Pure Growth!

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)

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.

Although demand for green products continues to grow, businesses must be careful not to overestimate their ability to sell a product or service simply because it is “green.” The same rules that apply to every other business apply to eco-friendly businesses as well. In many cases, there are additional obstacles that need to be addressed in order to successfully market and sell green products.

Here are four things that green consumers still care about, regardless of your product’s environmentally-friendly attributes.

1. Price. Although some consumers are willing to spend more for greener products, the majority are unwilling to at this point in time. While effective marketing might be able to counteract this trend to an extent, you shouldn’t assume consumers are willing to pay prices that are significantly higher than less-green competitors. The good news is that this trend should shift quickly as more money is invested in green technologies and their costs become comparable to traditional methods.

2. Quality. According to various surveys, many people still believe that green products are less effective than existing brands. This stereotype may be attributed to many things, including false advertising claims, as well as the “green bubble” of the late 80s which saw many inferior products rushed into the market prematurely. Don’t sacrifice the quality of your product or service and expect a green label to make up for the difference. Focus on improving the quality of what you’re selling to make it worth your customers’ time and money.

3. Convenience. If your product is inconvenient to use, consumers will reject it — no matter how green it is. Consumers will only tolerate a minimal level of inconvenience before they regard your product as an un-viable alternative. Make sure this is a primary focus when designing your products or services for a green market.

4. Availability. If customers have to go far out of their way to purchase your green products, you can expect sales and interest to suffer. Make sure your products are as readily-accessible as their “normal” alternatives. Don’t give your audience a reason to neglect your brand.

If you’ve paid careful attention to these four areas of caution, you’ll see that they only arise when a business makes the erroneous assumption that a “green” image will be able to cover up lapses in quality, convenience, cost, or availability. On the contrary, green consumers still expect to be able to make a seamless switch to new environmentally-friendly products. If you don’t spend time making this process easier for them, you’ll only frustrate your audience and hurt your chances of capturing their interest now and in the future.

Luckily, all of these things can be addressed as long as they are kept in mind from the start. Never expect a label to sell products in and of itself. Concentrate on increasing the value you have to offer, then worry about marketing the products as green. Handling your business in this order will lead you to your best chances of success.