Here is an idea that can make you money and cost you nothing up front.

A good friend of mine works for The Snow Leopard Trust, here in Seattle's Wallingford neighborhood.  The trust is dedicated to protecting the snow leopards.   In brief, the snow leopards are an endangered species that inhabits the mountainous regions of Southern Asia.  Their biggest threat is the people that live in the same habitat.  The leopards are hunted by poachers and also by local farmers looking to protect their livestock.  The trust is attempting to give an alternative economic avenue to the locals by selling their goods here in the US.  By doing so the local people can shift their economic focus and no longer hunt the leopards. 

My friend contacted me and asked if I would like to do some advertizing through various avenues.  Long story short we have had a meeting or two and here is what we came up with.  The trust and I have come up with some marketing that they are going to distribute through various channels.  For every client that I receive through their efforts that leads to a successful close, I have agreed to make a $500 donation in that clients name toward the trust. 

For me this is a great avenue because it cost me nothing up front, and others who are full time marketers and in the business of eliciting donations and working with the public, are doing the marketing for me.  The already have a data base of donors and are willing to do the work themselves.  If it works and I begin to receive clients, I don't need to pay anything until after close.

How many marketing ideas are there, that cost you nothing until you have

already received cash in your hand?

For the trust, they receive one more avenue to receive a donation. It is a win win for both of us. 

So in this difficult time, you may want to think a little outside the box.  Pick a charity that is near and dear to your heart.  It could be your children's school, the local animal shelter, or whatever.  Approach them and see if they would have any interest in such a partnership.  If it works out, it benefits both you and your favorite charity. 

I'll keep you posted on how successful this is.