering
good products and good price doesn't work any more. You have to
offer something so your customers can connect with you. Anyone can
offer a good product at a competitive price. That is not a factor
any more. Your business will depend on how well your customers
connect with you.
Timing is
everything. If you start doing this while it is still new and keep
doing it regularly you and your business will become known to people
around the world. People will always remember your stories depending
on how good your stories are and how well you tell them and with
that, they will remember you and your business. That is the positive
connection that will keep bringing you more and more business. If
you wait and try to do it after every on-line business starts doing
it, it will be too late.
When you
upload your videos on YouTube,
put
this tag for search:
two-percenter
Please send us the
links:
videolinks@mata-annapurna-ashram.org
Manufacturers
In the highly
competitive market place offering a good product at a fair price is
not enough any more. It has become necessary for every business to
connect with the customers in many different ways. This has become
absolutely critical if you want to establish a brand and stay ahead
of the competition.
Active involvement in the
needs of the society is the best way to connect with the customers.
It is far more effective than any kind of advertising or promotion.
Just think, which product will people buy, the one that contributes
to a good cause or the one that does not? It is a natural tendency.
It is in every human heart.
Helping to feed and educate
poor children in India is very low cost, very high social impact. It
involves customer participation. Thus the customer gets connected
not only with the charity work but also with the company and its
products. If you can see this and act on it you will establish your
position in the market place. If you let others do it before you do,
well . . . good luck !
_______________________________
ABOUT OUR
SCHOOLS
We are building six hundred and forty five schools
in villages and small towns in India, one in every
district.
We will create a separate
non-profit organization to build and run each school. So there will
be six hundred and forty five separate and independent
organizations, not branches or subsidiaries of one
organization. Each organization will have its own Trustees and
Board of Directors. They will run the organization
independently.
We will dedicate the school
to the donor who donates land for the school or provides funds
to purchase the land. We will name the school after the donor or
donor's family. This donor will also become a Trustee or a
Director.
If a Mandir, Bhajan Mandal or
any non-profit org raises funds from the public to buy the land we
will name the school after that organization. If a business raises
funds from its customers we will name the school after the business
or the owner.
We will raise funds
separately for construction of school buildings and other
facilities. Donors who contribute 5% or more of the total cost will
become the first Directors. They will also receive high honor in the
school's "Donors Gallery". We will build a very elegant "Donors
Gallery" in every school.
If a Mandir, Bhajan Mandal,
any non-profit org or any business raises 5% or more of the total
cost, their senior representative will become a Director. The
organization and the Director will also receive high honor in the
school's "Donors Gallery".
_______________________________
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