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Businesses that go out of their way to be green are enjoying a considerable marketing edge in today’s arena. If the business you run is in-step with modern conventions, then it’s probably fairly eco-friendly as it is. If you’re recycling your waste, using LEDs, and running a carpool program, then your company is already pointed in the right direction. Here are a few helpful pointers for leveraging your eco-friendliness for more effective marketing. In fact, you can do green marketing
Define What “Green” Means to You
You need to be a little careful when using the word “green”, as it can mean different things to different people. Both an off-the-grid wind energy supplier, and the act of telecommuting rather than driving to work can be described as “green”. Obviously though, these things require completely different scales in terms of resources and labour. When trying to shape your business into something that’s a little greener, you need to define what the word means to you very early on. This will ensure that you can always live up to your standards, and avoid overstepping the mark at all. Everyone’s using buzzwords like “natural” or “green” to sell their products these days, but they can mean nearly anything, and environmentally conscious customers can easily become disillusioned when they feel they’re being deceived.
Get Seen in the Right Circles
Like any kind of social-political movement, the international green lobby has its own platforms and forums where activists, business owners and other prominent figures can broadcast what they’re doing for the earth and mingle with likeminded people. If you’re just switching over to greener methods of doing business, then leveraging one of these platforms could be the perfect way to give your green marketing a healthy kick start. Network with other industry leaders who already have a fairly eco-friendly reputation on social networks, or join groups that contribute to eco-friendly campaigns in some way. If you’re in the right sector, you may even want to attend trade show like Iran’s Renewable Energy Conference, where you can rub shoulders with industry leaders and carve out a greener profile for your business.
Reinvest in the Community
Aside from trying to help the world as a whole, it’s important for a green business to reinvest back in the community too. Obviously, if your resources are fairly stretched, you don’t need to build a totally new wind farm outside town. Reinvesting in the community your business is from can take a range of different forms. Some businesses donate a fixed, regular amount of money to local non-profits. If possible, you may want to source the components or ingredients for your product from local suppliers, thereby pumping money into the local business arena and stimulating growth. There’s a massive range of possibilities out there, you just need a little imagination. While going green should certainly involve helping the planet at large, don’t forget about the people in your own backyard!
If you want to ride the green marketing wave that’s sweeping industries across the world, I hope this post has got you off to a great start!
