Meg Demand, principal and founder of Spokane-based third-party marketing company Demand Results LLC, says many small businesses don’t have a set structure to their charitable giving.

Often, a business will have a list of nonprofits it’s considering supporting. However, that business could also use that philanthropic contribution as an effective marketing tool, says Demand.

She gives the example of a business donating $500 to three separate charities. Instead, Demand claims that, from a marketing standpoint, companies should consider donating larger sums to fewer organizations. By contributing finances to nonprofits, a business supports local nonprofits and issues its members feel passionately about while also strengthening the reputation of the company in the community, she asserts.

Demand Results acts as an outsourced marketing department for small businesses. It facilitates networking and connects businesses with like-minded charities. Demand Results also coordinates event planning and other marketing-related services.

Before changing business focus last year, Demand Results worked more on sales consulting and database management.

She says for the past few years, she didn’t work with many clients and didn’t consider the company fully open. Then she reinvented the company, adding event planning and philanthropy-relationship management to its services, she says.

The company “reopened” in September, despite Demand maintaining the business licenses for a number of years. Demand Results has been operating out of Demand’s home since December, when she closed her upper South Hill business office.

She says she chose to redirect Demand Results’ focus because many small businesses don’t have full marketing departments, so she saw the need to help those businesses better connect with the community. Currently, she’s the only employee of the company, but business is picking up to the point that she’s looking to hire another staffer.

Demand, who has more than 20 years of experience in marketing and related industries, says Demand Results matches small businesses with nonprofits within that business’ local area.

“My main focus is to recommend local nonprofits, so small businesses in Spokane can sustain nonprofits here in Spokane,” she says, “And that’s matched with what their values are as a company.”

She asserts that strategically planned giving demonstrates to customers that the donor business cares for its community.

Businesses also can network with other companies involved with that same charity, which in turn can increase brand awareness and revenue, she says, adding that consumers are more likely to recommend a brand that supports a cause.

Demand Results is planning its signature event, SheTech, which will be held in May and then again in the fall. SheTech will feature female speakers in the science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics fields, who will discuss how they got involved in those industries and their struggles and successes. Up to 200 middle school, high school, and college-aged women will be invited to the event, says Demand.

In addition to Demand Results, Demand also is the executive director of Active for Youth, a Spokane-based nonprofit established in 2005 that works to tackle both childhood obesity and juvenile delinquency, she says. She also is planning that charity’s annual fundraiser for the sixth consecutive year.