In today’s time of ecologic conscientiousness and devotion to reducing carbon footprints, it seems like every company is jumping on the green bandwagon, finding new ways to convey their eco-friendliness to consumers. Companies from IBM to Frito-Lay are divulging their green practices with hope of winning market share.
Just this week, the University of Nebraska Medical Center tweeted it is going green by reducing the number of telephone books it’s using. Last year, UNMC reduced its annual order of phone books to 600, down from several thousand the year before.
These days, consumers are responsive to green marketing, and despite the economic recession, they are willing to spend more on products and services that are eco-friendly. So, should you jump on the green marketing bandwagon to win customers?
That depends on whether your company and its products and services actually are eco-friendly. If they are, then by all means use that to your advantage in your marketing. If they’re not, however, don’t become caught up in a practice called greenwashing — presenting a product or service as green when it’s not. Green consumers are savvy; they look into companies and products, and if you use greenwashing tactics, they’ll find out, which will ultimately hurt your brand and its reputation.
If you’re determined to add some green to your marketing, and your company and products are not currently eco-friendly, then you might consider ways in which you can become more responsive. Perhaps it means redesigning your packaging to make it compostable, like Frito-Lay has done with its SunChips® product. Or maybe you can examine your manufacturing processes and find ways to make them eco-friendly.
Although greening up your company and products may require investment, you should consider the rewards of winning the ecologically conscious market share.
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