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Kure It Cancer Research donation option integrated into SiteLink Software
by Sue Creaser
It’s safe to say that cancer has in some way touched the lives of most people. Take that a step further, I’d argue that most people also would cheerfully donate a small amount to cancer research if given the opportunity to easily make that donation. What if there’s a simple way to connect with your customers and the community, improve the reputation of your business (which increases rentals), all while helping a very worthy cause?
It’s the season of giving, and in this spirit SiteLink is announcing its partnership with Kure It Cancer Research to incorporate a unique charitable giving process right into the SiteLink Web Edition software you use every day.
Creating a Culture of Giving
It’s human nature to want to make an impact on an important issue. Studies have shown that more than 80% of consumers seek out socially responsible businesses, and most are willing to make personal sacrifices for the greater good. In addition, about 80% would tell friends and family about a company’s efforts to be socially responsible.
Another recent study revealed that 69% of millennials really want companies to provide the opportunity to give back, and about 9 in 10 would actually switch brands to be with one associated with a cause.
Intrigued yet? Plainly stated, if a customer is deciding between your operation and the one across the street that doesn’t have a donation option, odds are they’ll choose yours.
What is Kure It Cancer Research?
Kure It Cancer Research was established in 2007 by Barry Hoeven, Chairman and Founder of US Storage Centers, who battled kidney cancer for 18 years. When diagnosed, Barry discovered a significant lack of funding for research in this type of cancer. Kure It Cancer Research began as a fund for kidney research (hence the “K” in Kure It) and quickly grew into an independent non-profit organization with a mission to advance research in kidney and other underfunded cancers. To date, over $6M has been raised allowing Kure It to make an impact on countless lives across the country.
Although Barry passed away in 2016, his vision and hope for a cure continues in partnerships like this one with SiteLink.
How Kure It Donations Integrate with SiteLink
SiteLink has made it easy to incorporate Kure It Cancer Research tenant donations into your self-storage business. First, an operator adds charges for “Kure It Donation” and “Kure It Recurring” to their SiteLink system. Then, map those charges to a Kure It income account so the collected donation income can be automatically separated from your tenant income by your accounting software. SiteLink also created a custom Kure It Payment Report that displays every Kure It donation collected and owed to Kure It over any given time period. The facility owner works directly with Kure It to send the payments. Many companies will also contribute their own set amount or percentage of income in addition to tenant generated donations. This helps connect the business with the customer in a shared cause.
During move-in (or anytime thereafter), a manager simply asks a tenant if they’d like to “Round Up for Research” or make any donation to Kure It, either as a one-time donation or recurring monthly charge. Tenants may even stipulate that recurring donations be one amount, but make a separate one-time payment at move-in for a different amount. The manager then adds a “Kure It Donation” or “Kure It Recurring” charge to the account, enters the amount, and it’s added to their bill.
US Storage Centers, with more than 80 self-storage facilities across the United States, has taken this to the next level by matching 100% of every 50 cent donation made. They also invested in custom web development to offer a Round Up For Research option during their online move-in process.
It’s a Good Time to Get Started
Studies show that it’s a good idea to embrace charity as part of your company culture; SiteLink and Kure It have made this easy for self-storage operators. With November 15th celebrated as National Philanthropy Day, SiteLink and Kure It have put together a webinar that explains how creating a culture of giving is not only good for the community but also good for business.
