Green marketing is a growing trend that benefits you as a business, your customers, and the planet. It involves selling products or services that are environmentally friendly or produced in a sustainable way. There are vast amounts of ways to do this, for instance, choosing renewable energy or doing something as simple as sending out e-newsletters rather than paper ones.
Take for example Ben & Jerry’s, one of the first brands to make green values part of their mission statement. They promote natural ingredients, sustainable business practices and encourage eco-friendly messages in their marketing strategies.
Benefits of Green Marketing
It is estimated that 80% of consumers are engaged by green marketing at some level, and many of them are willing to pay a small bit extra for eco-friendly products. However, not all consumers, despite wanting to, can afford to purchase eco-friendly products or services that are priced higher than their cheaper alternatives.
Being eco-friendly generates a positive public image and perception of your brand and shows that your brand cares about the community. Green marketing can therefore boost sales and profitability by differentiating brands from their competitors in a positive way.
Although implementing certain sustainable practices may cost a bit more in the short-term, it will save money and boost profitability in the long-term. Many employees also feel prouder and more enthusiastic when working for environmentally responsible companies.
Companies who implement green marketing strategies often gain a lot of earned media and positive publicity online and in print. Aldi, for example, had multiple online articles wrote about them when they announced their pledge to have 100% sustainable packaging by 2025.
Ways to Implement Green Marketing
Becoming an environmentally friendly company won’t happen overnight. There are a vast number of changes you can implement to help make your company more environmentally friendly.
- You can make your products reusable and recyclable
- Reduce the amount of packaging you use on your products or change to more sustainable alternatives
- Buy your materials locally to help reduce transportation energy
- Use green energy alternatives, such as wind and solar power
