18. How Better Companies get More Customers

If, like me, you'd never heard of a restaurant chain called Dos Toros you might have been surprised to see their marketing manager on stage for the 'How Brands can Engage the Social Impact Generation' session, with Brandless and Beam.

But then if you'd listened to that marketing manager, Marcus Byrd, for a couple of minutes, you would have quickly understood they belonged there. Dos Toros is one of those companies that were highlighted at SXSW, like Kendra Scott, Milk and Honey and Bumble, that have woven their Corporate Social Responsibility into their DNA. They engage with every community that they're among, thinking carefully about who they employ and where they get their products from. Just as importantly they focus on giving back in everything they do. They provide meals for the needy just as they sell food to their customers. Byrd announced - among a horde of achievements that you would have struggled to note down - that in 18 months of operation in Chicago they managed to give away 18,000 meals.



This was the key learning from the conversation. Giving and community engagement can be the number one way that companies can tell their customers who they are and how they are part of their world.

Marcus Byrd said its not even that difficult. The keys are:
  1. Do CSR with purpose and emotional connection.
  2. Be singleminded, know what your goal is.
He says 'It's all about clarity and focus. If you are passionate you can do more with less.'

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