The planet is literally on fire. But we don’t have to tell you that. You’re in or interested in the sustainability industry and know the time is now to market more sustainable and eco-conscious products. Fortunately, consumers agree, and the push for more eco-friendly business practices is set to grow in 2022. That means marketing for eco-friendly businesses like yours is more important and than ever before! Here are some tips to make sure your marketing budget goes further when marketing your eco-friendly brand.
Tips to Better Market Your Green Business in 2022
Tip 1: Stay True To You — And Tell The Truth!
Don’t over-exaggerate your commitment to sustainability or its impact on the earth. That’s called greenwashing, and it happens when companies present themselves as more environmentally friendly than they are. Doing this is truly a no-no that will lose you credibility points with your customers. To assess the greenness of your products and services, use the following criteria.
Longevity
If your product is built to last, it’s greener than most — and this is a marketable spin you can and should use in your messaging and marketing strategy. Products that are reusable, recyclable, and don’t use petroleum-based products are all sustainably made. If you find your products and services aren’t as long lasting and green as you’d like, make changes!
It’s okay to start your green journey now. Talk about it in your social media, email marketing, and business blog as you go. Customers love authenticity and growth. Your brand will be strengthened by it.
Reusability and Recyclability
Do you sell bamboo or sustainable toilet paper? Great! Does it come in thick plastic? Not so great. Ensure your product packaging is as eco-friendly as the product you so carefully designed. Visit the Sustainable Packaging Coalition for more information on biodegradable packaging. If you can’t determine how to make your packaging biodegradable, consider reusable options, like shopping bags that customers can reuse.
Your Product Uses Recycled Materials
Some brands take green a step further by selling recycled products. If you want your merchandise to be greener, consider whether you can offer upcycled products or use recycled paper or plastic to make your goods.
You Employ Eco-Friendly Suppliers and Distributors
What happens with your brand before and after it’s in your store also matters. To truly be a green company, you have to make sure your manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors are eco-friendly too. Do your suppliers and distributors follow the green practices we’ve already mentioned? If not, see if you can find others who do.
You Make Up the Difference
It may be impossible for your business to be 100% green. But you can make up the difference. After ensuring all of your business practices are as green as possible, make further efforts to reduce your business’s carbon footprint. These reductions could come from:
- allowing employees to work remotely
- encouraging employees to carpool or use public transportation
- donating or volunteering with non-profits that support green causes
- participating in energy efficiency initiatives
Research to see what’s possible in your area and attempt to move toward making your business carbon neutral.
Tip 2: Incorporate Your Green Mission Into Company Culture
As you can see, it’s one thing to say your business is green. It’s another for it to actually be green. You want customers to know you have a company of integrity and do the things you say you do. Before you start green marketing for your eco-friendly business, consider ways to ensure that your business does all it can behind the scenes too.
Invest in Carbon-Friendly Vehicles
Does your company have service or delivery vehicles? If so, make sure they’re the most energy-efficient hybrid cars possible. Also, consider what the vehicle you drive says about your feelings toward the environment. And remember to use mass transportation when possible. It’s not about just looking good. It’s about practicing what you preach.
Make Your Office More Energy Efficient
Run your office or store in the most energy-efficient way possible. This method means thinking about everything from the amount of electricity you use to the appliances and technology in the building. Consider using the Energy Star program or similar initiatives at your physical locations. Make sure your office spaces are LEED-certified. And pay close attention to technology. Data centers use more energy than some countries. Minimize the amount of energy your online practices and your website use by:
- Encouraging team members to delete unused apps and photos from cloud drives
- Creating internal email practices to delete any emails that aren’t needed again, send only necessary emails, avoid email attachments, avoid reply alls, and unsubscribe from newsletters
- Using a messaging app instead of text messages
- Using mobile phones instead of computers when possible
- Turning off and unplugging devices that aren’t in use
- Using green servers
Get Involved Locally
Leverage your resources for the greater good. Volunteer time and donate resources to local green charities. Encourage your team to do so as well. Getting the entire office to give back further supports your claims of being green.
Be Green in Your Life
You can’t live in a mansion, drive a gas-guzzling SUV, and fly all over the world while expecting people to appreciate how green your company is. If you want to reap the benefits of owning a green business, you have to walk the walk. Otherwise, people will discover you’re an imposter. Consider how to be environmentally conscious in your day-to-day life. Lead by example.
Encourage Employee Participation
If you want to have a truly green business, not only do you need to live that value, so should your employees. Encourage employees to reduce their carbon footprints too. And provide incentives for doing so. Incentives could include matching donations to green charities, giving paid time off for volunteering, or hosting competitions to see which team members can reduce their carbon footprint most.
Tip 3: Publicize Your Green Business Model
Being a green company isn’t an easy thing to do. So, once you determine that your company is truly green, it’s time to let everyone know! There are many ways to communicate the green initiatives your company embraces.
Post About It
When your business does something green, post about it on your social media, write about it on your website, and send press releases to local media. Distribute information about the great things your business is doing. It will help others know your business as green, give your team a boost, and could result in other companies following you. Here is some guidance to come up with content buckets relevant to your entire business model.
Provide Data
Journalists love original data! Releasing yours can help your company earn media exposure. Efforts backed by data get even more attention than those without. Publish regular (quarterly or annual) reports that summarize your conservation efforts. Include graphs, examples, and hard data. Share ideas for other businesses to make small changes that would add up. Talk about what your company plans to do next. Make this information downloadable on your website. Publish summaries on your site. Send press release summaries to media contacts. Let people know what your business has done, how they can do it, and what’s next for your team.
Publish Case Studies
Consider publishing case studies that explain how you accomplished some of the changes you find in your business’s data. Helping the environment isn’t a trade secret. If you determined how to do something green well, you can share it with others while becoming known for it.
Apply for Certifications and Awards
Work to get noticed for your green efforts! There are special certifications and awards for businesses that make a difference environmentally. Apply for all of them you can. Help eco-friendliness be a niche your company is known for. When you receive certifications or win awards, write about it on your website, share it on social media, and let your press contacts know.
Make Messages Green Through Video and Visuals
Tell potential customers what you’re doing. Otherwise, how will they know you take being green seriously? You know that consumers want to spend their money with environmentally responsible companies. Make sure you tell them your brand’s efforts to make a difference. Think photos and videos that explain and show your green initiatives. Distribute the videos and images on your website and social media.
Tip 4: Consider What’s Next
Can you ever help too much? We don’t think so. Your business’s environmentally-friendly practices are impressive, but there’s always more work to do. We’re talking about our planet’s future, after all. Keep thinking about what initiative is next. Maybe you’re doing a great job with products and packaging, but you had no idea that tech caused such a large carbon footprint. Tackle that next, then move on to something new. Committing to your customers to better our world is ongoing.
We Can Help with Green Marketing for Your Eco-Friendly Business
Charm School Digital Marketing loves working with green, sustainable companies like yours because we also believe it’s the right thing to do. Need help getting the word out about your company’s outstanding eco-friendly efforts? Want to establish your brand as an eco-friendly company in your market? Reach out to us for help!
