Usually on the Werkington Remote Jobs blog we talk about all things remote work and job hunt. But, when we see a chance to help out, we like to do that too. So, we would like to use our voice to tell you about how MarketingSherpa is working with marketers to help make the world a better place.

Ten by Three offers artisans in developing nations 2.5x fair trade value to make handwoven baskets, home decor and handmade accessories.  These workers use the same methods taught to them by their ancestors to create functional homemade goods while working from their homes and village centers.  They skipped the industrial revolution which started the process of pulling workers out of their homes and into factories, which over time expanded into offices.  But without the safety nets that stemmed from the economic growth caused by the industrial revolution, these artisans are some of the most vulnerable to the global economic recession caused by Covid-19 quarantine.  

Ten by Three has been around for the past 16 years, working with makers in Kenya, Uganda, Madagascar, Togo, Ghana and Bangladesh.  But they don’t simply sell products.  They help launch artisans in these fragile economic ecosystems out of poverty by assisting them with building businesses, thereby strengthening the core of these micro economies.  Ten by Three purchases 10 products per month at a wage at least 2.5 times fair trade value for three years.  They then require the artisans to invest a portion of their art earnings into three small businesses.  As those small businesses succeed the maker elevates out of poverty and out of Ten by Three, making room for another to enter the program.  As a result, Carrington, founder of Ten by Three, has helped 8,000 artists and artisans rise out of poverty, and more than 18,000 people total, once you consider all the people who rely on them.

MarketingSherpa, MECLABS Institute and MarketingExperiments have chosen Ten by Three for the first season of their show The Marketer as Philosopher and Werkington.com is one of the companies jumping on board to help.  The Marketer as Philosopher helps nonprofits with their greatest marketing challenges to help be a force multiplier of the social impact they have on the world.  Werkington.com is helping with the Ten by Three campaign by contributing this article to the MarketingSherpa blog and committing to publishing several articles on the Werkington.com blog which mention Ten by Three and The Marketer as Philosopher campaign.

Marketing through storytelling:

Storytelling allows marketers to build a deeper connection with the audience.  It creates a clear, vivid picture of the total product journey and can turn a physical product into a human experience.  Understanding how a product is made and where a product comes from helps customers see past purchase barriers like price when they understand where their money is going.   

People don’t always respond to facts and logic.  They put a face on decisions.  The human brain is hardwired to seek out stories.  A marketing story should center around a character and appeal to emotion. And Ten by Three is a prime example of an organization that has successfully grown through this tactic.  They connect you with the people behind the products.  You’re not just buying a product when you buy from Ten by Three, you’re buying the story of the artisan who made it.  And other ethically sourced brands could take a page from their strategy.

One thing marketers can learn from what Ten by Three has already achieved is how they have acted the part of the marketer as a storyteller by sharing not only the stories of the artisans who make their products, but also their own brand story and leveraging that to stick in the hearts and minds of their customer base.  

Cause marketing can be powerful.  And it has been powerful in the case of Ten by Three.  If we help them make it over the Coronavirus hump, they will continue to help lift people out of poverty for years.  But they need us now to continue making a positive social impact.

A story can only be powerful if people hear it.  And for the first time in a long time, not enough people are hearing the stories told by Ten by Three.  That’s where Marketing Sherpa, MECLABS Institute and MarketingExperiments are stepping in to help, but they need our voices as marketers to be successful.  

Now the story moves to you the Marketer as Philosopher.  If you can be a force for good by helping to spread the story of Ten by Three, you can be a plank in their bridge over the global recession caused by Covid-19.  You can also build hands on experience helping a non profit and using cause marketing.  What can you do to help spread their story? 

Here’s How You Can Help:

1. Stop in at Ten by Three and buy a fair trade African hand woven basket, decor item or accessory.  
2. Link to this article from your blog or share it on your social media account.
3. If you’re a marketer, then you can help the most.  You can give their site valuable visits from potential customers.
   1. Publish an article about Ten by Three to your blog.
   2. Mention them in your mailing list.
   3. Send a few paid clicks their way.
   4. Provide a landing page conversion suggestion.

Ten by Three has helped lift so many out of poverty.  Now is your chance to help them out of a recession, so their program can continue to make social change.