Green marketing isn't just for hippies anymore. Learn more about modern business and marketing practices that are also kind to the environment.

1. It’s not just for
hippies anymore.
If you value marketing and you’re
committed to being green, you may
have some concerns about conventional
marketing. For example, does advertising
in newspapers support the destruction
of millions of trees? Fear not—there are
many modern business practices that
are business friendly and kind to the
environment.

2. 1. Twitter
Nurture a following. Tweet often, at least daily. Tweet
about important items on several different days and times
because not everyone reads your tweets daily. (It’s free.)
2. Facebook
Set up a fan page. Offer specials. Share information.
Do surveys. Link to your website. Connect with your
audience. (It’s free.)
3. YouTube
Create a YouTube.com channel. Post interesting, funny,
informational and relevant videos with links to your website.
You don’t need a film crew—just a good idea and a video
camera. Show off your business, give lessons, film events
or jobs you have done, do before-and-after films and more.
(It’s free.) Tweet and write about your YouTube video on
Facebook.
4. Blog
Write about what you know. Keep it interesting, informative
and relevant. One hour a week invested can generate a
solid following and translate to customers and clients.
(It’s free.)
5. Offer classes, seminars/
webinars and tutorials.
If you own or manage a retail business and have the
space, hold product promotion classes on relevant topics
including, for example, how to apply eye makeup or install
a floor. It’s a good way to introduce and sell products while
building valuable relationships with customers. If you run
a service business, this can be an effective way to help
prospects be more comfortable with your pricing structure
as they may feel better about perceived higher prices if
they have a better understanding of the complexity of your
business. (This is almost free; you should provide drinks
and snacks of some kind.)
6. Throw a party in the park,
in the midst of natural green or by the lake. Invite customers
to hang out on a regular basis, give out samples, hold
workshops and play games. Co-sponsor the event with
like-minded and related businesses. (It’s almost free.)
Here are some affordable marketing ideas that are eco-friendly and work:
7. Write and distribute
press releases.
Feature content that is exciting and newsworthy.
Send out fresh stories or articles on a regular basis
(once a month) and keep them concise, no more than
250 words. Be persistent but not annoying. There will
come a day when the news editor is short one story
and will pick up the phone and call you. The resulting
story serves as third-party endorsement for your
business. (It’s free.)
8. Make your marketing
tools reusable.
Try to avoid putting dates on your promotional items.
If you need to include dates, consider a design that
allows them to be removable. You can even have
days, months and years printed separately for easy
reuse. If you have to promote on paper, try to make it
small (postcard or business card size) and, of course,
choose recycled paper and use the recycle logo. In
addition, try to find printers who use soy-based ink.
9. Take stock of your
packaging.
Are you over-packaging? A product packaged in
plastic, placed in a bag then put in a box may be
overkill. A bar of soap doesn’t need a box to keep it
clean. T-shirts don’t need to be individually wrapped.
Request less packaging if you purchase your products
from other suppliers. This may enable you to negotiate a
better price because they will be saving money too. You
can also use recycled paper for packing materials —
newspapers, shredded documents, packing materials
from suppliers, etc.
10. Offer reusable shopping
bags,or charge for plastic bags and donate
the proceeds to a local charitable cause. (Hey, if
Target can do it, so can you.)

3. Green doesn’t mean
good.
“Green” marketing is not a substitute for, nor is it
mutually exclusive to, “good” marketing.
To be effective, your marketing — be it green,
brown, mauve or polka dot — needs to strike a
responsive chord with the right audience.
Your marketing messages
need to be meaningful,
memorable and remarkable
regardless of your marketing
style and behavior.
11. Use green promotional
items.If specialty advertising is your thing
(fridge magnets, pens, key chains, coffee mugs,
etc.), make sure your giveaway items are durable or
refillable. Consider refillable pens or something like
seed packets with an imprinted message.
12. Use a flash drive.Information
packets, in folders, with multiple pieces of paper, a
couple of brochures, and pages of small print are
seldom read by anyone. Putting this expensive packet
on a reusable flash drive imprinted with your logo is far
more impressive. The flash drive sends a message that
you’re current with technology, can be reused by your
customer/client and is easier on the landfill.
13. Offer discountsfor customers that
recycle. Encourage them to bring in plastic bags, cell
phones, ink cartridges, etc. Become a drop off point
for a local charity that accepts used items.
14. Donatea portion of your profits to a green
charity or organization, and let your customers know
that their purchase supports green endeavors.
15. Install a bike rackin front of
your store or business, and make it convenient for
employees and locals to bike to your location.
16. Make your green efforts
visible.If you use recycled paper, offer
reusable bags, have your lighting changed, lower your
thermostat, etc. — let people know. Post it online via
your website, Facebook and Twitter, and place a sign
by your register.
17. Go online. Replace printed newsletters
with on-line versions. If some customers or clients
request mailed newsletters, be sure to use recycled
paper and eco-friendly inks.
18. Get green certified: Green Seal,
Green America and local green certifications are
important. Get certified organic, or energy star ratings.
This might be one of your single best ways to market
your business as green.
Want to know more?
Contact Pat Sears (pat@spikeadvertising.com),
Julia Andrews (julia@spikeadvertising.com)
or Ken Millman (ken@spikeadvertising.com)
at 802.951.1700.
19. Promote your green
vendors. Link to their websites to expand your
visibility among customers, clients and prospects so
people can see the continuum of your green effort.
20. Use telephone and web
conferencingwhenever possible instead of
flying or driving. Offer telephone and web conferencing to
your clients and vendors.
21. Watch your thermostat.
If your customers and clients walk into your store or office
during the summer, and it’s 60 degrees inside and 90
outside, your commitment to being green may come into
question. The same holds true if your store is all lit up
after closing.
22. Reduce wasteful printing.
Instead of a fax cover sheet, use a heading on the first
sheet. Change font size or delete unnecessary info to
reduce the size or your downloadable and printable
documents. Print and photocopy on both sides of the
paper wherever possible.