The "green" message

You may be tired of hearing it—but your customers aren’t. Eco-friendly and “green” marketing messages still resonate with the public.

“If you adopt energy efficiency practices, let your customers know; if you are committed to local agriculture, let them know, and if your product contains recycled by-products, let them know,” said Daniel P. Hannaher, the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Region VIII administrator. “Four out of five consumers say they are still buying environmentally friendly products and services today – which sometimes cost more – even in the midst of a recovering economy.”

The trick is spreading this message without sounding like you’re regurgitating the same old eco-spiel. Many garden centers are using strong visual cues to share green messages by saying nary a word. Check it out.
 

Create distinct messages for your ‘green’ customers

Not all eco-conscious consumers are created alike. To reach your target audience you must determine which kinds of green customers frequent your store. Jacquelyn Ottman, writing for the Harvard Business Review, came up with this segmenting method:

Ask:

• To which environmental organizations do you belong? (Examples: the Appalachian Mountain Club or Greenpeace?)
• Which types of vacations do you take? (Hiking or the beach?)
• Which environmental magazines and websites do you read or visit? (Sierra or Animal Fair?)
• Which types of products do you buy? (Green fashions or energy-sipping light bulbs?)
• Which eco-labels do you seek out (“USDA Organic” or “Energy Star”?)

Determine the category and plot your marketing strategy

Resource conservers hate waste. Spot them wearing classically styled clothing, toting cloth shopping bags and sipping from reusable water bottles.

Some ways to appeal to resource conservers:

1. Highlight the economical, long-lasting and reusability benefits of products.
2. Offer services that enable them to recycle, compost and save energy.

Health fanatics worry about overexposure to the sun, fear pesticide residues on produce, and fret over contaminants in children’s toys. They look for products marked with the “USDA Organic” seal of approval or EPA’s Design for Environment logo.

Some ways to appeal to health fanatics:

1. Focus on organic aspects, health benefits, trust, transparency and natural ingredients.
2. Cross-promote with organic foods companies or a non-toxic cleaning product, or sponsor a website like OrganicConsumers.org, or advertise in Natural Life Magazine.

Animal lovers are likely to be vegetarian or vegan, belong to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), and boycott tuna and products with real fur. They look for products labeled as “cruelty-free,” Salmon Safe, or Dolphin-safe.

1. Conduct a cause-related marketing campaign through PETA’s Business Friends program or partner with the ASPCA.
2. Advertise in Animal Fair Magazine and PAWS magazine or online on WWF.org.

Outdoor enthusiasts spend their free time camping, rock climbing, skiing and hiking. When shopping, they look for FSC (sustainably harvested) labels on their products, are also likely to purchase outdoor gear made from recycled materials.

Some ways to appeal to outdoor enthusiasts:

1. Conduct a joint promotion with national parks or manufacturers of boots, reusable bottles, and trail mix snacks.
2. Advertise in Sierra Club magazine or online at Backpackers.com.

To read more from Ottman, visit http://bit.ly/greensegment.