Green marketing is a process of selling products or services that are based on the benefits they may provide to the environment. From utilizing recycled paper for packaging to using soy-based ink and recycled paper for all printed marketing materials, businesses have an opportunity to attract new customers by incorporating green practices into their business model.
Attract Customers with Green Initiatives
Green marketing is no longer just a trend but a lasting change in how businesses do business. In fact a 2006 Gallop poll highlighted that 77 percent of Americans are concerned about the environment and feel they need to get involved to do their part in making a difference. Seeking out environmentally-friendly products and services is one way consumers are doing this.
Green Business Practices
Green business initiatives can give a business a distinct advantage over competing businesses who are not incorporating environmentally-friendly tactics into their business model.
Green initiatives a business might highlight in their marketing efforts include steps taken by their facility to reduce pollution. Other green initiatives worthy of highlighting include recycling efforts. Try capturing the amount of material recycled each year and saved from the landfill and highlight in marketing materials.
Communicate about the efforts made to conserve resources or new technology used to improve energy efficiency. Businesses who follow fair trade and labor practices should include these policies in their green marketing efforts as well.
Technology continues to make it easier for businesses to go green. Holding virtual meetings instead of traveling across the country for face-to-face meetings, not only saves money on travel but is a green practice a business can highlight as an effort to reduce their carbon footprint. For businesses where frequent travel is a must, purchasing carbon offsets is a green way to help reduce their environmental impact.
Another green initiative many businesses are striving towards is a paperless office. A paperless office helps businesses reduce waste by utilizing effective document management and limiting the number of printers available to employees.
Green Marketing Tips for Businesses
To be successful at green marketing, the efforts should be genuine, informative and engaging.
Be clear and concise in communicating the green processes used when creating products or services. However, be careful not to oversell green policies and initiatives. Instead, be honest and just state the facts about the environmentally-friendly practices in place.
Use of a web site is a convenient green marketing method to keep customers informed about green initiatives or new products designed to be more environmentally-friendly. Creating a special column in communication vehicles already utilized by the business can also be used to highlight ways a business is using green practices to make a difference.
Businesses can also encourage customers to partner with them in their efforts to make a difference. By providing helpful links on their web site, businesses can help make customers active participants in their green practices.
For product packaged in recyclable packaging, provide tips for recycling the components of the packaging. If carbon offsets are purchased to help reduce environmental impact, provide information to customers about how carbon offsets work and how they can purchase carbon offsets to help reduce their overall impact.
Green marketing provides businesses with the opportunity of showing customers they care about the environment and ways they are making a difference. And when done right , green marketing can build lasting relationships with current customers as well as attract new ones.
Wendy Roltgen - Wendy Roltgen is an avid writer and reader. She loves learning and writing about a variety of topics. She has worked in various marketing ...
Join the Conversation