Eight Ways to Use the Environment in Marketing

Marketing professionals know that the right message can be the difference between a hit and a flop. They have a number of tricks at their disposal. This article will give you some more. Specifically, it will show you how:

1. To use environmental messages effectively in your marketing
2. To present a feel-good image, especially when facing a problem
3. To highlight your efforts in protecting the environment

Why Use the Environment When Marketing?

People around the world are concerned about the environment and what large and small corporations are doing to either sustain the environment or harm the environment. For example, the public outrage over BP’s oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico should show to any marketer how a problem with the environment can hurt all products or services. On the other hand, when a company is doing something good, such as Dove Soap, that cleans up animals with their detergent, the marketing can help boost sales of products and services.

Customers are concerned about global warming, lack of water and toxins. If marketing professionals can show that they are doing something to deal with these issues, they should use that information as a way to boost public morale of the company. How can marketers capitalize on being green?

1. Products descriptions -- If your company uses recycled materials, fewer toxins or natural materials in your products, you should make a note of that in product descriptions on your website, in your catalog, and in your campaigns. People want to buy products that are doing something positive for the environment. Many customers are willing to pay extra for something that doesn’t harm the environment. If you offer a service instead of a product, and you use renewable energy to produce that product, you should highlight that example also.
2. Blogs -- In April, especially, and throughout the year, you should talk about the company’s environmental stance in your blogs. Because April is Earth Month, this is the perfect time to link what your company is doing to protect the environment. For example, suppose you are a plastic surgeon who has cut your carbon footprint by using renewable energy or have reduced your packaging or regular waste, you can write a blog about this. In the blog, you’ll want to talk about what you did and how others in your field can do the same. You can inform your customers how much you have reduced the footprint.
3. Social media -- When you post on your social media sites, you can engage your customers with a discussion about the environment. You can hold a contest on ideas the company can adopt to protect the environment, giving away something to the winner, such as a tote bag made from hemp. You could ask customers what they do at home to protect the environment, making sure you capture their email for a marketing list that you use later. For example, you can ask if they want to respond to the question, they must add their email so you can verify it’s not a computer responding.
4. Email marketing -- If you are planning to send out an email blast, you can pick a couple of important projects you are doing that significantly show how you protect the environment. You also can tell customers how to save money by choosing your products with recycled materials or your less toxic version. You can also mention how you have reduced your carbon footprint and how that relates to savings for the customer.
5. Press releases -- If you are doing something earth-shattering regarding the environment, you can send a press release to all your local media and environmental publications. You also want to send the release to environmental groups that might promote your company on their websites as being friendly toward the environment. However, a word of caution, the projects or carbon footprint reductions must be great if you expect attention from the media. They get information about recycled materials in products or sustainability claims all the time.
6. Marketing materials -- You want to use recycled materials in your print materials that you pass to others. You want to use recycled materials in your office supplies and talk about these. You want to use less water, less energy, and fewer toxins wherever possible in your brochures and more. And, you want to tell the customers you are doing this.
7. Tree-planting days -- Hold a community event where you plant trees, clean up a park or take items from a river. These are crowd-pleasers. They usually can get local media attention, especially if you join with local environmental groups, large corporate sponsors and schools.
8. Distinguishing you from competitors -- When you are trying to show how you are different from your competition, sustainability is a good marketing tool to use. For example, if you are a manufacturer that doesn’t use fossil fuels to make your products, you should mention that and say your competitors do. If you plant a tree for every product sold, you should mention that your rivals don’t care about the environment. If you take back cell phones and electronics, but your competitors don’t, you have a marketing edge over the rest in your field.

These are just some ways digital marketing agencies and professionals can promote their companies and be a champion for the environment at the same time.