It’s time to BE GREEN ... not just think it!
Here at LinJen Promotions, Inc. we are making the commitment. Our efforts include:
Harness The Power of Eco-Friendly Promotions
With 9 out of 10 consumers saying they’re concerned enough about the environment to buy green, isn’t it time that your company made the most of eco-friendly promotions?
There’s a definite trend electrifying consumers and the only “energy” it takes to harness the power is researching the best eco-friendly promotional options available. Why does this matter to your marketing efforts? We’ve done some research to explain.
According to the BBMG Conscious Consumer Report, 9 out of 10 Americans consider themselves "conscious consumers". Issues concerning them mainly stem from environmental challenges. For example, 90% consider safe drinking water a pressing issue; 86% worry about clean air; and 63% consider global warming a very important problem.
Do these concerns translate into buying behavior? You bet. Eighty-seven percent of consumers surveyed prefer to buy from or do business with companies that commit to environmentally-friendly practices.
Major companies like Home Depot are chasing the demand. The home-improvement giant now has more than 3,000 environmentally friendly products and a significant “Eco Options” ad campaign to promote them. Consumers are responding. The sales of its compact fluorescent light bulbs, alone, increased by 75% in 2007, indicating a public appetite for green. NBC launched a “Green Is Universal” campaign in November 2007, kicking off the promotion with a week of green-themed programming.
According to BBMG, smart marketers will take the lead from the bastion of “conscious consumers” by meeting them where they are – i.e. in a marketplace where “green” is being thrown around as the leading buzzword. They “…will help companies back their eco-friendly promises with sincere socially responsible actions,” the report recommends.
Have you considered an awareness program to shed light on the conscientious actions employees sometimes take for granted? Empower your staff to expand those efforts and tout participation. For example, an organization with a meticulous recycling system is a good start. That’s a great opening to talk about what, if any, other steps your company can take to preserve the environment. You can highlight efforts via community outreach initiatives or employee-awareness/rewards programs that encourage eco-conscious behaviors.
These kinds of campaigns open the door for recognition internally and externally – through sponsorship of local Earth Day events, for example, or through media interviews discussing how your company makes a difference on its own corporate campus.
Define Green ...
A truly green promotion means that you’ve kept every element of the campaign environmentally responsible. For example, cover letters and enclosures should be printed on paper made from post-consumer fiber. Inks should be water-based or vegetable-based.
Keep It Green From A to Z
Today there is a wide range of promotional merchandise manufactured from biodegradable, recycled and organic materials. This means that you can both promote your activities using environmentally-friendly products and substitute “traditional” merchandise with items that support your eco-initiative. Whether your “to do” list in the coming months includes selecting a tradeshow giveaway, a gift for attendees of a golf outing, or a lumpy mailing item to help introduce a new product or service, you can do so and show your concern for our planet at the same time.
For instance, apparel vendors are adding more and more options in eco-conscious fabrics, including recycled/organic cottons, fleece made from recycled plastic bottles and bamboo and soy. Styles range from polo shirts to caps – an opportunity to cover just about any part of the body with an eco-friendly garment. Imagine the reception when you opt to reward employees, woo prospective hires, or thank key clients with a gift that gives in other ways, too.
Even awards and business supplies have gone green. Recently, a major supplier introduced a line of bamboo and Biocomposite® award plaques that are formaldehyde-free and use soy resins to create color patterns. There are executive gifts from recycled leather journals to natural eco-friendly cardboard jotters. And don’t forget lanyards for green-inspired gatherings – these too are environmentally-friendly, some made of EcoSpun™ fibers created out of post-consumer plastic bottles.
Another supplier offers an entire line of NatureAd™ products made from corn. (Yes, corn!) Corn-based plastic products break down naturally by composting. The NatureAd™ line includes everything from mugs and coasters to rulers and letter openers.
Many suppliers now offer decorating options to complement their green product lines. One bag manufacturer, for example, offers Eco-Choice inks, an acrylic-based screen-printing system using non-phthalate, non-PVC ink, to decorate its line of organic Eco-Choice bags.
The bottom line is that there are ample products to choose from and green-printing options available for you to leave your own eco-friendly mark while spreading your marketing message. Your customers – and prospects – are likely among those “conscious consumers” that marketing studies have unearthed. Give them a green reason to do business with you and your business will grow.
We can help you create promotional marketing campaigns that reflect the eco-friendly goals and philosophies of your company. To learn more or get the process started, give us a call or send us an e-mail.