While businesses can certainly enjoy a quick climb to success, most take years or even decades to become fully established. Any entrepreneur knows that in order to keep a business afloat, managers must focus not on short-term aspirations, but on long-term goals. In other words, your business plans should be sustainable.
With rising sea levels, warming global temperatures, and a mounting marine pollution crisis, sustainable business plans might have to also incorporate environmental sustainability. More and more, consumers expect companies to be environmental stewards, and each year (hopefully) brings fresh legislation that holds companies to higher, greener standards.
An agile business can work with the rising tide of sustainability, rather than against it. By adopting your company’s marketing strategy to embrace eco-friendliness, your brand can reach new consumers and change with the times.
If your company is looking for ways to reduce its carbon footprint, here are four eco-friendly marketing and promotion strategies to check out in 2019 and beyond:
1. A Sustainable Mission Statement or Pledge
If your company has environmental goals, make them public knowledge! Maybe your business has vowed to make its new headquarters LEED- certified, or maybe you’ve pledged to donate 5% of profits to a green cause. Don’t be afraid to publicize green aspirations to bring attention to your brand– customers want to work with businesses that are committed to helping the community and the planet.
If your business is related to the sustainability industry, broadcasting sustainable goals or mission statements is even more important– a solar-panel company that doesn’t power its premises with sunlight looks very odd indeed. Communicate green goals to customers as a clever way to market your own products and make your business look more legitimate.
2. Eco-Friendly Promotional Products
Who doesn’t love company swag? If your business sells merchandise like t-shirts or hats, ramp up your sustainability efforts with an eco-friendly merchandise campaign. Consider selling reusable water bottles or canvas shopping bags. With nearly 6,000 impressions during their lifetime, bags generate more impressions than any other promotional product in the United States. By choosing sustainable merch, you’ll be effectively increasing brand awareness and helping the planet at the same time!
3. Recycled Paper Products
If a significant portion of your advertising takes place on paper, look for ways to make your flyers, brochures, and posters more eco-friendly. After all, an ad is just as effective when displayed on recycled paper. Since every U.S. office worker uses about 10,000 sheets of paper per year, it wouldn’t hurt to switch to recycled paper for your in-office processes as well.
4. Energy-Efficient Signage
The coal and oil burned to provide buildings with electricity only intensifies the greenhouse emissions crisis. Your company, however, can reduce energy used in marketing and promotion efforts with a few sustainable changes. If you use electric signs, consider switching to LEDs– they’re brighter, use less electricity, and 83% of business owners who purchased LED signs noticed a sales increase. Your company could even forgo electric signs entirely in favor of the old-fashioned painted variety to be extra-sustainable.
Though many businesses balk at the thought of incorporating sustainability efforts, eco-friendly marketing techniques can actually bring your business long-term success. Try any of these tips to help customers notice your forward-thinking, compassionate, and accountable brand. As a bonus, you and your team will enjoy the positive vibes that come from doing something for the greater good.
