As our world becomes more connected and more focused on the issues plaguing our society, there is more pressure than ever on businesses to use their platform to lend support. This has led many brands to hastily release statements, only to fall short when it comes time to take real action.

Hijacking a popular cause to simply make your brand look good doesn’t help anyone. In fact, it actually hurts the very group you are trying to support.

If your business wants to take action on behalf of a cause, we first want to commend you for standing up for something you believe in. However, before you jump into these sensitive conversations, it’s critical for your brand to explore how you can create real change with concrete plans. Consider these guidelines as you think through the ways your company will support important social causes.

Before you speak, be prepared to back up your words.

Before you speak out on an important cause, we recommend examining your company’s past to make sure you’ve been practicing what you preach. With the Internet at our disposal, users can look up brands’ history in seconds. If your brand comes out in support of environmental responsibility but hasn’t implemented recycling in their offices, you’re setting yourself up for a disingenuous, failed campaign.

Before you preach about a cause to others, spend time cleaning up the skeletons in your closet – or at least be honest that they exist. Owning up the past mistakes and admitting you’ve been part of the problem is important to moving the cause forward and showing other brands how they can become an ally. We’ve seen too many brands try to avoid their past, only to be called out once they announce their support. Do your research, educate your organization and make necessary reparation before you choose to speak.

Decide the specific ways your business will support this cause.

Ready to take action to support a cause? Awesome. Now, it’s time to decide on a concrete plan for how your company will bring this support to life. People will no longer accept brands’ empty words of support for important causes. There are a number of different routes you can choose when taking action, and contrary to popular belief, it doesn’t have to be all about big sums of money.

If you have the means, a donation to a reputable organization is a great place to start. You can “put your money where your mouth is,” as they say. But if you’re a smaller business or have a limited cash flow, there are other options. Your brand may consider organizing an event to raise awareness or donating your time to support existing organizations. If you have a solid social media following, you might interview an expert on the topic in order to grow your audience’s understanding of the issue. Your brand could also share helpful resources on the subject and provide links to other places they can donate their money or time. There are countless actions your business can take to promote real change, even without the deep pockets of a Fortune 500 company.

Continue your support over time.

If you’re bothering to voice your support for a cause, make sure your brand has the stamina to continue your activism going forward. Create a plan for the future and then let your audience know exactly what you’ll be doing in the weeks and months to come. When an issue is at the forefront of the news, it’s easy to make commitments and talk about all the changes you’re going to make. To make a real cause marketing campaign, though, you have to follow through on your plan even when the news moves on. Creating a public campaign creates a measure of accountability to hold your brand to your commitments, and it also helps keep the cause relevant in the news so it doesn’t die off. Issuing a supportive message and giving a small donation is nice, but it’s not a true cause marketing campaign.

Even if you’re not sure of the details of your ongoing campaign, make it clear to your audience that you will continue to learn and help for the foreseeable future. A solid strategy for the future will let others understand more about what your brand stands for and give long-term aid to this cause you care so much about.