Digital Marketing
Going Green Saves Money, Provides More Prospects, and Makes You One of the Good Guys. What’s Not to Like?
It’s time to leave your old friend the printer behind and join the 21st century.
Well, almost. Printed materials still have a useful place in your marketing plan for such tools as handouts and posters, but the vast majority of how you market to your customers can be done virtually, and that is a good thing for your wallet, and our environment. Digital marketing is not only more cost effective, it is much greener than traditional marketing. By saving on printing (think all that paper, ink, binding, shipping, postage, et cetera) you are lowering your company’s carbon footprint. And, oftentimes, going digital allows you to market yourself and your business to more potential consumers.
Think about it. When you open your mailbox and see tons of advertisements addressed to CURRENT RESIDENT, are you more likely to do business with that company? Probably not. Digital marketing has come a long way in the last few years. Now, you can concentrate your efforts in not just attracting more customers, but attracting the right customers. By adopting more energy-efficient, electronic communication strategies you can make a small but noble impact on the climate crisis.
Outside of digital marketing, there are tons of new and exciting ways to run a green-aware company. “Green marketing” can include using eco-friendly packaging, adopting sustainable business practices, or focusing marketing efforts on messages that communicate a product’s or service’s green benefits.
Finally, there is solid reputational value in this approach. To a well-documented degree, your customers or clients are already attuned to green behavior from businesses. They will reward those in sync with their green scruples and “deselect” from their brands and companies of choice those who don’t.
If you have green credentials, flaunt them. If not, this is an excellent time to think through how to become greener. You’ll be doing us all, and yourself, a favor.
Here are three of many resources that can help you start your journey to becoming a greener business.
- Small Business Administration – Environmental Grants & Loans
- Five Green Marketing Strategies
- American Marketing Association – How Brands Can Help Consumers Green Up Their Act