Give customers want they want: Green reasons to choose you
July 1, 2009 by Tom GuayPosted in: Special Report
Wanna beat the recession and get a leg up on your competitors at the same time? Then make sure you’re shouting about the (real) eco-friendly aspects of your products and services.
Skip the greenwashing, but proudly tout how your offering helps reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
It turns out most consumers want to buy something green — they’re just looking for a reason to do it. So don’t be shy about telling them why your products are good for reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) and GHG emissions.
Oh, and don’t fret if your think your competition is greener than you. It turns out that companies making many environmentally friendly products aren’t doing such a great job of making the case for themselves.
Nearly 70% of those consumers surveyed by the Carbon Trust recently said they can’t reliably tell which companies are truly green. That creates a huge opportunity for marketers who can beef up their green campaigns.
The value of getting on your soapbox is underscored by other findings, such as:
- 66% said it’s important to buy from environmentally responsible companies that work on reducing their own and their customers’ carbon footprints
- 63% said they’d likely buy a product if they knew what you’re doing to reduce its carbon footprint
- 59% are skeptical about environmental claims
- 25% avoid buying from companies with poor ethical records, and
- 14% stopped buying from companies with poor environmental records.
But to win over consumer confidence, don’t just rely on advertising claims. Carbon Trust’s Harry Morrison says consumers aren’t looking for hype. So you’ll need to offer real green benefits and have those benefits touted either in the media, through accreditation or some non-partisan third party.
The Carbon Trust survey is here.
To help you get started on your carbon footprint homework, Carbon Trust offers some tools to benchmark your energy, fuel, and vehicle usage as well as employee travel. For the Trust’s carbon footprint calculators, click here.
Tags: carbon footprint, Carbon Trust, CO2, GHG
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July 2nd, 2009 at 11:07 am
The next time you tout us with a survey, try using US adults.
July 2nd, 2009 at 11:42 am
This entire site is a propaganda rag. There is no science or objectivity. If so many ‘readers’ find this site so objectionable, why don’t you do what I’m going to do – UNSUBSCRIBE????
July 2nd, 2009 at 3:29 pm
I believe it’s true. People want to be environmentally friendly, and to some extent look for an excuse to buy green. That’s why I opened my store, to give everyone to buy a little something, or a little bigger something. “Green” technology is still new and untested to the vast majority of folks in the U.S., and I believe most would like to get more familiar with it. Visit my store and browse around for a few things. Solar kits, solar panels, yard lights and a whole lot of accesories.
July 7th, 2009 at 11:14 am
“The next time you tout us with a survey, try using US adults.”
OK. Try this.
A recent Gartner report forecasts that green issues are on the verge of playing a major role in the purchase and selection of IT-related systems, services and vendors.
Gartner says that within the next two years:
- more than one-third of IT organizations will have one or more environmental criteria in their top six decision factors on IT products and services.
- 75% of organizations will use full life cycle energy and carbon footprint as mandatory buying criteria for PC hardware
- suppliers to large global enterprises will need to prove their green credentials through an audited process.
The message from this independent survey: Go green or go out of business.
July 7th, 2009 at 1:37 pm
I voted then checked the results. I was surprised that so many were too busy with the economy to even look at green energy solutions. “Carbon credits” are a coming thing, and it would behoove everyone to become familiar with these technologies and the government regulations as they will affect us all through higher taxes on energy companies, and that of course will be passed on to we consumers. I intend to work with alternative energy suppliers to reduce my orgainization’s electricity expenses, and at the same time ensure energy dependability, through informed decisions about how we get our power. Once again, it would behoove everyone to at least become familiar with these techonologies. Don’t just sit there and lament times gone past. Jump on the train and move forward. Visit SEMOsolarstore.com and browse for solar kits, solar charges, lights and all sorts of other products. Even if you don’t buy something at least you will know the technology exists.