will your business support a charity this holiday season? supporting a local cause isn’t just good for your community, it’s good for business too. research shows 83% of american consumers want businesses to support causes, and 41% have bought a product because it was associated with a cause.

you can support a cause in a variety of ways. you can arrange volunteer sessions with employees and customers, set up a donation drive or collect donations at the register.

donating a dollar (or two) at the checkout has become a popular option for both businesses and customers. seventy-two percent of consumers have donated to a cause at checkout and 65% of those consumers felt positive about the business after giving.

if you plan to support a charity this season, here are three promotions you can send to your customers to encourage their support.

collect charity donations at the register, offer a free item

you can promote the charity and your business at the same time by offering a reward to those who donate to the charity at the checkout.

consider offering a gift, free item, or a deep discount to anyone who makes a certain donation. for smaller donations, consider giving away company swag, like a drink koozie or reusable bag. for larger donations, consider upping the reward to a free ball cap or coffee mug.

here’s what to enter as a promotion in fivestars, just change what’s in the brackets to fit your needs:

what’s the promotional offer?

• make a donation and receive a free gift!

what’s the occasion?

• make a [$5] donation at the register to [name of charity] and we’ll give you a free [type of gift].

when does the promotion expire?

• two days after sending the promotion

collect goods, offer a coupon for next visit

some businesses prefer to collect goods for charities. whether you collect presents, host a can drive, or ask customers to bring in gently used winter coats, you can encourage more participation with a promotion.

again, it’s a good idea to offer customers an incentive to participate. consider giving customers a coupon that’s good for their next visit if they bring in a donation.

here’s what to enter as a promotion in fivestars, just change what’s in the brackets to fit your needs:

what’s the promotional offer?

• bring in a donation and get [discount amount] off your next purchase.

what’s the occasion?

• we’re collecting [name of item] for [name of charity]. bring in your donation, and claim your coupon.

when does the promotion expire?

• two days after sending the promotion

organize a volunteer event, give away t-shirts

some businesses decide to volunteer their time. whether you serve meals at the shelter, wrap toys for those in need or spend time building a home for those less fortunate, you can get customers involved in the action, too.

get a combination of employees and customers to sign up to volunteer for specific shifts. of course, you’ll need to coordinate this with your local charity, but most non-profits are not only happy for the help, but for coordinating the shifts too.

put a signup sheet at your register and ask customers if they’d like to volunteer with your business. if they’re interested, have them sign up for a date and time. to give customers an extra nudge, let them know that they’ll receive a free t-shirt to wear at the event if they volunteer.

here’s what to enter as a promotion in fivestars, just change what’s in the brackets to fit your needs:

what’s the promotional offer?

• sign up to volunteer with [name of charity] and get a free t-shirt.

what’s the occasion?

• help us support [name of charity] by signing up for a volunteer shift at your next visit.

when does the promotion expire?

• a week after sending the promotion

be sure to start your promotions early. consumer donations were up 4% in 2015, but there’s a lot of competition for charitable donations. by running promotions now and offering an incentive, you’ll likely see the best results for your local charity.