Environmentally friendly products are all the rage and there's no doubt that it will take green marketing to get your company noticed. Fortunately, consumers in this market segment tend to be loyal customers, which makes your job easier.

Any green marketing provider will tell you that it's important for your company to walk the walk if you want to market to environmentally conscious consumers. Even a small mistake could have big repercussions.

When you are looking to find green advertising opportunities:

1. Research what consumers want. It's important to learn about consumer desires before you invest money into your project. See what products other companies offer through a green advertising directory or ask a market research firm to conduct specific research.

2. Make sure that your product fits the market. There are a number of issues that green consumers are concerned about. Make sure that your product fulfills all of these requirements.

3. Use green advertising to target your market. You'll waste money by advertising to the general public. Even though there is a trend towards environmentally friendly product, you still want to target the people that actively buy green products.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Find green marketing reports to learn about the market segment

It's important to learn about the market that you want to reach. Many market research firms compile regular reports on various industries, including the environmental or green market. This can be an inexpensive way to get the information you need to create your product.

I recommend: The Environmental Business Journal offers a number of reports on marketing in the environmental industry. Advertising Age has a number of free reports on green reports, including case studies of successful green companies like Whole Foods.

Reach consumers through a green marketing list

Creating a list of interested consumers is a great way to build your business. Consumers that belong to your list are more likely to trust you and make purchases based on your recommendations.

I recommend: It's not usually a good idea to purchase a green advertising list. When people receive information that they didn't sign up for, they consider it spam (if sent by email) or junk mail (if sent by postal mail). Instead of buying a list, consider purchasing advertising space on an established list of green consumers, such as that of Mrs. Green Goes Mainstream. Alternatively, you can build your own list through one of the 28 Ways to Build Permission Based Email Lists offered by Lyris.

Reach consumers through green marketing in magazines

Magazines reach a number of potential customers and there are several magazines that focus on green issues. By advertising your business in these niche market magazines, you are laser targeting your advertising towards the people that are most likely to buy your product.

I recommend: The Mother Earth News is an excellent resource for advertising your green product. Alternatively, Green Magazine offers a similar option.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Local sustainability fairs are another great place for green advertising. You can demonstrate your product and generate a lot of interest in the community.

Green marketing and advertising has exploded in recent years and the trend is still going in an upwards direction. In a 2008 study by Mintel, a market research company, 36% of adults said they bought green products regularly. In late 2006, only 12% of adults could make the same claim.

As green products become more mainstream, so do the marketing campaigns. Whether you sell green products or not, you will benefit from a green marketing campaign. Consumers are more likely to buy products from a company considered socially and environmentally responsible when given the choice.

Your green marketing campaign will depend on several factors including your product, your customers, your location and your budget. You should think about hiring an eco marketing firm when:

1. You want to attract more customers - the ones who are actively looking for green products or looking to buy from companies who are environmentally responsible.

2. Your company is going green - marketing your environmental policies is important to the future of your company.

3. You want to launch a green product and you need a green marketing company to help you.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Take a crash course in Green Marketing 101 - it starts with you

You can't just slap a green label on you and your products. While there are no government agencies watching, consumer associations and activists are. Before you embark on your green marketing campaign, it's important to 1. Research green marketing tips and strategies; 2. Identify your own goals; 3.Clearly define your intent and what you need to achieve as a business.

I recommend: The American Wind Energy Association has an in-depth article on the "Principles of Green Marketing," which includes the advice to use renewable energy at your business. It's extremely important for you to practice what you preach when you are embarking on a green marketing campaign. EnviroMedia Social Marketing is one consumer advocacy site that holds companies accountable for their green claims. Environmental Reader reports on a study that shows "people are sensitive to a disconnect between glossy ad campaigns and tangible operating practices."

Green your business and then let the world know

You've done your homework and have made an effort to implement environmentally conscious strategies like recycling, buying eco-friendly products for the office and reducing your energy waste. Now it's time to let the world know.

I recommend: Porter Novelli is a global PR firm that has extensive experience in green marketing. For smaller companies, choosing a boutique firm from PR Boutiques International might make more sense. They have members like Lang/Pan/Chan Public Relations, which works on environmental campaigns.

Market your green product with a green advertising campaign

There are many reputable green marketing companies that serve small businesses all the way up to huge conglomerates. Visit some sites, talk to some people, get some numbers and then get going on your campaign.

I recommend: Jacquelyn Ottman develops green marketing strategies for companies launching new or improved eco-friendly products. The Green Products Alliance is a network of marketers of natural personal care products and may prove useful to your small company looking for resources on green marketing. Watch this great video on how to market your green products to green consumers on VideoJug. The #1 piece of advice? Make the greenest product you can, with facts to back up your claims.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Viral marketing is often the best way to reach niche audiences. Market your green company or green product on environmental blogs and social networks.
• •  There's such a huge demand for green products, that 'greenwashing' is a problem. Make sure you are being ethical and honest in your green marketing campaign. For instance, avoid advertising in print publication. Internet advertising doesn't require cutting down trees to make paper for magazines or newspapers.

More and more businesses are approaching the option of doing "green marketing." What this means is that consumers are paying more attention to how their purchases are produced and distributed. Green marketing has become a big factor in almost every industry, with green marketing professionals and consumer organizations continuing to define the standards for progress. Government oversight has come to the table late, if at all, but the free market is taking its own steps toward a greener future as buyers make smarter decisions. Knowing about some of the basic terms used in green marketing will help a business compete in a "green playground."

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Sustainability

These days, many companies use sustainability officers to develop 'green' sustainability marketing solutions. Sustainability is really a common term for the energy used in manufacturing a product or the resources used to make it.

I recommend: Find out more about sustainability officers and sustainability marketing at this page from Advertising Age.

Carbon footprint

We hear a lot about the 'carbon footprint' of a company or product. This term has come to be used for describing all kinds of environmental impacts of manufacturing, distribution, shipping and much more for green marketing.

I recommend: Take a look at a detailed definition with visual components at CarbonFootprint.com.

Renewable energy sources

One way to highlight a company in a green marketing campaign is with a reference to renewable energy use. Renewable energy sources include solar, hydropower, biofuels and wind energy.

I recommend: Find out more about the use of renewable energies in green campaigns for business at the American Wind Energy Association's Principles of Green Marketing page.

Greenwashing

One by-product of the huge ramp-up to green marketing by many companies is what's called 'greenwashing.' As more and more businesses jump into the fray, consumer groups and others are finding that not all of them practice what they preach.

I recommend: See a description of the greenwashing process and how it works on the markets and green marketing communities at this Time Magazine page.

Organics

'Organic' products follow another set of standards, generally those pushed by consumer organizations. Non-organic pesticides are restricted, and animals for consumption must be fed a healthy diet without routine use of antibiotics. The rise of organic food and other organic materials can be a huge part of any green marketing campaign.

I recommend: See more about organic transitions, organic standards and campaigns from the Organic Consumer's Association online.

Buy fresh, buy local campaign

A 'Buy Fresh, Buy Local' campaign for green marketing highlights purchasing from local businesses as opposed to those that haul products from far-off countries, again with the aim of cutting down on the fossil fuels used in transport. There's also the health of consumers, a large plank in the buy local platform.

I recommend: Find out more about Buy Fresh, Buy Local for green marketing from the Community Alliance with Family Farmers online.

Green marketing is not just a buzzword. Green marketing is here to stay. Consumers are looking for products that use sustainable materials, both in the manufacturing of the product as well as the packaging. Finding ways to let your customers know you are doing your part for the environment is an important way to improve your bottom line.

With green marketing education and training for you and your staff, you can find those environmentally conscious consumers. As you look at green marketing education and training, you should consider a number of factors to get the most out of your training dollars. Look at:

1. The target audience for the green marketing campaign. Focus your training so that group benefits the most from the training.

2. Any standards set within your industry for green marketing. As more sectors of the economy go green, you can expect to see green training standards just as you would see for any other component of the market.

3. The cost involved with training exercises and the expected return on your investment.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Start with a simple green marketing strategy

Learn all you can about green marketing. Then take the information you learn and provide basic training for your staff. Set up green marketing practices within your business. Use benchmarks to determine if you are meeting your own standards. If not, seek additional training.

I recommend: The 101 Things Designers Can Do to Save the Earth is a blog that offers green marketing strategies and tips. There is also a free teaching guide you can use to teach your staff the benefits of green marketing. Keyboard Culture offers information about green marketing benefits in the hospitality industry. Sign up for the free white paper “Creating Authentic Green Value to Drive Bottom Line Results.” Use the information presented as in-house training for your staff.

Attend courses that teach green marketing strategies

Find out what courses are available locally through extension services or vocational schools. The local public university may offer classes as well. It's also possible to find courses that teach green marketing benefits online.

I recommend: The University of California San Diego offers green marketing education and training classes through its extension service. Green Supply Chain offers courses on green marketing in a variety of formats. You can take courses online, or you can have the company train your employees on site.

Use the training services of green marketing consultants

Consultants can show you the many hidden benefits of green marketing that you may not find in a self-study course or classroom. Their work experience in this field can pinpoint training in green marketing specific to your industry.

I recommend: J. Ottoman Consulting offers Green workshops to companies that would like to make their products greener and market their products with sustainable packaging. Use the services of Plateau Enviro to train your employees in green marketing strategies.