Top 5 Social Media Marketing Tips for Green Entrepreneurs

1. Develop Green Marketing Strategies for Social Media
Think about how you started your green business – likely, you did not rent a building, begin printing catalogs and cold call potential clients immediately. Instead, you discussed your green business ideas with others, brainstormed your product line and came up with a plan. Take the same approach to social media. The business owner who starts a blog, LinkedIn page, or Twitter account before he or she understands how it will fit into a green marketing strategy will fail. Connect with other social entrepreneurs, ask for advice and learn about different social media platforms first – you’ll be glad you did!
2. Become an Expert in Your Field
Blogging is one of the best first steps into social media. You can write blog posts about starting a green business, changes in your industry and even the challenges you face as a green business owner. Blogs are a great opportunity to showcase your knowledge and connect with other social entrepreneurs. A word of warning: do not start a blog if you cannot maintain it! A blog with three posts and nothing else for six months will do more harm than good.
3. Connect with Your Customers
Many green business owners think their target audience does not hang out on Facebook or Twitter – a common misconception made by B2B company owners. But leaving social media out of your green marketing plan only allows other companies to snatch your potential customers away. Social media outlets give you a chance to connect with clients on a deeper, more meaningful level. Entrepreneurs can start conversations with potential clients instead of simply sending them a brochure in the mail. Social media platforms offer the perfect venue to tell your potential customers how your business will help them.
4. Optimize Your LinkedIn Presence
Often LinkedIn is forgotten in social cause marketing, but this is a big mistake for B2B companies. LinkedIn offers people starting green career paths an easy way to connect with other business owners and potential customers. By completing your profile, participating in groups and answering questions, LinkedIn can become an important part of your green business strategy. Just as your blog, an incomplete LinkedIn profile will do more harm than good. Carefully consider this before getting started.
5. Leverage Your Social Media Presence
If you maintain a blog, post to Facebook regularly, and create the perfect LinkedIn profile, but are not telling people about it you are wasting your time. One of the most important parts of your green marketing plan is to communicate with your potential customers, and the same is true of your social media marketing. Make it easy for people to find your social media networks by putting badges on your website, in your email signature and in your newsletter. Consider putting the badges on your printed materials as well.
Green business owners can – and should – including social media in their marketing strategies. Social media offers an untapped market of potential customers who need your products. If you do your research and commit time to the project, you will begin seeing results before you know it!

Source:
http://www.greenmarketing.tv/2010/10/07/top-5-social-media-marketing-tips-for-green-entrepreneurs/

New Rules for Green Marketing

Green marketers have to now be a bit more careful in their campaigns. The FTC may shortly impose guidelines on how far a company can go in classifying themselves or their products as green. The article in AdAge details the proposed changes and the implications for marketers. One issue at hand is defining what it actually means for a company/product to be sustainable.

This recent movement is great evidence that being green is profitable for a company. There is a desire to brand oneself as green for profit purposes but the FTC is taking steps to ensure only truly sustainable businesses and organizations obtain the benefits of being environmentally responsible. There has been a great surge of green marketing campaigns occurring but new regulations will make it interesting to see how many companies can still truly call themselves green.

What can your business learn from this recent development? First, you can see that going green is a great marketing tactic for your business. If it was not, then the FTC would not be considering putting regulations on green campaigns. Next, you can see that it is crucial for your agency to be truthful about going green. Lying to consumers about your sustainability efforts taints your image and will eventually be revealed. Third, your business can realize being sustainable is important to consumers. Consumers want action –not talk. While it is true some consumers may shop green just to say that they are being green, the majority shop green because they want to protect the environment.

Finding Your Niche

In the last blog post, the importance of discovering trends was discussed. Once your business does discover a green trend it may be in your best interest to make that one particular item/product your niche. For example, if you discovered that there is a need for green office supplies in your area make that your niche. Start to brand your business as the sustainable business supply resource in your area. Whatever industry your business is in find what green products you can carry and become known for them.

The ultimate goal is that when consumers need a particular green product your store resonates first in their minds. This type of practice can be quite profitable for your business. If you are able to bring in a new market simply because of one product you have achieved great success with little effort.

Once you start to carrying the products, marketing to your niche target group is crucial. First, identify the types of media the group uses. If you find your target market reads a small local magazine then try to have your business featured in that publication. Use Twitter to follow people/companies that your target market does. Perhaps those that they follow may assist with your store’s promotion via retweets. Consult this blog post on social media for more ideas on how to use online tools to reach your intended group.

Discovering Trends

If your business is looking into carrying sustainable products, it is important that you do background market research. There is an abundance of green products on the market. The issue, however, is that some products are more in demand than others. Rain barrels, for instance, may be an extremely green product but may not yield good sales. Before you make the decision to carry an eco-friendly item, make sure that it is in demand.

Furthermore, also ensure that a potential green product is of use to the community your business is in. Even if the product may be selling well in one part of the country, that does not mean it will sell well in your part. Each region has its own culture and behaviors – especially when it comes to sustainability. Also be sure to evaluate the greenness of your own market. Are your consumers ones who only follow the trends or are they extremely committed to sustainability? Based on what you identify, you will be able to better stock and market your items.

Beginning your search for the research can be challenging. First, investigate other stores in your area. See what types of eco-friendly products they are carrying. If you find that many stores carry similar products then that could be a good indicator that item is popular in your area. In addition, read articles on trends in green products. Consult green and business blogs, trade magazines and your own local newspapers. These will provide insight into what is in demand and the behaviors of consumers.

There will always be eco-friendly products which will catch on and slowly go away only to be replaced. That is why it is needed to watch the trends on sustainability – so you can best provide green products to meet the needs of consumers. Your business will also financially profit from being able to continually supply the newest and most relevant eco-friendly items to your community.

Public Education

Public outreach is a central component to promoting sustainability in your community. As a business who is becoming responsible, it also becomes your duty to educate others to be green as well. There is much public relations value in focusing on public education. Your image will enhance, your business will be credible and it helps your overall sustainable business plan.

Public education can come in many ways. Perhaps, your business could hold a seminar in the community on how to reduce energy in their homes. Or, your business can provide public education through informational e-mail newsletters sent out to your database. Think of public education as the perfect opportunity to also promote your business. For instance, if you are a store which sells rain barrels, maybe hold an informational night on gardening and conserving water. Find a way to nicely tie your product into your evening. After the presentation, be ready to hand out business cards or better yet sell your products to audience members.

You may think it can become difficult to attract a large enough audience to hold an informational night. You may be shocked, however, to find how many will turn out for your presentation. Going green is becoming important to consumers and many are seeking ways to learn more. To help with having a large audience, partner with a library, a Chamber of Commerce, or a green festival. Offer to present at one of these facilities/events. Most likely, the agency you are approaching to present at will be happy with your offer and will assist in making the presentation of value to your business.

Choosing a Certification Program

Certification programs for green businesses are very important. They assist an organization to become more sustainable and visibly provide acknowledgment to the public that your business is in fact being green. Certification for being green can cover many areas. It can include just the building (i.e. LEED) or simply the operations. In addition, numerous organizations offer certification programs that are designed for only certain types of businesses. Some just focus on one specific industry such as the Green Restaurant Association while others such as the Illinois Green Business Association focus on small to medium sized businesses in an array of industries.

When choosing a certification program, one wants to make sure that the organization facilitating it is reliable. Ensure that their standards are challenging enough for your organization. In addition, evaluate the personnel in the organization and any corporate sponsors of the group. Trained professionals in the organization and the support from leading corporate partners are good indicators that the certification program is sound.

Furthermore, it is important to evaluate past businesses the organization has worked with. See what type of successes they have had. Look through the media to see if the news has covered the organization offering certification. Check blogs and other sources too to discover if positive feedback is being said. If so, you can become confident that the group is reputable and is seen as a trustworthy certification program.

Keeping Your Consumers Informed

Being sustainable merits keeping your public continually informed of your green practices. Your audience will be interested in hearing the latest updates and it is important for your business to show that being green is ongoing. Below are 5 ways your business can continually reach consumers with your green message:

1. Have a green e-mail newsletter- Give consumers the option of signing up for your green newsletter when they make a purchase at your store. Have your newsletter go out every other month which highlights new sustainable practices in your business. This method is a great way to build an e-mail list while at the same time promoting sustainability and your business.

2. Twitter updates – Update your Twitter when new business practices are made. Also post links in your tweets to pictures showing off your newest updates.

3. Hold an annual green open house – Once a year, hold an open house which showcases sustainability in your business. You will find that consumers will begin to look forward to this event and it is a good way to personally display your green efforts.

4. Have strong media relations – Your public will read the local paper so it is important that you maintain a good relationship with the media. Try to have the media cover your newest initiative or better yet try to have yourself do a monthly segment on the news on green business practices. Even though it may seem like a stretch, you never know what opportunities may occur once you build a good relationship.

5. Be active in your area – Attend Chamber of Commerce meetings and other business associations. Become the expert on sustainability and offer advice to other businesses. The word about your business will spread and soon the word of mouth marketing will benefit your company.

Employee Motivation

Without doubt your employees play a key role in making sure your business is sustainable. Top management cannot be the only ones who make green choices. As noted in previous entries in this blog, going green has to be done by the whole organization. What can your business do, however, if your employees simply do not care and are not assisting with your efforts? Nothing can be more discouraging for a business owner but some creative management techniques can be used to change behavior.

For starters, offer incentive programs for employees to encourage them to be green. For instance, for every green education seminar your employees attend, they may receive an extra $25 in their paycheck. However, a different approach may need to be taken. Some employees – even with incentives – still may not assist in making the changes needed for your business to be sustainable. You may have to take a stricter approach and give warnings out to employees who are violating policy. For instance, if an employee is caught not putting proper materials into a recyclable container that would be a strike. 3 strikes, for instance, may result in not being scheduled for a week etc.

You may be asking, why should my business spend so much time caring about the few employees who are not participating in being green? Remember the key parts to green marketing –be honest and have everyone in the organization be on board. You are, in essence, lying to your consumers if you say you are being green but have some employees acting counterproductive. Consumers will see this behavior and your credit and image will go down in the community. Do not let some in your business take away from all the work you have accomplished. Educate them, enforce policies, and be strict. This way you make sure your business is truly green.

Technology and Marketing Benefits

Green technologies can be a sound marketing investment for your business. The energy savings for these pieces such as solar panels are known but they also bring in more value. A solar panel on top of a store catches the attention of your audience. It generates buzz and people start talking about what they have seen. This form of word of mouth marketing is quite valuable and enhances your image.

In addition, green technologies make your store look new and up-to-date. Consumers enjoy shopping more when it is in an updated space. In addition, these pieces generate curiosity among the public. You may find some people walk into your store simply to inquire about the solar panels, for instance.

Of course, one should make sure that marketing value is not the only reason to invest in these new technologies. Even though they benefit the marketing mix, that is not a primary benefit of them – rather a secondary one. First, make sure that the technologies are cost effective for your business and then take into account the marketing value. This way, your organization will be spending its money most wisely.

Writing About Being Green

Writing skills are essential to any marketer. Those who also write about sustainability in marketing pieces must be even more conscience of their communication abilities. Becoming green can be complicated and you want to make sure that your audience fully understands the message you want to convey. Here are some suggestions for writing promotional pieces (brochures, press releases etc.) on the topic of being green:

1. Use simple terms – Do not be too technical in your writing. Technical terms often confuse and frustrate readers.

2. Be concise – Have your piece immediately present the important information first. Do not lose the readers attention.

3. Explain the impact going green has made – Do not assume that your audience already knows the benefits of being green. Take a moment in your piece to explain why the sustainability efforts your business has made are valuable.

4. Avoid criticism – Make your organization appear to be a leader in sustainability through your promotional piece. Do not take another approach and criticize other businesses who have not yet become green. Make your organization seem responsible – not better than others.

5. Make your piece timely – Writings that tie what your business is doing into other current events are always interesting to consumers. Mention other efforts the community or state is taking and how your business aligns with those efforts.

Best Time for Green Marketing

Even if your business has recently become green, that does not necessarily mean that it’s the best time to launch your green marketing campaign. Like any other form of marketing, certain times and places may work best to convey your message to the public. For instance, do not launch your green marketing efforts at the same time a competitor of yours is doing so. Even though you may be tempted to compete with them, the public will be skeptical of your behavior. It may appear that you are simply going green just because the competition is. Wait a bit and then start positioning yourself as green once the competition’s green marketing slows down.

In addition, green marketing may be best done in particular seasons. Your consumers are thinking about the environment most during spring and summer. Messages concerning taking care of the environment will resonate more with them during this time of year than during the winter months. This is not to say don’t be green during the winter, but do your heaviest promotions in other times of year.

Finally, it is always good for your green marketing to be timely with sustainable movements in the community. For example, if your area just launched a community wide energy saving program, start your green marketing then. The area will be receptive to the idea and it is a great way for you to show your support for the cause. Remember that consumers are bombarded with messages and are selective about which ones they pay attention to. Make sure your message stands out and reaches consumers at a meaningful time and place.

Choosing a Marketing Agency

For a small business, many of the organization’s marketing can be done internally. It may be worth, however, for your business to look into hiring a marketing agency to assist with your green marketing campaign. Even though one does have to pay for an agency, it is a strong investment.

A marketing agency is able to be objective in planning. Doing your own marketing may cause you to be biased and therefore unable to create a successful campaign. In addition, agencies house specialized experts who have numerous resources to assist your business. Contacts to media, vendors and in-depth industry knowledge are just some of the benefits associated with hiring an agency. These firms act as consultants who can guide you through the green marketing process. In addition, hiring an agency can be a wise use of your business’ time. Instead of focusing on a marketing campaign, your store can direct its efforts on the services it does best.

If you determine an agency is needed, the search for one can be difficult. Agencies come in all different forms. Some are large ones with 50 + employees while others may just be 2 people. Research about 10-15 different firms. A simple Google search of green marketing agencies in your area will pull up several. You may also want to consult with your local Chamber of Commerce or American Marketing Association chapter for a list of suggestions. Remember though, marketing agencies can do client work from just about anywhere. Even if one looks appealing to you but is located in another state still look into it.

When looking at agencies websites, review their past clients and the success stories that have occurred. Look to hire an agency that has not only green marketing experience but experience in your business’ field. For instance, if you are a shoe store look for marketing agencies that have had success in retail. Next, look to see what services the agency offers. Some will only do PR, others branding and ads and some do them all. Identify how you want your campaign to look in order to pick which services are best for you.

Once you have selected the agency you see best fit, give them a call. They will most likely arrange an informal informational meeting with you. Come prepared to this meaning with your goals and objectives along with the budget for your campaign.

Being Green Will Last

Some may oppose going green because they think it is just a trend that will not stay around for long. Even though green marketing is having great success now, some may worry it will not be long lived. Being sustainable, however, is here to stay. Yes, there have been past movements of going green which have lost momentum only to pick up again. There can be nothing more upsetting to a marketer than investing much time and energy into a cause only for the new movement to go away quickly. A marketer has to know when to look if something is simply a trend or if it is something that will last. Going green may appear to be a trend but in reality it is becoming a way of life that is necessary. The green movement is no longer a trend but is finally stable. Here are the reasons why being green and green marketing will continue to thrive for years to come:

1. The need is recognized – Being sustainable is now seen as essential in order to preserve our environment. Science has shown the negative impacts of not being green and the harmful environmental causes are obvious to many. There is no more denying this – everyone knows it and understands there is a shared responsibility to take care of the world.

2. There is much support – Major brands, government agencies and leading universities are just some among several influential organizations that are committed to helping the world become greener. With such a commitment from leaders in society the sustainability movement is guaranteed to last. Little can be accomplished without a support network, but when one exists it is powerful what can be done.

3. New habits have been formed – Numerous consumers now shop with reusable bags, prefer to buy goods locally and select to purchase energy efficient bulbs. Many have now chosen to live a greener way of life and are accustomed to it. The hardest part in promoting a cause is having people accept it. Being green is accepted and it appears people like it. There will now be a constant demand for green products, services and practices.

Explaining Sustainability

Explaining sustainability to those unfamiliar with the field can be difficult. Everyone can understand what it means to recycle but not everyone knows what carbon footprint refers to. Customers and potential clients will of course want to know about sustainability but most often are looking for it to be explained to them in simple terms. It is best to not become too technical when explaining your green impact to others. It is very easy to be general to help educate the public. For instance, you can simply say “Blinds on our windows keeps the heat out which make it cooler in here.” No more would need to be said there.

Sometimes, however, a customer or potential client may ask for very technical information on the green efforts of your business. As the business employee, you yourself may not be comfortable answering a question which is very specific. In this case, do your best to answer the question but be honest in noting that you are not a technical expert. Offer to find the answer and then get back to the person.

The Illinois Green Business Association can assist with providing information to businesses on how to answer tough questions on sustainability. In addition, the IGBA can be of aid in providing you with information on how to easily explain sustainability efforts.

Being Green in a Tough Economy

With the economy being tough, the thought of going green is out of the question for many. Businesses have to watch each dollar they spend and now may not appear to be the best time to invest in something for the future. This economy, however, is the perfect time for a business to be green. Here are the top 5 reasons to be green in a down economy:

1. Save Money – Becoming sustainable is not all about investing in new and expensive products. Small changes can be made which save on your energy bills. For example, energy efficient light bulbs only cost a few more dollars at the store but last much longer and do not take up as much energy. In addition, being green is also about changing habits. One common habit is only using one side of computer paper. Printing on both sides of paper will save your business from continually running out and buying more.

2. Marketing Value – In a tough economy, it is more important than ever to market. Being green is unique and creates buzz for your organization. The PR value of going green can be quite high. Just think of the marketing value your business will have if it becomes featured on the news and in the newspaper. All that publicity will be free.

3. Make Consumers Feel Good – Consumers are watching their money more so than ever before. They want to feel good when they buy a product and want to be wise doing so. Being green gives consumers a reason to support you and makes them happy since they are supporting a responsible business.

4. Invest in the Community – Sustainability creates jobs. Going green helps the overall efforts of the sustainability field. Those that serve green businesses – non-profits, consulting agencies, manufacturing businesses – all exist because of the need for them. Continue the need for these jobs by going green.

5. The Sooner the Better – Some businesses may wait until the economy becomes better to be green. There is a dire need to be green and delaying sustainability efforts does no good. Your business will regret not being green once it sees how quickly the benefits come. Start being green today and see how your business will improve.

Choosing a Cause

Cause-related marketing is seen as a necessity by most businesses. A challenge, however, is choosing a cause for your organization to support. There are many great not-for-profits and causes in each community and selecting only a few to fully support can be difficult. Any cause marketer has to make a decision to turn down proposals from numerous organizations.

In order to decide which cause to support, a marketer must evaluate the goals and mission of its own business. Choosing a cause that aligns nicely with your business is best. It makes your support seem more genuine and consumers can easily see the connection made. For example, Nature Valley supports the American Hiking Association. This works because the brand is seen as a product used while in the outdoors/during adventure so therefore it only made sense to support an association which promotes the outdoors and adventure. When making the decision, do not feel hesitation to explain to a charity why you are unable to support them. Be honest with them and note that there are other agencies at this time which are a better fit for you. Perhaps, you can use your network and refer not-for-profits to other businesses you may think could work for them.

Supporting sustainability is a cause which many businesses are choosing to support. The reasons are numerous – cost savings for a business, responding to the dire need to take care of the environment, and investing in the community are among several. Going green is a cause that always merits strong consideration. In fact, it has become a way of business that most organizations can no longer afford to avoid. Even if you support another cause, you still can go green. Much financial investment need not be taken to make an impact. Turing off lights when not in use, posting signage and having recyclable containers around an office are some quick, easy ways. Be a cause-related marketer but remember too that being green is becoming a necessity and can be accomplished while supporting other worthy agencies.

Green Leadership

If your business has already been a leader in sustainability, consider taking a more active role in the community to promote being green. Choose a representative from your business to work with others in the area to make sustainability a norm. This tactic allows your business to act on its passion for sustainability while at the same time improving the image of your business and community.

Have an employee from your business become actively involved in any green committees that may exist in the area. Check with the city, the local chamber of commerce/business associations, and non-profits to discover what may exist. If nothing does, then try starting something on your own. Speak with other businesses in the area and encourage them to become green as well.

Going green is a competitive marketing advantage so it may seem contradictory for your business to encourage others to be green too. What needs to be realized, though, is that part of being green is promoting that mission to everyone in the community – including possible competitors. To be genuine and really show your business cares for being green you must assist others in their efforts. The more businesses on board the better for the environment. Consumers will realize and value the reality that your business started the trend and encouraged others to follow along. Sooner or later, others in the area will become green. Make sure you help others become sustainable so you are seen as the leader – not the follower.

Continue Being Green

Going green should be an on-going process. Your business may have recently done numerous improvements. After all the green upgrades and promotions are done, however, what can your business do to keep promoting sustainability? It is important for your consumers to see that you are committed to being green all the time – not just for a few months.

Try having a theme each month to promote sustainability. The Chicago Bulls had a great initiative this past season which promoted green efforts each month. The team selected sustainability topics – such as cutting down paper- and devoted a month to each practice. Other month themes included greening kitchens, green purchasing and fuel conservation. For each topic, the team posted a list of suggestions on their website to achieve the monthly green goal. Through this initiative, the Bulls made their commitment to sustainability a yearlong process and continued education to the public.

For your business, try coming up with a green program that can be on-going. Weather it is holding monthly seminars or bringing in a new green product each month, keep sustainability going. This will ensure that you are always seen as green in the minds of consumers.

Approaches to Green Marketing

Green marketing is great for your marketing mix. The problem your business may face is exactly how to approach green marketing. The practice is a bit more complicated than one may think. Green marketing is a broad term and can mean many things based on what your organization is looking to do. For starters, green marketing can refer to the marketing of products that are eco-friendly. This consists of promoting the item simply on its sustainability benefits. Through this approach, a business takes a step back from focusing on its image and focuses on the product benefits.

Green marketing can also refer to the marketing of one’s business through green measures. For example, if your business sponsors a green event or financial supports a green business association, that is an example of green marketing. With this approach, image and responsibility are the main motives for the organization. Businesses who are unable to sell green products may find this approach most appropriate.

Finally, green marketing may refer to the marketing of the sustainability efforts a business has undertaken. This approach also focuses on image but can also be expanded to focus heavily upon community education. As it can be seen, any organization is capable of participating in green marketing. One common theme among the approaches is that they all recognize the value of being eco-friendly.

Listen to Consumers

A good business must know how to listen to their consumers and engage them. A business that does this usually has a happy following that feels strongly connected to the organization. When going green, make sure to listen to your public and have them assist with your efforts. Customers may have some great ideas on sustainability that you did not consider.

Pepsi just launched their Refresh Project for the Gulf Coast. From now until the end of the week, the company is taking submissions from the public on how money can be used to aid the areas affected by the oil spill. This campaign is a great act of corporate social responsibility by Pepsi. Not only are they assisting with the oil spill relief efforts but they are motivating consumers to play a role. Pepsi realizes that the best ideas do not always come from within- but can often come from those on the outside.

Learn from Pepsi and engage your consumers. Many of them may be passionate about sustainability and would be extremely happy to share their ideas with your business. Develop a “Make Us Green” promotion for your business. This campaign allows your organization to obtain good ideas while forming ties to the community. How exactly do you get the input from your consumers? If your website cannot support an online submission process, then simply have a paper version of it. Give people the options of mailing, faxing or e-mailing it back. To promote this promotion, use your traditional marketing channels. Remember - Facebook, Twitter and e-mail blasts are the greenest, easiest and most cost effective methods of marketing.

Reoccurring Green Marketing Themes

There are some reoccurring themes in green marketing that this blog often discusses. Below is what I feel are the top five themes that are essential in any green marketing campaign:

1. Involve Everyone – Going green needs to be done by the whole business. Everyone must be on board and committed. Employees are the best way to spread awareness to the customers and community.

2. Be Honest – Do not greenwash or over exaggerate your efforts. The more transparent you are the better image you will have.

3. Use Social Media – Social media reaches your audience very quickly and is a very green way of promotion. A business can cut down drastically on using fliers if it focused its attention more on promoting through Facebook and Twitter.

4. Focus On Public Relations – Being green is newsworthy and can generate buzz for your business. Make sure to send out press releases, media alerts and pitch letters when appropriate. The media can be a great vehicle in spreading your message to the public.

5. Hold Events – Holding an event is a perfect way to bring the community together and showcase all that your business has done. Weather it is a green fest you sponsor or have an open house at your store to show off your sustainability efforts, events are powerful for marketing.

Educating Yourself

Educating yourself on green marketing may pose as a challenge. You may really want to assist your business promote its sustainability efforts but lack the knowledge. Unfortunately, there is not an opportunity to formally pursue a degree in green marketing. Much of your knowledge will have to be self-taught.

Just by reading this blog, you are showing a great commitment towards educating yourself. Blogs are great ways to read about current events and trends in green marketing. A simple search of “green marketing blogs” will bring up many which highlight different aspects of the field. In addition, becoming involved in professional organizations is a great way to further education. Often, professional organizations will hold seminars on individualized topics such as green marketing. The International Ecotoursim Society actually offers a course in sustainability marketing to tourists. Research the American Marketing Association as well. This huge organization holds webinars on current marketing trends so it may be likely they offer support for green marketers.

Finally, when you are pursuing your degree (either bachelors or masters) take advantage of independent study classes. These classes allow students to work with a professor to investigate a topic of interest. With green marketing being such a new field, formalized education in the practice has not yet developed. Take it upon yourself to be a leader in this growing area through aggressively seeking education on it.

Green Gifts

Thank-you gifts are a common necessity in the business world. Weather it is a gift to customers, important clients or past clients it is always important to remember those who help make your business strong. Next time your organization is looking into which thank-you gifts to send out, try to add a green component to them. A sustainable gift is sure to be more memorable, create more talk, and will show your commitment to being green.

Green thank-you gifts can be a wide range items. If you are just looking for something little to give, check out On Time Promotions’ book of sustainable items. There are many great gift ideas in there that are also eco-friendly. If you are looking to give something a bit more to a loyal client, consider giving a leisure excursion that is green friendly. Perhaps give a membership to a local botanic gardens. This gift not only shows your support for sustainability but also helps promote a green cause. Research what is available in your community and look to see what may work for your region. Leisure opportunities in the agritourism field are many as well. The University of Illinois Agritourism Extension Office lists all the opportunities available in the state of Illinois alone.

Make sure when you show your appreciation to also make a statement about your organization and its beliefs. Remember, a huge component of green marketing is ensuring that every aspect of your business (operations, marketing, finance etc.) is as green as it can be.

Internal Green Marketing

If you part of a larger agency and think going green would be a great competitive advantage, you must ensure that all divisions of your business are on board as well. Being sustainable involves teamwork. If one part of the organization fails to promote being green then it goes to waste. In addition, it is difficult to market your organization as green if not everyone is participating. It is a poor reflection of the business if it says it is being sustainable but some areas are lacking.

To engage the rest of your agency you will have to do some internal communications. Send out mass emails to your colleagues, hold informational lunch seminars on going green and involve department heads. Form a “Going Green” committee to ensure that there is accountability and someone is overseeing the efforts for a particular department.

Some green business practices can be implemented across the organization. For instance, adding a line at the end of e-mails stating “please save paper and do not print” is a prime example and allows everyone who your employees interact with know that your business is green. Other green measures can be department specific. For instance, the human resource department may only accept resumes via e-mail and not snail mail as a way to save paper. Be creative and tailor a green approach to each division. But remember before you do green marketing to consumers you may have to do some to colleagues.

Measuring Success

It is easy for a company to measure the economic success of going green. Just a quick look at water and electric bills could indicate if investments were sound. But, it is a little more difficult to measure success of one’s green marketing. Businesses are challenged to discover if going green actually made a difference in bringing consumers into the store.

There are some good ways to measure if going green has benefited your marketing mix. First, simply look at the numbers in your store. Are sales up more in this month than they were at the same time last year? Look to see if there are any reasons which may have caused an increase. If not, perhaps your green efforts have paid off.

In addition, simply talk with those in the area. Network and see if they have heard about you going green. This measure shows that the community is recognizing your business as responsible. This type of measurement does not lead directly into a sale for your business, but it increases your image which will eventually pay off. Also be sure to save all media clippings your business has been featured in. The more media impressions your business has received the more value going green has given you.

In a previous blog post, it was mentioned to hold an open house to showcase to the community your efforts. At this open house, collect e-mails from those who visit. An increased direct e-mail list is extremely valuable for your business to have. It allows you to interact quickly and easily with potential customers. For many, this alone is worth going green.

Even if you believe going green has not yet paid off, do not be discouraged. Keep looking for other creative ways to promote your business as sustainable. It may take some time but the marketing benefits will start happening!

A Green Approach to Direct Marketing

Direct marketing is what everyone typically thinks of as “junk mail.” Even though consumers are delivered numerous ads via the regular mail and e-mail, this form of advertising is still extremely important and yields benefits for companies and non-profits. Despite the success of direct marketing, there is obviously an environmental harm direct marketing can cause. With all the paper being used and tossed away, it becomes the challenge for the direct marketer to create a campaign that is sustainable.

Leading the way in ensuring direct marketing can be green is the Direct Marketing Association. The organization has promoted several initiatives which aims at making their practices greener. For example, the association organized the Recycle Please Campaign. Through this effort, major companies were encouraged to place a recycle logo on all their marketing pieces. The organization also offers seminars and even a green marketing certificate to assist their member companies.

If your business relies heavily upon direct marketing, try posting recycle logos on your pieces. In addition, look for local printers who use sustainable products in their marketing. Try focusing more of your direct marketing to e-mail. Perhaps trade off between a postal mail promotion and an electronic one if possible.

If postal mail is still the best option for your organization, there are some tactics you can use to ensure your mail piece is read and not just thrown away as trash. Direct mail should be personalized. This means instead of saying value customer in the address line, you should put the person’s name. In addition, direct mail should be appealing. Investigate what are the best colors for your envelopes, position for envelope windows and layout for the information inside. Taking into account these considerations will help make sure your mail piece is not just a waste of paper but rather a meaningful form of promotion.

Community Education

Looking for a way to increase traffic and showcase how green your business is? Consider holding an educational evening at your business for the community and media. Frame it as an open house to display what your business has done.

Promote the evening though traditional forms of marketing such as social media. Send media alerts to catch the attention of the press. Make sure to also have media kits ready for any press that covers your event. Media kits should include a press release on your event, information on your business and all your sustainability efforts.

Also target specialized groups who would be interested in seeing how green your business is. Contact local green associations that promote sustainability in your area. In just the Chicagoland area alone there is the US Green Business Council-Chicago Chapter, Chicago Gateway Green and the Chicago Sustainable Business Alliance. In addition, reach out to colleges and schools in your area. This evening could provide a great education opportunity.

At this outreach event, have signage posted around your store with information on your practices and the differences being made. Have facts and figures detailing energy bills, water bills etc. posted around the store too so other businesses can see the economic value of going green. Make a central point of the night a keynote speech from a community leader in sustainability and provide networking afterwards.

Want to host your own organization’s green open house? Contact the IGBA for advice on how to run your event and make the most out of it. The IGBA is always able to supply staff members to assist with community outreach programs so do not hesitate to call.

Social Media

Social media is, of course, a powerful marketing tool. It is free publicity and your business can reach your target market extremely quickly. Below are five great ways you can use social media to promote your green efforts:

1.Twitter – Being on Twitter is a great start toward promoting your company. It allows you to reach your target group constantly with updates. Also look into following green associations, businesses etc. on Twitter such as the IGBA. By retweeting their posts you help to educate your consumers about sustainability and show your support for it at the same time.

2. Blog- Make a blog for your organization around the theme of your sustainability efforts. Write about what your business is doing to help the environment. Take this as a chance for your business to showcase your great work.

3. Facebok- Create a “support green” fan page for your organization. Facebook is very successful in allowing your business to reach a high number of consumers in a short amount of time. Think about it this way- if you and nine other employees all have 100 friends and all of you invite your friends to the group, that’s 1,000 people you reached in a matter of minutes! Many will not only know about your organization, but will also see that your organization is responsible.

4. Flickr- Develop a flickr site for your organization where you post photos. Have the photos document your business’ green efforts. For instance, perhaps would want to post images of the new blinds your business installed.

5. LinkedIn- LinkedIn is a perfect social networking site for professionals. Many businesses use LinkedIn as a means to research companies. Make sure your LinkedIn company page highlights your green efforts so that right away a prospective client can tell you care about sustainability.

Selling Green – Business To Business

If your business sells green products (such as solar panel) in a business to business setting there are some components you need to include in your sales presentation to be successful. Remember that each business has a different motivate for buying an energy efficient product. Some do so because they understand and value the need to be responsible community members. Others do so because they are looking for ways to save energy and cut costs. Finally, some businesses may want to install your items for marketing purposes. Each of the previous reasons all provide chances for your organization to make the sale.

If you feel the business your are presenting to wants to buy your products because they want to be more responsible, less selling needs to be done on the value of your products. Rather, you should focus on what separates your product/business from other suppliers in your area. Perhaps you have better customer service than others or maybe you offer a better price. Discover what makes your business unique and sell that.

For those businesses looking into buying your product for financial savings, come prepared with some hard facts and numbers on the cost benefits of your product. Having case studies from previous clients with detailed information on their savings would be helpful. Also come into this meeting with further information on rebates and other perks given to businesses that install energy efficient systems. Finally, for those businesses interested in your products for the marketing value, be prepared to show them the publicity past clients have received from using your business. Press releases and news stories are examples of some items to bring with you.

Of course, any sales presentation you give should cover all the topics mentioned above. However, it is important to identify which of the three reasons for going green is the motivate of the potential client. This will ensure you cater the presentation to meet their needs.

Donating Green Items

Donations are great ways for your business to become an active community member. Often, small and medium sized businesses receive donation requests from worthy causes. Use a request for donation or donation opportunity as a way to not only promote your business but sustainability as well.

For example, if you are a grocery store and receive a letter of donation for an event, donate only eco-friendly products. If you are being asked to give a cash donation, you may make it with the stipulation that the money be used for sustainable purposes. Perhaps your business carries energy efficient products such as refrigerators, washers etc. Donating one of these items to a worthy cause would certainly make a great impact and create positive attention for your organization. For the 2010 Tony Awards, LG donated energy efficient washers and dryers to all 45 Broadway theaters. This gesture yielded much media coverage for LG and allowed them to showcase their eco-friendly products to an influential audience.

Consider who your audience is and what type of donation would provide beneficial results back to your business. Look for causes that are in the most need of support and who are not yet sustainable. Much good can be accomplished if your business aids a non-profit in its sustainability efforts. Be creative and make sure your employees are connected in the community. Attend networking events so your business can make contacts and be the first to know when an organization is in need of a donation.

Greening Events

Does your business put on an annual event and is looking for a way to make it unique this year? Perhaps you want to add some value to an event that you already sponsor. Maybe, you just want to start up a new event. Events are great ways to bring the community together and for your business to gain publicity. Event marketing has been known to dramatically increase sales for a business and create awareness that can be more cost effective than other forms of marketing.

Making your event green is a strong strategy to further add marketing value to an event you are affiliated with. If your event is having a hard time gaining some good pre-event PR, being green will certainly catch the attention of media. Through pitch letters and press releases, you can start gaining profitable buzz. In addition, the perception of the public will be greater once they come to your event. Your audience will be impressed with the responsibility your organization has taken to care for your community.

Making an event green may be intimidating but there are some quick, easy steps that can be taken to make it sustainable. For starters, have recyclable containers placed all around the event site. Place signage around the area which encourages participants to use them for garbage. In addition, use eco-friendly products such as bio-degradable cups. Promote biking to your event through selecting a space with ample bike racks. If your event allows vendors, promote your event to businesses that support sustainability and have eco-friendly products. All of these efforts add little, if any, additional costs to your event but add significant marketing value.

Champaign’s annual Taste of Champaign-Urbana is a great example of an event that went green. The event provided free beverage coupons to visitors who rode their bike and all the tickets were printed off on recycled paper. Another good example of a green event is the annual Green Music Fest held in Chicago. Local green vendors were among the many steps taken to make this event more sustainable. The event is different among the numerous Chicago fests because of its theme.

Want to be a part of a green event? Your business needs to do research to see which local events need sponsors. During the stages of securing your sponsorship, make it be known that you will take the lead in making the event sustainable. Better yet, create your own event. A green music fest, for example, could work in any area. Developing a new event takes quite a bit of time. If you start planning far in advance though (6 months- to 1 year) you will be able to produce an amazing event centered around sustainability.

Contact the Illinois Green Business Association for assistance when greening an event. Staff will be able to offer suggestions and can direct you to the appropriate businesses that can aid with your event going green. Have a special event outside, gain great buzz and take care of the environment all at the same time!

Tourism Benefits

Another critical reason for a business to be green is to ensure that the community they are a part of prospers. Being green should not only be seen as something profitable to the individual agency but rather all those who live and visit the area. Due to poor environmental conditions caused by the BP oil spill, New Orleans tourism may suffer. The city fears that potential visitors may have a negative image of New Orleans due to the crisis. With so much of New Orleans’ economy relying heavily upon tourism, the city is asking BP for $75 million that will go towards marketing efforts to combat negative images of the city. This CNN article on this story goes into more detail about the oil spill’s effect on tourism on the region.

To visitors, a city that values its environment is unique and desirable. Some of the most popular travel destinations in the US also happen to be among the greenest cities. San Francisco, Boston and Chicago are some of the most popular destinations in the country and were all named in 2008 as one of the top ten greenest cities by Popular Science Magazine. It can clearly be seen that sustainable communities experience more tourism and more profit. Tourism is not only vital to large cities- any community has the ability to bring in visitors for leisure and business purposes. Local businesses need to realize the large part they play in promoting tourism through their own green efforts. Promoting tourism is a community-wide marketing effort that can yield great benefits. What to do once a group of businesses have gone green? Contact your local convention and visitors bureau. Share with them the great work that has been going on. Tourism marketing professionals there will be able to assist with promoting your area as a green destination.

Green certification programs are excellent ways for community businesses to come together to become and promote being green. The Illinois Green Business Association has already assisted businesses in Champaign County accomplish this task and is now expanding into McLean County. Businesses in the state are encouraged to contact the IGBA for help on ways to start becoming a sustainable business.

Being Honest

No business wants to admit they are not being sustainable, but sometimes it takes honesty in order for a business to make changes for the good. A business needs to evaluate itself to whether it is being green. Similar to green washing, a business may feel tempted to not be truthful about its practices when being faced with questions from customers.

One of the main principles of public relations is honesty. Nothing damages your relationships faster with consumers than dishonesty. Also remember honesty is needed when speaking with those other than customers. The media and community leaders also require honesty. Eventually, it will get back to your audience that your were not truthful.

Your image will be much more positive if the public sees that you were honest about not being sustainable but then show progress towards becoming sustainable. Don’t be afraid of admitting that your not green. View it as a chance to make your business more effective, efficient and to generate buzz.

IGBA Media

Going green creates buzz for your organization. IGBA is an example of it! Check out all the coverage the non-profit has gained lately.


News Gazette Coverage

Channel 15 Coverage

Forming Partnerships

Your business may want to start thinking about partnering with other organizations in the community. Partnerships provide excellent ways to further enhance your goals and can generate greater publicity for your organization. There are many different approaches to partnerships and it is important to pick one that aligns nicely with your goals and reaches your intended market.

For example, perhaps your target audience is college students. If so, it may be a good idea to partner with a local university to host a sustainability seminar one evening. Your business will be able to directly interact with the target group and is able to start building visibility.

Other forms of partnerships can be made by partnering with an advocacy group. This requires some background research on the associations in your community. Check with local business associations and chambers of commerce to see who may be good partners for you. Once you find a potential non-profit to work with, approach them with a proposal. Educate them on the benefits this type of partnership would have and explain what your organization can do to further help them.

The Illinois Green Business Association is a prime example of how businesses partner with non-profits in order to help them achieve their goal. The IGBA provides ways to implement sustainable business practices. In return, the businesses are doing their part in making the community more eco-friendly. You will be surprised with how much can be accomplished when partnerships are formed.

Greening Your Products & Services

Looking for a way for your services and products to be more green? It takes some creativity and research but it can be done. Many businesses have recently started and been successful on the whole notion of being sustainable. Whole Foods- an extremely popular organic grocery- is a perfect example of this strategy. Everything in the store from its products to the building to the way they serve their customers is done with sustainability in mind. In addition, Whole Foods uses biodegradable food packaging and frequently donates to environmental causes. Their website notes that they are on a Green Mission. Visit their webpage for more information on what they are doing and for some resources on being green. Additionally, B. Lime is a great example of a local store who has created their business around carrying sustainable products. B. Lime is also a Certified Green Business by the IGBA.

Even if it does not seem that your organization and being sustainable go hand and hand, there are always ways for a business to be green. Even the smallest changes in a business make an impact on the environment. The public will really be impressed if they see a “non-green” business make changes. The car industry- notoriously known for not being eco-friendly- was able to offer hybrids to consumers. Zip Cars too have gained tremendous popularity in major cities and pride themselves on being eco-friendly. Their website outlines nicely the benefits to the environment of using zip cars.

If you want to start carrying eco-friendly products, you will need to do some background research. Since many companies and industries are supporting being sustainable, it should not be difficult to find suppliers that provide products directly to your industry. The IGBA is able to assist Illinois businesses find proper providers of green products. Feel free to contact the IGBA for assistance.

Know Your Customers

Your customers surely will appreciate your green efforts- but some will be impressed by your business being sustainable more so than others. It can become challenging to excite patrons about your green business and why it is important. Don’t be discouraged if some of your customers still are unsure of the importance of being green - it is important to still go forward with your sustainability plan. All your business needs to do is educate.

In a previous blog entry, employee involvement was discussed. But customer involvement in your green business is important too. First, a business needs to understand its customers. If they already care about sustainability then little education of your practices is needed. If they don’t, employees are needed to assist customers realize the benefits of the business. Make sure employees highlight the eco-friendly products in the store. Display signage in your store too. Have the signs highlight what is being done and why it is being done. Jewel-Osco food stores took this approach when they dimmed their lights in stores. Around the store were signs explaining why it was dimmer and the impact it was having. “Green Business Practice for Dummies” by Lisa Swallow explains in-depth how to distinguish customers based on their support for being green and ways to educate each type. Use her analysis as a way to identify and market to your customers.

Customers, like employees, are powerful for marketing. Once customers appreciate sustainability, they will tell others about your business and what you are doing.

Greening Marketing Materials

One excellent way to start being green is to cut down on the amount of paper your organization uses. A major source of paper usage for businesses is on their marketing materials. Of course, paper ads, fliers, brochures etc. are still needed to promote your business. However, when possible, cutting back on paper and switching to other forms of marketing can be beneficial.

If your organization has a newsletter that you distribute, try posting it on your website instead. Focus heavily on increasing traffic to your webpage so that visitors can read the publication there. To replace flier promotion, think about using Facebook and Twitter as ways to reach your audience. Facebook especially has the power of reaching a mass audience quickly and it costs your organization nothing. Does your organization do a lot of print advertising? Try radio, television or advertising on webpages too.

Through other mediums of marketing, your organization can become more sustainable and save significantly. The Illinois Green Business Association is able to help your organization determine the proper ways to green marketing materials that are profitable.

Corporate Social Responsibility

Being green has great marketing benefits and is good business sense. If those reasons are still not enough to convince a business to go green they need to look into the practice of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Sustainable practices are an ideal way a business can practice CSR and situate itself differently from the competition.

Many large corporations have taken a serious approach to CSR in the past years. Alcohol beverage companies, for instance, provide outreach to consumers educating them to make wise decisions while drinking. Large marketing and public relations agencies- such as Golin Harris- have devoted practices committed to helping businesses become more conscience of their behavior. Click here to read about Golin Harris’ CSR work and the value of CSR for a company. Through CSR, a business is able to show consumers that they are not only committed to delivering a good product/service, but they are also committed to assisting the communities and consumers they serve.

Businesses- especially small or medium sized ones- may want to try to be more responsible but may have a hard time discovering exactly what they can do. Being green is a perfect way for a small or medium sized business to be sustainable. No matter what industry a business is in, green practices can be implemented. The Illinois Green Business Association is committed to helping businesses be more responsible through sustainability. Contact the staff for information on how your business can be greener and dependable.

Employee Involvement

A crucial component of green marketing is making sure that everyone in your organization knows about the efforts of your business and understands them. All staff- not just top management- need to be aware of the changes being made, why they are being made, and they need to take pride in going green as well. Your employees are your best marketers. They are the ones that greet customers, sell your products and are in the community you serve. You want to make sure that all employees are helping to market your business as green.

Encourage staff to clearly point out to consumers the changes being made. Prepare them to answer questions too. Consumers’ trust will build if they see that staff are committed and educated about going green. Weber Shandwick, one of the leading public relations agencies, has a practice devoted to assisting major corporations with their green marketing. Their website provides a whole list of dos and don’ts for when a business goes green. Check it out and read the part on employee participation- the marketing impact is quite powerful!

Worried that you may not be best suited to educate your staff on going green? The IGBA provides educational outreach to the community and businesses. Contact the IGBA for more information on how they can assist with educating your staff on green business practices.

Promoting Being Green

Promoting your green efforts takes a bit of creativity. Since being green and becoming certified is unique for a business, traditional means for marketing are not always effective in sharing your success. Take going green as an opportunity for your business to break through the clutter of traditional marketing and advertising in order to really stand out.

First, being sustainable has the possibility of making yourself newsworthy. Do some background research to find if maybe your are the only green shoe store, bakery, bar etc. in the area. Make yourself a leader in the community. If you feel what your business is doing is in fact newsworthy, send a media alert or press release to the local stations and newspapers. And, since being sustainable is a growing movement, there is even a greater chance you will be featured in the news.

Other ways to make being green stand out are through your promotions. “Green Business Practice for Dummies” by Lisa Swallow outlines many ways to turn your marketing materials green. For example, when looking into promotional give-aways, pick ones that have a green theme to them. Swallow says that these pieces really stick out in the crowed and help others to see yourself as green. Visit On Time Promotion’s website where the have a link to a green promotional product catalog. The catalog provides many great eco-friendly promotional items.

The Illinois Green Business Association can assist with any of your green marketing efforts. We can offer advice and help implement your green marketing campaign. Don’t hesitate to contact the IGBA to discuss our certification program and how we can help your businesses become sustainable.

Greenwashing

The practice of being green is catching on fast. Consumers look more favorably upon businesses that are environmentally conscience and businesses know that in order to prosper they need to be green as well.

Too often, however, businesses try to take a shortcut so that they can take in all the benefits of being green. “Greenwashing” is the term used when a company tries to portray themselves as environmentally friendly but in reality they are not.

Companies must be aware not to partake in greenwashing. Consumers will eventually realize they are not being truthful and organizations will only be seen as negative in the community. Businesses must not promote themselves as being green unless they really are. They can certainly support being environmentally friendly, but must not lie to consumers and say they are doing more than they really are. Read this blog post about some issues going in the UK concerning advertising and greenwashing.

The Illinois Green Business Association (IGBA) is the resource to show businesses how to truly be green, convey that message, and run a more successful business. A partnership with the IGBA will help prevent greenwashing and gives businesses the creditability to truly say they are green.