What is the main message of Good Works!?

The main message of Good Works! is the power of doing good and the impact it can have on individuals and society.

How long does it take to read Good Works!?

The reading time for Good Works! varies depending on the reader's speed. However, the Blinkist summary can be read in just 15 minutes.

Who is the author of Good Works!?

The authors of Good Works! are Philip Kotler, David Hessekiel, and Nancy R. Lee.

Marketing & Sales

Good Works! Book Summary - Good Works! Book explained in key points

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Good Works! summary

Name: Good Works!
Rating: 4.2 (13 reviews)
Author: Philip Kotler, David Hessekiel and Nancy R. Lee

Philip Kotler David Hessekiel Nancy R. Lee

Marketing and Corporate Initiatives that Build a Better World...and the Bottom Line

4.2 (13 ratings)

17 mins

Brief summary

Good Works! by Philip Kotler, David Hessekiel & Nancy R. Lee is a comprehensive guide for businesses to build successful cause-marketing programs that both do good and benefit the company. It provides actionable insights and inspiring case studies for creating meaningful impact.

Topics

Leadership Marketing Success Strategy Entrepreneurship

Table of Contents

Good Works!
Summary of 7 key ideas

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Key idea 1 of 7

What’s in it for me? Discover why modern businesses have to care about more than just profit.

When you see a charity or a good cause being sponsored by a big business, what do you think? Most likely you’ll mutter that the business doesn’t really care, they’re only really interested in profits – this is just a bit of good PR for them.

Thinking like this does these businesses a huge disservice. In fact, it’s vital for any business to partake in what’s known as Corporate Social Responsibility, and participate in a worthy cause. Doing it right will bring a business not only some good PR, but better, more motivated staff, happier customers, and, of course, will have helped improve the lives of disadvantaged people.

These blinks show us how companies from Coca-Cola to General Mills have helped themselves and the world through good works.

In these blinks you’ll discover

why, if you want to be good, you have to be in it for the long haul;
how pet owners saved mutts without ever meeting them; and
why Westerners helped some of the world’s poorest mothers by buying more diapers.

Companies can increase their sales, reduce costs and find better employees by tackling social issues.

Imagine that you want to eat some chocolate, but you have to choose between two brands. In terms of cost, they are exactly the same, except that one of the brands offers to donate five percent of the cost to charity.

Having never tasted either, which one would you buy? You’d probably opt for the one paying a percentage to a good cause.

And you’re not alone! Customers tend to support companies who are known to support initiatives that deal with social issues. In fact, according to one study, 94 percent of customers indicated they would likely change brands if the new brand made tackling social issues part of their business.

As we can see, charitable thinking can be a powerful tool for businesses to maximize their chances with customers and increase their bottom line.

However, supporting initiatives for good can do more than just help companies earn more customers.

In fact, many (mostly environmental) initiatives can help companies cut costs.

Take AT&T, for example, who decided to do their bit for the environment by reducing the amount of paper they consumed, and adopted electronic communication wherever possible. Not only did this attitude resonate with customers, but it also saved them millions of dollars.

Then there’s The Body Shop, whose good image can be traced back in part to their promise to sell only products that are fair trade and not animal tested. This commitment generated great publicity, and thus saved them money on PR campaigns.

Moreover, Corporate Social Responsibility creates more satisfied and loyal employees. In fact, according to one study, 69 percent of employees consider Corporate Social Responsibility to be an important factor in choosing their employer.

Thus, by investing in social issues – ones which potential employees feel are important – companies have greater access to the best possible employees.

Focus on untapped social issues that can lead to long-term partnerships.

What do you remember about the letters you’ve received from charities that were supported by businesses? You likely remember the cause, but can you remember their branding?

Probably not. For companies, brand recognition is crucial. So how can you remedy this?

Companies can get great publicity by advocating the right Cause Promotion.

No one likes being the bearer of bad news. Yet, strangely, companies are actually rewarded with great publicity when they inform the public about a cause which demands their attention.

This Cause Promotion raises awareness for social problems, and demonstrates that the company cares about this problem, too.

Cause-Related Marketing allows companies and consumers to join forces to achieve something good.

Raising awareness doesn’t just garner positive publicity. It can also be used to sell products directly. By employing Cause-Related Marketing strategies, companies encourage consumers to do good simply by purchasing their products.

Just as companies add promotions to their products, they can also do things like making a donation every time someone purchases one of their products.

Creating lasting change sometimes means altering consumer behavior for the better.

Social responsibility is a bit like medicine: You can try to relieve the symptoms – for which your patients will surely be thankful – but isn’t it better to cure the disease? In this blink, we’ll see how companies can act as “doctors” for social disease.

To start, let’s look at the limitations of monetary donations for a good cause. While they can alleviate some people’s suffering, the reality is that monetary donations can’t help everyone.

Workforce Volunteering helps companies do good while improving employee’s morale and skills.

Have you ever felt like you’re just pushing papers around at work, and not doing anything truly meaningful? Wouldn’t it be awesome to do something that’s actually useful for your community? Increasingly, companies are tapping into this desire and supporting employees who want to make a difference through Workforce Volunteering.

Workforce Volunteering is a great way to put employees’ skills to use to achieve something good for society as a whole. Companies are well positioned to help employees do this by providing them with the time and resources they need to tackle social issues.

Socially Responsible Business Practices are key to your company’s future.

People generally fall into two groups: those who see business as an opportunity to make big money and those who are suspicious of its ability to be a force for good. However, there is a chance to combine both worlds – to both make money and be a force for good – through Socially Responsible Business Practices.

Increasingly, consumers and employees expect companies to work in a socially responsible way. Studies show that 69 percent of employees consider it important that their company lives up to its social responsibility. In contrast, a measly six percent of consumers agreed that a company should only be interested in improving their profits.

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What is Good Works! about?

Good Works! (2012) offers an insightful look into the way doing good can actually help companies prosper. Based on contemporary, real-life examples, it provides business-minded people with the tools and strategies they need to make a difference in the world and turn a profit at the same time.

Good Works! Review

Good Works! (2012) offers an insightful exploration of corporate social responsibility and how businesses can make a positive impact on society. Here's why this book is worth reading:

With a wealth of practical case studies, it provides concrete examples of companies successfully engaging in philanthropy, cause-related marketing, and socially responsible practices.
Backed by research and expert analysis, the book offers evidence-based strategies and best practices for businesses looking to incorporate social responsibility into their operations.
The authors' passionate advocacy for the power of businesses to effect change makes this book far from a dry read, engaging readers with its compelling arguments and inspiring stories.

Who should read Good Works!?

Anyone who wants to improve the potency of their marketing campaigns
Business leaders, CEOs and board members
Members of nonprofit organizations who want to learn about how business and charity can work together for the common good

About the Author

Philip Kotler is an American marketing consultant, professor and author. He has written over 55 books on various marketing-related topics, such as The Ultimate Book of Business Gurus and Business Minds.

David Hessekiel is the president of the Cause Marketing Forum, an organization dedicated to helping businesses and nonprofits come together to improve the world.

Nancy Lee is the founder and president of Social Marketing Services, Inc. She conducts seminars and workshops on social marketing, and is an adjunct faculty member at University of Washington’s Evans School of Public Affairs.

© [Philip Kotler and David Hessekiel: Good Works!] copyright [2012], John Wiley & Sons [Inc. or Ltd. as applicable] Used by permission of John Wiley & Sons [Inc. or Ltd. as applicable] and shall not be made available to any unauthorized third parties.

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