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.