TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 01, 2009 Posted by: Kerry Hancock Jr on Tuesday, September 01, 2009
Category: Marketing |
The American Marketing Association defines green marketing as the marketing of products that are safe for the environment. More than just a catchphrase, “going green” requires action on your part to prove to your customers that you truly care about the environment and are doing your part to protect Mother Earth.
We’ve a come long way since grocery store clerks first coined the phrase “Paper or plastic?” and now there is so many more ways to make your business more environmentally friendly, above and beyond offering a different type of bag for your customers to transport their purchases.
Going green can have a profound effect on your company’s operations, efficiency and reputation but it’s important to make sure your actions are more than just lip service and will actually have a positive influence on the environment.
Don’t feel pressure to go completely green overnight. A 100% green campaign can cost more up front but the long-term benefits to you include improved customer relations as well as a cleaner work environment which in turn improves employee morale and increases productivity.
Instead, focus on small areas that can have a large impact and baby step your way to a greener business.
Paper Consumption
- Carefully evaluate the source for the paper you use for product packaging, internal use and marketing pieces.
- Verify that your paper supplier does not use illegally harvested or stolen wood and instead deals with only recognized forest certification programs.
- Look for paper that utilizes as much post-consumer recycled content as possible
Ink Use
- When seeking a printer for mailers or promotional materials, choose one that has switched to vegetable-based inks that contain little or no mineral content.
- Soy based inks are better for the environment because soybean plants require minimal energy to grow or harvest and they actually have been proven to reduce greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. An added bonus is that paper printed with soy ink is easer to recycle.
Data Management
- Make sure your mailing lists are as up to date as possible by using services provided by the US Postal Service for zip code correction, address correction requests and address standardization.
- Going green is all about reducing and eliminating waste, so it’s important to make sure your marketing materials are distributed responsibly and efficiently. Maintain in-house Do Not Market lists and offer all recipients the opportunity to opt out of mail solicitations from your company.
- Study the demographics of the zip codes you’re marketing to and make sure they are a good fit for your product or service.
Once you’ve started to implement green policies in your day-to-day business practices, you’ll discover other ways to be more environmentally conscious and eventually you’ll have a powerful selling point for a growing segment of today’s market.
We’re interested in finding out what your company is doing to go green. Drop us a comment and let us know!
Sources:
http://www.ferranteassoc.com/green-marketing-report/Go_Green.pdf
http://www.the-dma.org/cgi/dispannouncements?article=1064
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