Pure Growth!

Green. Greenwash. Sustainable. Eco-friendly. Footprint. Carbon neutral.

The buzzwords associated with green marketing saturate communications to the point where consumers’ eyes glaze over and they automatically tune out when they hear them. There are simply too many companies tossing these words around, and a lot of them have no idea why they’re doing it, or what they really mean.

But how else are companies supposed to communicate with eco-concious audiences? These buzzwords seem to be a necessary evil. No matter how hard you try to avoid them, there are some situations where you simply have no alternatives to use.

Aside from these inevitable situations, it’s important to cut down on superfluous greenspeak whenever and wherever possible. Consumers train themselves to skip over these terms as they read them, since they’re so vague and overused. A “green business” could mean anything. It’s up to you to discover new ways to deliver your message and keep readers interested. Buzzwords are the fastest way to fail in this regard.

Using the latest green buzzwords may afford your company a shiny veneer, but is their substance behind what you say? Focus on the depth and meaning of your message. What are you really trying to say? Can you avoid the latest jargon? In many cases, you’ll find that you can. When you start paying conscious attention to the frequency of buzzwords, you’ll see that they are unnecessary in many cases. My advice to you would be to cut, revise, and remove like there’s no tomorrow. You’ll end up with clearer, more direct copy that gets to the point without confusing your readers in a maze of ambiguity.

As always, if you need help re-designing your communications, hire a green copywriter to assist you with the task.

A new report shows that inadequate communication is the primary reason why green marketing efforts are losing momentum. No kidding!

The Climate Group and Lippincott released a report which surveyed 1,000 respondents from the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany, to determine their views towards sustainable businesses and green marketing.

Unsurprisingly, the report showed that the number of people concerned about climate change and other environmental issues continues to grow. However, many people remain unconvinced about corporate efforts to move towards sustainability. The report claims that companies fail to communicate with green consumers because they are unable to address the diverse attitudes and concerns of the market.

Some advice for green businesses

In order to reach weary consumers, focus on implementing legitimate changes that provide solid evidence of your environmental commitments. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again — green marketing isn’t about making your company APPEAR green. It’s about BEING green, and then letting your actions naturally communicate benefits to eco-conscious audiences.

If you’re unsure of how to write effectively to motivate green consumers, I urge you to consider hiring a green copywriter. A professional writer can help you communicate the benefits of your products and services by finding an appropriate balance between the green aspects and the traditional aspects of your business.

(via Treehugger)