Green Marketing, Easy to Understand, Harder to Implement, But Worth it.

1: Get Your Market Interested

Many companies are trying to jump on the bandwagon by claiming green status, and some with little or no proof. A great example of green washing that occurs without too many people being aware of it is certain companies in China that make re-usable shopping bags. Some of these companies manufacture bags so that they can immediately process them inside their factory into recycled material, ready for use as a more expensive re-cycled fabric.

For many consumers it’s a leap of faith to trust green brands, due in part to examples of the nature mentioned above. For others its simply too confusing due to poor marketing communication.

There are many competitive benefits to becoming a green brand. You must build trust and reduce confusion with consumers. Try seeking independent verification and 3rd party environmental endorsement as part of the strategy. This will help build a better product or service and increase end user engagement. There are plenty of government organisations out there who will assist your business in becoming an endorsed green brand.

2: If none of your competitors are trying it, then be the first.

Some industries prove very difficult to implement sustainable practice. Most give up as they do not have the time to put into the effort required. The rewards that exist for businesses aside from knowing you are helping the future of the planet, are most definitely the improved bottom line & end profits for those who are prepared to persevere.

Developing goods, services, and implementing sustainability into the business model is great, but consumers want more. Key points like high performance, ease of use, availability, value for money, and the environment all have to be balanced.

Don't sell on green benefits alone, it will not be enough for the consumer. Try instead to focus on being a profitable solutions based business with sustainability as part of the mix. Ensure the product is right and you communicate the whole story.

3. Improved communication

It’s important you communicate your message to the right target group. Getting the target demographic right, and communicating key trigger points are crucial to the success.

Communicate the environmental message as part of your message not the only message. The message and positioning should be right for the target group, its not the same for everyone.

4. Take them with you

Sustainability is an ongoing learning process, a process of improvement over time that will engage and inspire many market segments. Take your customers with you and remember, 'It’s the journey, not the destination'.

Don't do green half-hearted. It has the potential to backfire, but make the effort and you will be rewarded. 

There are competitive advantages for brands who develop sustainable goods and services, while implementing a sustainability model in the day-to-day running of a business. 

Want to give your business the green advantage? Give Shared Marketing a call. 

Small Business are Profiting with Socia Media.

According to recent research compiled by Melbourne IT, small businesses using social media to leverage online business, are likely to achieve greater revenue.

eBiz Review polled 3,404 Australian small and medium sized businesses (SMBs) with an online presence, from a broad cross section of over 26 industry sectors.

The data showed that SMBs generating 20 per cent or more of their revenues from their website were more likely to use social media.

With Comscore estimating that 90% of Australian Internet users visited social media sites in February 2010. It is no surprise that social media has become a hot area of marketing investment from large enterprises as they try to access such a large pool of potential customers. But what about small businesses?

A third of eSMBs have dived in and established a social media presence, with the social media tools of choice being used by the 34% of social media believers being Facebook (75%), Twitter (47%) and LinkedIn (42%).

Among social media users, 85% cite benefits to their business, with 57% saying they are attracting new customers via social media. Just under half (49%) said it helped them explain their products and services in new ways and just over half (51%) said it helped put a ‘human face’ to their business.

The success of social media using SMBs in attracting new customers must be an eye opener for those companies which are not; these results also demonstrate that the “softer” perception building elements of social media tools are not lost on savvy eSMBs.

SMBs need to think about how social media fits into their online strategy and seek advice where necessary to integrate social media tools with their existing online investments to ensure success.

With Facebook in Australia now the third largest online brand behind Google and Ninemsn, the results are not that surprising. Businesses that ignore the growing trend of social media should do so at their own peril. But ask yourself... “Are my competitors also ignoring social media?” Not likely.

Engagement with consumers has to give a business a return on investment at some point.

Thirty four per cent of SMBs online use social media, and a further 15 per cent said in the survey they planned to include it in their online strategy in future.