3 Green Marketing Principles You Can’t Afford To Forget
Many companies needlessly complicate their green marketing strategies by ignoring the most basic and unwavering principles of traditional marketing. Internalize these three principles to avoid complications and to guide your marketing efforts in the future:
1. Shine the spotlight on direct benefits. Although your products may be the most environmentally-friendly out there, consumers do not typically make purchases to “save the planet.” If this was their primary goal, they would buy nothing at all! The reason people purchase green products is because it is a sensible compromise between saving the planet and a direct benefit that they need. For example: consumers need detergent and soap for daily living. If their primary goal was to “save the planet,” they would first try to eliminate the need for these products. Because consumers don’t tend to act this way, they find a compromise by purchasing non-toxic cleaning products that will serve their direct needs, while also filling a secondary eco-friendly purpose. Tip: Find the direct benefit of your green products. Take a look at the top concerns on the chart below.
2. Don’t marginalize your profits by focusing too much on “green” aspects. To successfully market a green product, first approach the problem from a traditional marketing standpoint. Going overboard with your green claims from the onset may illicit a negative reaction from your audience. (A green consumer might respond with skepticism and caution; “normal” consumers who would typically be a good fit for your product will not be captivated by a green focus.) Tip: Highlight functionality first and environmental benefits second.
3. Educate and empower your audience. Many consumers feel like they’re drowning in a relentless torrent of eco-friendly demands. If you want to gain consumer trust (and you do), earn it by educating them in a clear, simple, and concise manner. Tip: If you aren’t confident in your writing skills, hire a green copywriter to reach out to consumers and address their needs effectively.
Tags: Green Marketing, tips
