Paying It Forward: Why Giving Back Matters Q&A with Larry Altman

It’s considered by many to be the most wonderful time of the year, and it seems only right to share this “Prove It!” podcast episode, because it’s all about giving back. You may wonder what that has to do with marketing and communications. The easy answer is everything. Read on to see what Larry Altman, a committed volunteer, shared with us, and if you want to listen, you can check out  Episode 107 here. 

Larry Altman, a good friend and seasoned (read: old, retired) executive, now spends his time giving back to the community. Over the years he’s worked for both for-profit and not-for-profit organizations, and always with a passion for serving the community. 

Debbie Albert: Let’s talk about the value of giving back, even though I sincerely hope most of us know that giving back provides its own value. Let’s start by talking about business trends related to community involvement. Are they on the rise, staying stagnant, or declining these days?

Larry Altman:  I see it as being on the rise, and while some of my perspective is based on anecdotal evidence, I am out in the community doing many things and volunteering at several different organizations.  I can assure you, there is no shortage of volunteers. 

Many are individuals, but many others  come from companies – small, medium and large. I have a few statistics to share to prove that.  

There’s a list  called the Civic 50, which represents the 50 largest companies in the US that are focused on giving back. For these companies, sales have to be a billion dollars or more, so these are very, very large companies. I noticed in the last couple of years that each year there’s been more than 10 million volunteer hours, almost two-billion dollars in employee time, contributed to communities around the country from just these 50 companies. 

I’ve also noticed that people are giving back because we’re at a crossroads. Businesses feel as if they have to offer these opportunities because today, there’s less government funding, and private funding can’t do it all. Companies are now stepping up to the plate and paying it forward. They are realizing the value of donating time and talent for many reasons. It helps their staff and it certainly helps the communities in which they operate.  

DA: I’m so glad to hear it’s on the rise. Here in the Greater Philadelphia area, we’re very much aware of Comcast Cares Day when they have thousands and thousands of volunteers all over the country doing things to benefit the communities in which they operate. 

Is it because, if you’re then deciding between Comcast and one of its competitors, you might remember this? It gives people an intangible good feeling about the company, and although it’s not direct advertising, it has to help. 

LA:  I totally agree. Today, engagement is a big part of corporate culture, and I think you’re missing the boat if you are a company and you don’t tell your employees or your prospects, that this is something we do every month, twice a month, or even annually. 

Comcast is all over the community and they give their employees different options for community service. We’re now at a stage where so much has to be experiential; people aren’t as concerned about an extra few bucks in their paychecks as they are about being engaged in the community. 

It could also be because people aren’t all working in offices together. Community service presents an opportunity to get people physically close to each other, and then when they’re done helping the community, or building a house, they get together and talk about what they’ve done, not just what a great spreadsheet they put together in the accounting office. It goes far beyond that. 

These are the connections people are looking for.

DA: We’ve talked in other episodes about things we do today that have evolved into experiential things, like saying “Google it.” You hit the nail on the head because even when you go on Amazon, it says, “Welcome back Debbie! Based on what you bought before you might like this…”

Everything now is based on experience and a real understanding of the customer and what they need. When you say there’s no shortage of volunteers in the community, it warms my heart. 

LA:  I agree. I think it is great when you go out and see groups volunteering at different places, all from different sized companies, and they come with their boots on to do good work, without politics getting in the way. They’re helping at zoos, packing boxes of food, donating clothing, and quite frankly, they could be our neighbors with completely opposite viewpoints, but it doesn’t matter when we’re helping our communities. 

I know it carries over when they go back into the office and they have that extra bump of feeling good. That’s where it does tie back into how can this help, or how does this help in marketing, because if you don’t offer these opportunities, you’re going to be on the minority side and you’re not going to get the same quality of employee who wants to give back and who is looking for a place that has a culture. That’s part of how we get corporate culture – by giving back, by doing for others. By paying it forward, I know I use a lot of clichés, but the one I use a lot is “virtue is its own reward.” 

Of course, if you do good work, it all comes back to help you as a person and as a company. It may be something we can do without, but it is uplifting to see how many people are out there helping others through their company initiatives. 

DA: And I think we can agree that there could be thousands and thousands and thousands more of us doing more as well. 

LA:  Yes, there’s always room for more, but I love seeing the trend go in the right direction for so many different reasons. 

DA: A lot of the millennials who are entering the workforce now – or whatever the generation we’re up to – they insist on it, so companies really do need to offer this. 

Can you give a specific example of a company that has committed itself to the community and really benefited from it, either in tangible or intangible ways?

LA:  I certainly can, and it’s funny you mentioned millennials, because the company that I’ve talked to and seen in action isa Philadelphia-area affiliate marketing company, called Gen 3 Marketing., They come several times a month to an organization called Mitzvah Circle Foundation. They’re a small organization with 50 to 75 employees, and every month they send 30 – 40 employees over who take over the place, break into small groups, and do great work. 

Andy Campos, their CEO, said that although it’s hard to quantify the impact in terms of staff retention, he knows the work is making a difference because his employees then bring in their own families to volunteer at other times, not just when they’re expected to be there, but when they choose to be there. 

We talked about millennials and they do expect it. They aren’t as impressed by an extra bump in their paycheck. They don’t mind it; they won’t turn it down. But if you don’t offer something to make employees feel like part of something bigger, it will ultimately impact your business. And if you don’t, they tend to be cynical about your business, thinking they are only there to help you make money. They want more, and they want to give back. 

DA: It’s a pretty optimistic way to look at the world; that’s an awesome point. When you and I were entering the workforce, it was about the salary, but today, the motivation seems to be more community-focused. It’s beautiful.

LA: I think they all look for that and it’s such a good byproduct. It’s a marketing strategy in a sense, but the byproduct is they get happier, satisfied, well-rounded individuals to work for them. And keeping and retaining good employees is really job number one for most companies. 

DA: Agreed 100-percent. 

Since we recorded this podcast, the number of volunteer hours has continued to climb. According to the NonProfit Times, an estimated 63 million Americans volunteer roughly eight billion hours of their time, contributing approximately $203 billion in time to nonprofit organizations. If that doesn’t warm your heart….

Here’s to a happy holiday season, and the hope that if you’re not sharing some of your precious time with a nonprofit today, you might consider that a gift to yourself and to your community this year.