Many of us are actively trying to reduce our individual carbon footprint. Whether that’s through walking to work, reducing our meat consumption or refusing single-use plastic. But have you considered your environmental impact as a business or employee? We can also do our bit to help with the climate emergency. But businesses have more responsibility to change practices and improve their eco-credentials. Today, I am going to highlight some of the ways you can make your marketing more eco-friendly. The majority of which will improve your lead generation and brand awareness as well.
Eco-friendly Marketing Strategies
I’ve previously discussed ethical marketing strategies you can implement in your business, including changes to business practices and ethical marketing strategies. This article, however, will focus on the environmental ethical side of marketing campaigns and actions.
Adopt Digital Eco-friendly Marketing
It may seem an odd suggestion. Digital marketing is now the mainstay of most marketing strategies, but if you are still utilising traditional marketing campaigns, the time is now to make the switch. Paper products such as leaflets, flyers, newspaper adverts and billboard posters all use precious materials to manufacture, transport and install. While digital marketing and technology have a huge impact on energy consumption, digital campaigns frequently can have less carbon impact than traditional marketing. To really make an impact switch to a renewable energy provider as well. Furthermore, if you want bonus points, lobby digital platforms to switch to renewable energy too.
Switch to Eco-friendly Hosting
While we are discussing switching energy providers, you can also look to changing hosting providers as well. By choosing a web hosting platform that utilises renewable energy you can improve the environmental impact of your website and its traffic. I utilise Eco Hosting. They use 100% renewable energy, is a carbon-neutral company and heavily invests in tree planting to work towards carbon negativity. I have a referral code that provides a small kickback to myself. So if you are interested in changing providers, consider Eco Hosting. Link to referral offer here.
Focus On The Target Audience That Needs You
The vast majority of businesses are on a quest to improve their sales. However, we should consider the environmental impact of pushing unnecessary products just for a quick sale. Businesses should be conscious about finding customers that need and would benefit from their products and services. If you concentrate on your core clients you will spend less time and money on marketing. Plus you will gain customers that love your offering and ironically, boost your sales in the process. Patagonia, a sustainable clothing company, has long been famous for pushing campaigns on buying less. While this may seem continuative, this approach has actually increased sales. By focusing on our correct target audience we can concentrate on quality over quantity. Creating brand ambassadors over single purchase trend followers.
Only Include Valuable Freebies
Businesses, large and little, frequently will provide freebies to their clients or potential customers. However, the majority of the time they are worthless tatt if I am honest. Pens are the best(worst) example of this terrible practice. Except for a copper ink pen I bought for writing wedding thank you cards, I have never in my entire life bought a ballpoint pen. That’s because there is has always been a free pen available with some companies branding on it. If we stopped producing pens in the world today, I think there would currently be enough to last the next millennium’s supply needs. Point made, If you are going to include freebies at events or in packaging, ensure it provides real value or joy to your customers.
Support & Promote Eco Initiatives
Use your marketing to benefit environmental causes as well as your own business. If you can use your platform to support and promote eco-initiatives, you can make a much larger impact than just in your business. Ensure you don’t fall into the trap of woke washing or greenwashing, by selecting and supporting causes you care about and are actively invested in helping. For Middleton Marketing, I personally focus on food sustainability, plastic use reduction and promoting environmentally conscious and ethical marketing strategies. Find that one cause that you and your company can focus its energy on.
Grow your Business with Environmentally Friendly Marketing
I hope you’ve enjoyed this piece and have found some of the suggestions inspirational. Let me know on my social media profiles (listed in my footer) if you have implemented any of these in your business. If you want more advice on improving the eco-credentials of your business, get in touch. I help independent businesses grow their business in an ethical way. As a freelance digital marketing consultant, I have the power to help you with your eco-friendly marketing as well as business development. Let’s grow your business together.