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How to Talk “Green” With Your Customers
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new study shows that consumers are weary of commonly used phrases in environmental marketing and advertising that give products a greater “green halo” than they deserve. These same consumers are also willing to punish a company for using misleading claims: E 71% say they will stop buying the product if they feel misled by an environmental claim. E 37% will go so far as to boycott the company’s products entirely. These results come from the 2011 Cone Green Gap Trend Tracker, which found that a majority of American consumers are distrustful of companies’ environmental claims (57%) and are overwhelmed by
the amount of environmental messages in the marketplace (51%). Not surprisingly, consumers are becoming wary of general environmental claims too: E 59% say it is only acceptable for marketers to use general environmental claims when they are backed up with additional detail and explanation. E 23% say vague environmental claims should never be used. E 79% want detailed information readily accessible on product packaging. E 75% wish companies would do a better job helping them understand the environmental terms they use. What can you do to help? If you have a green story, tell it! But be careful about using generic claims and over-selling. If you can, find data to help you back up your claims. Cite industry research. Contact vendors to get carbon footprint, recyclability, energy use, or other data on the products you are selling.
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Customers care about the “green” in your marketing too. When you personalize, you are greening your print marketing. You are using cleaner mailing lists, printing only relevant information (thus reducing unnecessary print volumes), and eliminating waste. When you personalize, especially if you are using recycled paper, you are reducing your carbon footprint. You can take that to the bank! Selling your green is multi-faceted, but it doesn’t have to be hard. It’s just about being transparent and real. “Consumers are clearly seeking information, but fortunately, they do not expect companies to be saints,” reports the Cone Green Gap Trend Tracker. “A full three-quarters (75%) say it is okay if a company is not environmentally perfect— as long as it is honest and transparent about its efforts.”
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We’re all trying to look greener in front of our customers. Whether our customers are consumers or print buyers, they want to hear our green story. But they want it to be truthful too.
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