Are you Green Marketing?

There are certain buzzwords in any industry that some find bothersome.  For example, the term, “Pre-owned” as a euphemism for used in the automotive business has always made me a little crazy.  A pre-owned car is new.  It hasn’t been owned yet, it’s pre-owned.  If it is simply previously owned by someone else that isn’t you, then it has been used.  

Now that I’ve got that out...

“Green Marketing” is one of those buzz terms for the advertising industry that gets to me in a similar way.  I’ve heard this term used in multiple ways, which probably adds to why it is so bothersome.  Some use it as a marketing badge of honor, as in “This company only uses 100% recycled material.” In other words, they are marketing the fact that the company is green.  Others have used it as a process by which they market, as in “We only want to advertise in non-print, energy efficient ways.” In this way, they are publishing their marketing in green ways.

Both are great ideas, that have been overdone in many cliche ways.  Images of your logo with leaves sprouting, or of hands gently cupping a growing tree, a recycling symbol superimposed over your logo, etc. have all been done a lot.  If you are trying to reach a new audience, these will most likely not work.

A customer’s willingness to do business with a specific brand or company has a hierarchy, with certain factors outweighing others.  For 99% of your customers, they are:

1. Perceived value.
2. Ease of obtaining/using product or service.
3. Environmental impact of brand/company.

In other words, a company needs to sell a product or offer a service that has the best value, with the easiest usage, first and second.  Although I list environment third, it’s a far third. In the mind of your customer, it’s most likely like this:

You correctly assumed the green slice is the environmental impact.

Unless your business is tied with your competition on the other two fronts, I wouldn’t suggest focusing a ton of marketing on the green front.  If your company is in need of some public relations messaging, or you are trying to wok on some brand loyalty, it can be useful, but as a tool to drive new business, it isn’t high on the recommendation list.

A little Social Recognition Goes a Long Way

Companies use social media to promote their businesses in several different ways.  Some use it to create customer loyalty, and provide promotions to their customer base.  Some use it to show a more “personal” side to their business, by showing they care about the world around them by offering support to the community.  Others use social media to showcase their expert knowledge on particular subjects, to enable customers to feel confidence that they are working with the best professionals in the field.

One of the questions we are asked most often is, “Where can I find more content for my social media channels?”  Today, the answer is, “Your employees.”

I don’t mean for you to ask your people what to post.  I’d guess that you already go to them for ideas of what to post.  I mean, post about your people.  Do you have an employee that has been with your company long enough to celebrate a milestone with the company?  Has one of your employees recently earned a promotion? Have you hired anyone new?  These work related accomplishments should be praised on your social media sites. 

Posting about work accomplishments of your employees has many benefits:

1. Gives the employee recognition, and shows them that you acknowledge their accomplishment and are willing to praise them publicly.
2. Gives your employees a reason to visit your social media sites or platforms, which will increase internal traffic of these sites.
3. Allows people outside of your organization to see that you as a company care about your employees.
4. Provides an opportunity for those employees being recognized to be congratulated by other users.

For example, if you were to post “Congratulations John Smith for 20 years of service! Thank you!” on your Facebook page, what could happen?  John Smith might go onto Facebook, and like that comment, sharing it with all of his friends and family.  Some of your employees may also comment, saying “Way to go John!” and share their comments with all of their friends.  Your comment, which is one that you are perfectly willing to make, can in turn bring additional fans to your page.  Not to mention the benefits already listed.  

You may also want to congratulate your employees on their personal achievements.  If a member of your staff recently gave birth, or has gotten married, for example, these joyful occasions can earn you some karma points.  It all comes back to making your social media page social. 

For more advice on social media content, email us today.