Marketing clean technology & green technology The B2B marketing challenge

It’s on the agenda. Billions invested in green tech Al Gore joins Kleiner Perkins Clean tech blog action zooming up the Technorati charts

The triple bottom line Financial Environmental Social A new corporate agenda = a new opportunity for clean tech & green tech

It’s disruption time. Clean tech is perfectly positioned to attack entrenched tech. New metrics open new markets.

A different kind of tech marketing. New audiences New messages New competitors New context

• Governments • Public sector agencies • Utilities • The media • Consumers • Analysts • The financial community New audiences

• The green/clean story • Alongside normal ROI • New metrics new proof points new validators New messages

• Not just direct • Substitutes, too • Who may be subsidized New competitors

• Under the microscope • The green radar screen New context

The issues

Balance your green story with your commercial story Most buyers still have bottom-line motivators

Be scrupulous Success depends on credibility & authenticity. Don’t puff the numbers and don’t smear the facts. Never fake it.

Beware of ‘Parapet Risk’ • Being accused of greenwashing • Being held to a higher standard than non-green peers Body Shop were criticized more than Wal-Mart on green issues!

Prove your commitment don’t just claim it. • Walk the green talk • Get a green audit • Cut travel & waste • Promote recycling • Look at your whole carbon footprint • Think 360˚

Make your claims meaningful and dramatic. Give politicians the stories they need: “ Saves the equivalent of a new power station each year.” “ Enough to power Omaha and Oslo.”

Lobby hard Work the influencers: politicians and the media. Use your embassies overseas.

But lobby intelligently. Don’t alienate your buyers by overtly going over their heads to apply pressure.

Use social media. A powerful new tool for engagement with your audiences. Use it to listen and to help shape the debate.

Don’t be afraid of passion. It’s okay to show you really care about the benefits your technology delivers to society and the planet. A dull, clinical tone wastes a major asset.

Pass the positioning test: Relevant: adds real value Available: it’s unique Attainable: it’s credible

It’s a balancing act. Big claims vs credible support Vision vs practicality Greenness vs ROI Altruism vs Authenticity

Don’t go it alone. Find a partner who has been there before...

About us Velocity is a B2B marketing agency with a growing clean tech/green tech practice. We bring a fresh spin to digital marketing, including content marketing, social media, online pr, demand generation, lead nurturing and anything that can help tech companies break through, get heard, motivate markets, generate leads and win business.

www.velocitypartners.co.uk