Something is stirring. People all over the world are deciding that the welfare of themselves and their immediate environment lies with them. In diverse ways, they are resorting to going green. The message is everywhere from blogs to magazines, billboards to newspaper advertisements, shopping malls to petrol stations and what have you. They’re people like me and you who have found that everyday choices can have a great impact on their environment as well as their lives. While going green sure has a lot of positive influence on your overall wellbeing, the good news is, even your business is not left out. Millions of people now identify themselves as green and are now more conscious than ever in their choices when dealing with companies or purchasing products or services. So, how do you use your green ingenuity to your own advantage and give your business a big boost? Here are four green practical guides to growing your business:
- GO GREEN
In recent times, it has been observed that consumers go to such great lengths as to find out more about the company they are dealing with, especially when they have a hint or two from your products or services that your company operates on green ethics. The truth is that even when your product is green, they won’t be willing to go on if they have any cause to believe that your company isn’t green. Now, this is not about being the totally 100 percent green company. All that is needed is a pass mark and little adjustments on your part will get you going. Small changes like making investment in software services that eliminate paper altogether, using eco-friendly paper when you avoidably have to print, utilizing webinars or video conferencing instead of travelling to your clients or customers, Switching from standard bulbs to compact fluorescent (CFL) or LED lights, having periodical energy audits, making use of renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power, hydropower, geothermal and plant matter, recycling everything that can be recycled, purchasing used or vintage office furniture instead of brand new ones and utilizing green web hosting all go a long way in taking your business to the next level. These are just few of the many ways of going green and effectively attracting more customers
2. PUBLICIZE YOUR GREEN STATUS
Your customers are willing to know just how green your company is in order to be able to build their trust in you. Make this easier for you and them by communicating your green status. Two effective ways to go about this are in the store and online. A great percentage of customers who want to get more green information about your company do that at the store. Others want to see it displayed conspicuously on the shelves and at sales points. So you need to put this in place. You can also communicate your status online through your website and social media platforms. Make sure that every detail about your sustainability practices is made known to the world. This will further encourage a great client – customer relationship.
3. CHOOSE GREEN MARKETING STRATEGIES
When it comes to marketing your products and services, you need not only think about getting across the right message about your products, but also the means of passing the message across. Both the medium and the message are inextricably tied to each other. Be careful. Do not lead your customers to thinking that you are green-washing them into buying your products and services. Thus, it is better to advertise exclusively online or on solar powered digital boards. And if it becomes necessary that you have to print out your advertisements, make space for a conspicuous statement that your advert is printed on paper made from renewable sources. Every choice your business makes reflects the genuineness of your green status.
4. GET ACCREDITED
All over the world, third party organizations aimed at monitoring and ensuring compliance with green guidelines are springing up. These organizations also grant certifications to companies and businesses that meet the standard. Being in the good books of one or two of these renowned organizations and getting accredited by them is a ticket to growing your business. Most consumers look out for these certification labels before deciding what products or services to purchase or what company to do business with. One of such organizations is the Green Business Bureau which can be found at www.gbb.org. This builds trust in your potential customers and demonstrates to them that your business is reliable, safe and green.
All in all, going green not only boosts your business by allowing you to reduce costs and save more, it also goes a long way in attracting more customers. You’ve got nothing to lose and everything to gain.
Originally published at www.greenmuslimblog.com