5 Useful Tips for Sustainable Marketing
In order to be a successful company, you need to have a strong marketing plan. Unfortunately, many companies see mentioning sustainability as a great way to attract customers and make money, and don't always live up to our expectations. So in today's post, I'll give you five useful tips for your next sustainable marketing campaign (and hopefully to use in every campaign after that!)
Prove it! First of all, you need to build your messaging on facts and proof. You might be tempted to make bold claims or overstate the sustainability of your brand to jump on the bandwagon and cash in on the 'ethical' consumer who is usually willing to pay more for a product or service that is seen as more sustainable. Don't do it. Not only will your audience see through false claims, and erode any trust you have built with them, but you'll fall foul of the advertising regulators who are tightening up their rules in this area.
Focus it! Write about what's important to your business, not what's trending right now. To write with authenticity about sustainability, it helps if you focus on the areas that have the biggest impact, or are the hardest to do, or are the easiest to do! If you want to talk about going carbon-neutral, that's OK but is that what your customers care about the most? It might make sense to talk about what you are doing to reduce the impact of your packaging if you are a product-based business or how you pay your garment workers if you make and sell designer apparel.
Do it! No one minds if you are starting small but they do mind if you are standing still on these issues. Show them that your company or project is sustainable by letting them know about the things you are doing. Don't just talk about it, show people what you've done. Talking about the sustainable things you have already done in your business is far better than talking about goals, ambitions and dreams. Communicating case studies, stories or examples of your achievements will inspire and encourage others to take steps to a more sustainable future.
Share it! I feel this one really hard. I'm a recovering perfectionist and a few years ago I wouldn't share anything until I was absolutely ready. But have you ever noticed, when someone share an achievement (getting really toned and fit, making an elaborate cake, launching a business, earning a prestigious award) the first thing people ask is 'How did you do that?' If you haven't started implementing sustainability into your business yet, then explain the process by which you are going to start, verbalise the plan, share who you are working with and the timelines you are working to. If you've started, then explain the bumps in the road and what you learned along the way.
Repeat it! There is an enormous amount of work that goes into setting up or changing things to make them more sustainable and it's a never-ending journey. So once you've mentioned you are going to do something to make your business more sustainable - remember to keep us updated on your journey. Share the mini wins as you pass the milestones of your goal. Share the setbacks and the lessons you learned along the way to help someone else avoid the same mistakes. This is what builds credibility and trust in my opinion.
Greenwashing has long been a problem in the communications and marketing of sustainability in business. I have seen a marked increase in the four years I have sat as a jury member to decide whether these ads have broken the advertising rules. Like most, I want the liars and the over-eggers to stay quiet and admit they have more work to do before making bold sustainability claims. But more importantly, I want more of the good players, who do real work to make their business and products more sustainable to be unafraid to talk about it publicly.
Let me know how you get on implementing these five tips - tag me on Instagram or LinkedIn the next time you post about your sustainable business. If you want some help, then check out my consultancy packages. I've got one dedicated to helping business owners figure out their sustainability messaging, co-create a marketing plan and writing credible stories about sustainability. Until next time...
