As the generation has changed, so do their needs and wants. The Internet and social media have played an important role in redefining their needs for products.
The customers have access to every information about the product you’re creating and selling to them. Now, with a click, they can learn everything about the backend process of your product creation.
The Process of Buying Decision
When every piece of data is accessible to consumers, the decision-making process takes a new turn. The decision is not as easy as “I saw the ad for this cookware and it seems like a great addition to my kitchen.”
The decision is more like, “I like this cookware but let me first Google what others are saying about it. And also, whether it’s made from good materials or not.”
Not just that, consumers also face moral dilemmas with every purchase decision they make.
“I always bought this cookware but people are complaining about how its coating is causing harm to our planet. Shall I still selfishly buy it, risk being seen with a product like that, and live with a guilty conscience for not having done anything to save the environment? or shall I take a morally superior decision and not buy it because I want to leave a healthy planet for the next generations to come?”
Understanding Millennials and Gen Z
In addition to all this, millennials and generation Z like brands that share the same values they have. If they are fighting for climate change, they want to associate themselves with mainly those brands who are also fighting for the same. Otherwise, it reflects on their values. In this digital age, ignorance is no longer an option.
Consequently, every brand is trying to convert themselves into an environmentally sustainable brand to keep their customers happy. After all, brands are more than just the product they sell. They can tap into the emotions of their consumers and drive action. They can make an impact on the issues that really matter. And environmentally sustainable marketing is about that.
What is an Environmentally Sustainable Brand?
An environmentally sustainable brand is one that puts the needs of the environment above their needs for profit-making. They are aware of how various products are damaging the environment and they want to make sure that they aren’t contributing to this.
Socially-conscious brands and understand that their consumers will love them for being so thoughtful. They are driven by their desire to build a better world and to be the agent of positive change. Their vision is tied with a purpose that goes beyond just increasing sales.
They are concerned about the depleting resources, chemicals they are using in their products and the impact it is causing on the earth and they are actively working to minimize all this.
What is Environmentally Sustainable Marketing?
Marketing that is done for an environmentally sustainable brand where the focus remains on both meeting the customer needs while satisfying the environmental needs is known as environmentally sustainable marketing. This form of marketing is a part of purpose-driven marketing.
Environmentally sustainable marketing is different from the marketing done for other products because in this case, two things are being sold:
- The product
- The cause
This form of marketing is more action-oriented and is focused on building a healthier planet.
Why Should You Consider Environmentally Sustainable Marketing?
Though the word is already full of purpose to motivate you, here are a few more points to convince you of its benefits.
Build Loyalty
The concept of loyalty has changed a lot in the past few years. The concept of brand loyalty is dead. More and more millennials and generation Z admit to not being loyal to any particular brand. This is harming the profits of luxury brands a lot.
In today’s time, a customer’s loyalty is linked to a brand’s values. If there is a match, you have found yourself a fan for life. If not, you can’t consider anyone as your loyal customer.
That’s why, if you want to increase the loyalty of your customers and want to have more return customers, start working on environmentally sustainable marketing. Nothing brings together people more than fighting for the same cause.
Competitive Advantage
The fastest way to gain a competitive edge is to turn yourself into an environmentally sustainable brand. A customer doesn’t mind paying more to a socially conscious brand that does more than just make a product. This saves you from price based on competition.
Consumers want to be a part of your tribe and having a sustainable product makes this process easy. It makes them emotionally connected with you as they feel they’re part of something bigger. It gives them a purpose.
Keep Your Business Running
Yes, it can help you stay in the business. According to one research by National Geographic, over 61% of consumers are very concerned with what’s happening to our planet.
And this number is going to continue increasing.
If you don’t change the way you do business, you risk losing the majority of your customers to your competitors.
It’s Profitable
I have mentioned two things in my last few points that show that going sustainable is actually way more profitable than not changing.
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- It increases your loyal customer base. Do you know that returning customers tend to spend 67% more than new customers? Not just that, you will be spending six to seven times more to win a new customer than to retain an old customer. So, why don’t we encourage customers to keep returning to us? It saves us money. Doesn’t it?
- Customers are actually willing to pay more for a sustainable product because they understand the hardships you have to go through to give them something that loves the planet as much as they do.
According to a study by Sustainable Brands, 55% of global customers are willing to pay more for an environmentally friendly product.
6-Point Checklist: Environmentally Sustainable Marketing Tips For Your Brand
Brainstorm the answers to these questions to figure out how you can turn your brand into an environmentally sustainable brand.
How can you help the environment while maintaining a profit?
Find your cause. Find something that is connected with your product. Are you fighting to reduce the carbon footprint, are you working to decrease air pollution or water pollution, are you fighting for the betterment of the lives of animals?
Dell started using recyclable packaging to reduce the hurt they’re causing to the earth. In addition to this, they are fighting to reduce the plastic from the world’s oceans.
As a result, the first step to starting your environmentally sustainable marketing is to figure out what you stand for because this is something that is going to bring you closer to your customers. Share on X
Don’t make the mistake of greenwashing your current marketing strategy in order to attract more sales. It will backfire pretty badly. You need to make sure that you believe in your cause and that is more than a word in your ad campaigns.
How can you tie this cause to your vision?
Once you’ve found the cause that you believe in, next you’ve to figure out how you can tie this cause to your business vision and ultimately to your product.
Making your cause a part of your vision is very important as it makes it easier for each and everyone in your business to understand the importance of your fight for a cause. This will unite everyone and will turn them into your free sales team. Who doesn’t want to brag about being a part of a company that produces chemical-free home appliances and fights climate change?
What do you want your new image to be?
Once you have a purpose and a new vision ready, the next step is branding. You want your image to reflect what you believe in, what you’re fighting for, and how you’re contributing to the solution of this problem?
Your branding will include working on new narratives, new brand identity, and personality. If there is a need, you can give yourself a complete makeover with rebranding.
What are your goals and strategy?
Environmentally sustainable marketing needs the cooperation of all your departments because this is not just a positioning strategy, it’s more than that. Every department needs to be aware of what’s going on and how they can contribute to it.
Start with setting up goals for every department and converting those goals into actionable plans. Let all the departments work in sync. It’s a big cause we all are fighting together and it’s going to need just the work of a marketing department.
How are you going to communicate about this new sustainable product?
Now is the time to work on a marketing strategy that can effectively increase the awareness about this brand new sustainable product you’re working on and spread the word about it. The message needs to match the image that you’re building and it needs to be honest.
Remember your customers are smart. o, don’t just say that you’re reducing plastic in the oceans. Share proof of the same. This can even make your marketing campaigns more effective.
How’re you going to measure success?
In the case of environmentally sustainable marketing, just increasing sales and profits are not considered a success. It can give you short-term pleasure but it’s going to bring your business down in the long term.
That’s why you have to be careful in deciding what is actually considered a success and how are you going to measure it. The success needs to reflect the environmental change made by your product while being profitable.
Don’t forget that sustainable marketing is more of a long-term strategy rather than a short-term plan. So, don’t get disappointed with temporary bad numbers. If you’re doing it right, you will be amazed to see how it can transform your entire business for good.
We all are concerned with the deteriorating condition of our planet. The air gives breathing issues to many and the plastic in oceans is threatening the existence of many sea animals. Nothing is what it used to be but with little effort and cooperation, we can change the scene altogether. We’re here to make this easier for you.
Want to turn your marketing environmentally sustainable?
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