Five Ideas to Consider to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint While Doing Direct Mail

Austin, Texas: As a marketing person who promotes environmental causes and education and is also aware of our role in corporate social responsibility, can we utilize direct mail in our marketing mix?

I was doing a self-promotion piece for our company when this quandary came up.

We are totally against “junk mail” — which in our definition is any unsolicited mail that has a high probability of ending up in the trash/landfill.

Therefore, we reduced our print catalog to a digital catalog with page-flip technology several years ago, as I had mentioned in a previous blog post.  This has saved thousands of trees from being destroyed and prevented countless thousand of catalogs from ending up in a landfill.

Sure, we give out bamboo USB drives to our better clients with this digital catalog burned onto it. But this is too expensive for direct mail.

In the end, after much deliberation, we decided to send out a series of three 4″ x 6.25″ postcards made from recycled paper to our top 2,500 clients, one every three weeks, the first one shown to promote a new website.

We looked at FSC-certified postcards, but decided to use recycled materials, as no new trees had to be destroyed for this marketing effort.

In addition, we are giving away 1,000 live tree seedlings to a non–profit organization for Earth Day, to help offset the carbon footprint of this campaign.

As a green marketer, it is important to consider your entire carbon footprint  - but also to understand that we must continue to build our businesses in order to succeed and grow.

Growth and profits should not be dirty words in the green community.

Good stewardship is crucial– and there is a fine balancing act that must be done to on a continuous basis in order to be true to your core values.

Before doing your next marketing campaign, consider its impact on the environment.

Ask yourself the following questions:

1) Can you reduce the size of your print catalog?

2) Are you using recycled or FSC-certified paper?

3) Are you mailing only to a select group of pre-screened customers and prospects — or are you using the shotgun method, where a majority of your pieces will end up unread in the trash?

4) Can you use a postcard mailer instead of a full print catalog?   You might even be able to use this postcard to have recipients scan a QR code or go online to request your full catalog.

5) Are you using lumpy mail?  Lumpy mail is a direct mail piece that is packaged with a promotional product or sample that makes the package feel like there is something inside of it, which often increases open rates.  If so, is the promotional item made from recycled materials and is the packaging recycled and/or easily recyclable?

Don’t stop promoting your business.  But do consider all alternatives before embarking on your next campaign.

Otherwise, your direct mail pieces will be viewed as poorly as the unused phone books that are tossed on your front door step each year.

Here’s to a greener tomorrow, today.

PS Please share with me how you have reduced your direct mail and the impact it has made on your bottom line.

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Robert Piller, President of Eco Marketing Solutions, has over 25 years of experience in running and implementing green marketing campaigns and is a leader in the recycled promotional products industry, including offering one of the largest selections of reusable and organic tote bags, recycled and biodegradable water bottles, recycled pens and pencils in the country.

His company’s website, EcoMarketingSolutions.com, features over 25,000 eco-friendly promotional items in all price ranges, for any business or organization interested in going green. The site’s handy search tool helps you easily find biodegradable, organic and recycled imprinted promotional items in your price range and time frame.

You can also reach him by email (robert (at) ecomarketingsolutions.com) or comment on his blog postings at GreenSpotBlog.com or below at his Twitter link.

Earth Day Marketing and Education- Do They Have to Be Mutually Exclusive?

Austin, Texas: With Earth Day only a few months away (April 22), we are getting our yearly calls and online orders for eco-friendly promotional products–mostly used for outreach programs.

Many of my clients are participating in Earth Day celebrations as a way of promoting their brand. Nothing  wrong with that, as Earth Day helps businesses to reach a green-friendly audience.

However, many of my best clients view Earth Day as an opportunity to try to educate the public on improved recycling and conservation techniques and strategies.   This provides for a robust interchange of ideas that can improve both short-term and long-term reduction in one’s carbon footprint.

I like to think of Earth Day as a way to combine both aspects–outreach and branding for businesses of all sizes. If you show that your company is truly committed to green causes, then you will want to educate.

Make Earth Day a part of your brand  strategy–not an afterthought.

An educated customer is a life-long customer–so spend time educating your customers on why they should go green and how they can go green.

Don’t tout your company.  Promote the cause and your branding will follow.

Speak at schools and community events.

Leave the audience with action steps that they can take to reduce energy consumption immediately.

Explain the whys and hows of recycling.

Discuss the need for reusable tote bags instead of plastic single-use bags.

Be a valued resource on issues of the environment.

Here are some ideas of educating the public and branding that you might find helpful:

If you are trying to reach students, some of our most popular promotional out-reach items are imprinted coloring books that make it fun to learn about recycling or energy conservation. Another low-cost item are recycling temporary tattoos that promote recycling and other green causes. These can be stock or have your logo added to them.

If you are reaching a more mature population, than recycling information guides have been a very useful way of education consumers on ways to reduce energy consumption, improve recycling and cut their carbon footprint.

Another popular items for Earth Day include jar openers made from recycled car tires, each with tips on improving the planet.

You can also use flower seed packets with tips on them, live tree seedlings with tips, and recycled journal books–again with helpful Earth Day tips.

Don’t give away items that will end up in a landfill.  Make Earth Day a time for education and out-reach–and the branding will take care of itself.

Believe in Earth Day..and make it a daily cause–not a yearly event.

Here’s to a greener tomorrow, today.

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Robert Piller, President of Eco Marketing Solutions, has over 25 years of experience in running and implementing green marketing campaigns and is a leader in the recycled promotional products industry, including offering one of the largest selections of reusable and organic tote bags, recycled and biodegradable water bottles, recycled pens and pencils in the country.

His company’s website, EcoMarketingSolutions.com, features over 25,000 eco-friendly promotional items in all price ranges, for any business or organization interested in going green. The site’s handy search tool helps you easily find biodegradable, organic and recycled imprinted promotional items in your price range and time frame.

You can also reach him by email (robert (at) ecomarketingsolutions.com) or comment on his blog postings at GreenSpotBlog.com or below at his Twitter link.

Product Safety and Quality Taking a Lead Role in Promotional Products

Austin, Texas: In my years of experience, I can sort the buyers of promotional products  into four main classifications:
1) Price is King

2) Need it Yesterday

3) Gimme the Newest, Latest & Greatest

4) Image is Everything

Up until recently, those four categories were sufficient. Sure, there were splinter groups–insisting only on eco-friendly promotional products or only promotional products Made in the USA.

But, with CPSIA and other health and safety related requirements and lawsuit threats, product safety and quality needs to become number one for any company that fears potential negative feedback or legal issues.

Eco Marketing Solutions has committed itself to working only with leading factories and suppliers that hold compliance issues at the forefront and build it into their business culture.

In fact, many of our top suppliers are active or founding members of the Quality Certification Alliance, an independent, accreditation organization whose mission is to elevate the standards by which industry firms that import and/or manufacture promotional products provide consistently safe, high-quality, socially compliant and environmentally conscientious merchandise.

QCA Accreditation is granted to companies who complete multiple independent third-party audit and comply with stringent standards, which are based upon a combination of state and national laws, international standards and industry-accepted best practices that are recognized for their strength and effectiveness by QCA Accredited companies, the promotional products industry and end-user clients.

According to the QCA website, in order to provide the accountability necessary to assure buyers and end users that products meet applicable measures of compliance, QCA Accreditation tests not only for the presence of and completeness of compliance programs but also the effectiveness of these programs in detecting and deterring noncompliance. This comprehensive program assess five key areas:

Product Safety

A QCA Certified Supplier has policies and procedures that are robust and able to detect and deter non-compliant product from shipping to customers. Corporate brand equity is also protected by reducing the need for product recalls, thus keeping news of any unsafe product out of the headlines. The processes include:

• A commitment to assuring consumer safety and brand security
• Design guidelines that cover legal and product performance requirements as well as raw material specifications
• A product approval protocol that assures only product meeting specified design guidelines is approved for manufacture
• Testing guidelines for internal evaluations and third-party assessments
• Mechanisms for assuring traceability
• Recall protocols

Product Quality

A QCA Certified Supplier has procedures in place governing product quality from design through manufacturing that provide a means to monitor and verify quality standards are maintained throughout the process. An expectation of quality is established with:

• A formally documented Quality Manual
• A process that assures only product for which an approved standard exists are manufactured
• Inspections for both pre- and post-shipments
• A process for evaluating root cause and assigning corrective actions
• Supplier qualification programs

Supply Chain Security

A QCA Certified Supplier’s policies and procedures meet the security criteria established by U.S. Customs’ C-TPAT (Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism) program that protects our borders. A supply chain security program should encompass both domestic and offshore process and facility review. It should include:

• Container security
• Facility physical security
• Procedural security
• Access control
• Supply chain visibility

Social Accountability

A QCA Certified Supplier’s policies and procedures ensure that those facilities that are part of its supply chain adhere to legal and ethical standards that are based on internationally agreed upon protocols of the UN Global Compact. These include:

• Worker’s rights
• Legal compensation requirements
• Physical working and living conditions
• Worker safety

Environmental Stewardship

A QCA Certified Supplier’s policies and procedures promote an ongoing stewardship of the environment, which includes:

• Compliance with local environmental regulations
• Recycling
• Restriction and monitoring for banned substances
• Resource management

Does it cost a little bit extra to go with factories that test and re-test for the highest quality standards? Yes, but only minimally.

When we checked prices between QCA products and similar non-accredited products, there was a price discrepancy of between 1.4% and 5.7% on 100 randomly selected items, with an average of 2.33% difference.

Is it worth it to your organization to pay an extra 2.33% to ensure the highest standards in quality and product safety?

If you are looking for the absolute cheapest promotional products without concern for safety or social responsibility, we are not going to be your best bet.

If you are looking to get promotional products that portrays your brand and image in the most positive light, we aim to be your client and partner in your marketing efforts.

Give us a call and let’s discuss how we can help you promote an environmental message in a socially responsible way.

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Robert Piller, President of Eco Marketing Solutions, has over 25 years of experience in running and implementing green marketing campaigns and is a leader in the recycled promotional products industry, including offering one of the largest selections of reusable and organic tote bags, recycled and biodegradable water bottles, recycled pens and pencils in the country.

His company’s website, EcoMarketingSolutions.com, features over 25,000 eco-friendly promotional items in all price ranges, for any business or organization interested in going green. The site’s handy search tool helps you easily find biodegradable, organic and recycled imprinted promotional items in your price range and time frame.

You can also reach him by email (robert (at) ecomarketingsolutions.com) or comment on his blog postings at GreenSpotBlog.com or below at his Twitter link.

The Golden Rule for Business

Austin, Texas: As an organization that is practicing sustainability and promoting the green movement, you are probably feeling good about your company and about yourself.

Good for you. Congratulations!

As a businessperson, we all have the ideal type of client we like to work with.

What are some characteristics of your ideal customer?

Doesn’t constantly haggle you on price?

Pays their bills on time?

Is a pleasure to work with?

Values your expertise and advice?

Sends you referrals?

Great. Now, put the shoe on the other foot and ask yourself these questions:

Are you acting the same way toward your vendors?

Are your practicing what you preach?

Are you following the Golden Rule (Do unto others as you would like them to do onto you)?

If not, why not?

Take some time to re-evaluate how you are doing business.

Do you like to be haggled on price on every job?  Neither do your top vendors.  Vet your vendors wisely, but then stop beating them up on price each time.

Do you return e-mails and phone calls promptly?  If you are not interested in an idea or proposal, do you at least answer their emails with a “Thanks .. but no thanks”.  Or do you ignore each message, hoping it goes away and never getting back to them –frustrating both of you with a series of unreturned phone calls and emails?

We all like referrals and the word-of-mouth business it brings us. Are you giving referrals to your vendors? I am sure it would be appreciated.  Are they on Facebook or Linked in? If so, give them a shout-out, a referral, a recommendation – a few simple words of thanks.

Are you paying your vendors promptly? It is not your suppliers fault that you are still waiting for one of your customers to pay you, or that you had an off-month.  Pay your vendors on time–or even early.

Are you buying recycled or sustainable products-for all your shopping needs (both business and personal)?

Are you trying to buy US-manufactured products whenever possible?

Business is a two-way street.  We rely on our vendors to make us look good.  They rely on us to keep them in business.

Let’s all take the time to conduct ourselves in a manner more to the way we would like to be treated.

Here’s to a better tomorrow, today.

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Robert Piller, President of Eco Marketing Solutions, has over 25 years of experience in running and implementing green marketing campaigns and is a leader in the recycled promotional products industry, including offering one of the largest selections of reusable and organic tote bags, recycled and biodegradable water bottles, recycled pens and pencils in the country.

His company’s website, EcoMarketingSolutions.com, features over 25,000 eco-friendly promotional items in all price ranges, for any business or organization interested in going green. The site’s handy search tool helps you easily find biodegradable, organic and recycled imprinted promotional items in your price range and time frame.

You can also reach him by email (robert (at) ecomarketingsolutions.com) or comment on his blog postings at GreenSpotBlog.com or below at his Twitter link.

Austin, Texas: Since the new year has just begun, now is the ideal time to think about volunteering and helping a green non-profit organization increase awareness and help to raise much needed funds.

As a green marketer, we are all in this together.

Creating educated consumers is good for your business, as they are the ones that can better appreciate the importance of buying green and going green.

Outreach is one of the basic tenets of green marketing–promoting the need for, and the importance of, green causes, behaviors and political and social movements.

Look into some green organizations–either at the local, state or national level and volunteer your time.  Get involved.

Get known as an organization that cares about the environment-not just about making money.

Help this organization politic for greener standards.

Help them to raise much needed money.

Help them recruit new volunteers.

Help them to create greater awareness.

It is a win-win relationship. Don’t sit back and let the green movement come to you.

You need to come to the green movement.

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Robert Piller, President of Eco Marketing Solutions, has over 25 years of experience in running and implementing green marketing campaigns and is a leader in the recycled promotional products industry, including offering one of the largest selections of reusable and organic tote bags, recycled and biodegradable water bottles, recycled pens and pencils in the country.

His company’s website, EcoMarketingSolutions.com, features over 25,000 eco-friendly promotional items in all price ranges, for any business or organization interested in going green. The site’s handy search tool helps you easily find biodegradable, organic and recycled imprinted promotional items in your price range and time frame.

You can also reach him by email (robert (at) ecomarketingsolutions.com) or comment on his blog postings at GreenSpotBlog.com or below at his Twitter link.

Austin, Texas: As the year comes to a close, it is time to take a look back at your marketing efforts to see if you met your green marketing goals.

As an eco-marketing company, you must be at the forefront of green technology,  waste reduction, recycling and other green initiatives.

Take a look back to see if you can pinpoint measurable reductions in paper usage, miles driven by you and your fellow employees, energy reductions in running your business, supply chain mandates, etc.

Talk to your employees about other areas where you can achieve energy savings, whether it be as simple as thermostat changes and weatherization or more profound and deeper changes.

As the new year approaches, take time to see where you can lead on environmental causes, promote green outreach programs and motivate and inspire your employees, your customers, your vendors and the general public.

Look over your marketing materials to see how you can educate your audience both on the value of your greener product or service, but also on environmental issues in general.

Be sure to practice what you preach in terms of using recycled paper for print, as well as using recycled promotional products to carry your branded message.

Going green cannot be a one-person plan. Be sure your employees are actively behind your green initiatives and agenda.

Did you reach the goal of 10% energy reduction in 2011?

If not, let’s double down and make it happen in 2012.

If so, can you achieve 11% reduction this year?

Keep striving for a greener planet.

We’re all in it together.

Happy New Year!

May 2012 be the greenest one yet.

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Robert Piller, President of Eco Marketing Solutions, has over 25 years of experience in running and implementing green marketing campaigns and is a leader in the recycled promotional products industry, including offering one of the largest selections of reusable and organic tote bags, recycled and biodegradable water bottles, recycled pens and pencils in the country.

His company’s website, EcoMarketingSolutions.com, features over 25,000 eco-friendly promotional items in all price ranges, for any business or organization interested in going green. The site’s handy search tool helps you easily find biodegradable, organic and recycled imprinted promotional items in your price range and time frame.

You can also reach him by email (robert (at) ecomarketingsolutions.com) or comment on his blog postings at GreenSpotBlog.com or below at his Twitter link.

Can Oil Companies Be Good Stewards of Our Land?

Austin, Texas: The Wall Street Journal just reported that the  U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has issued a permit on Monday to ConocoPhillips that would allow the energy company to develop the first commercial oil well in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska.

The permit sets 22 special conditions designed to minimize the environmental impact of the project, and Conoco will pay fees into a special fund to compensate for damage to tundra wetlands, which the corps, in a statement, said would be “unavoidable.”

As both an environmentalist and a businessman, I understand that compromises are needed. My feelings are that this will probably be the most pristine oil project of all time – as the eyes of the world will be upon it.

If this project goes well with very minimal environmental impact, it will open up more of Alaska’s reserves to drilling and development–which can be beneficial to the United States, both in terms of reducing our dependence on foreign oil and for job creation.

If there are environmental problems, any further discussion of oil projects in Alaska will be shelved–probably for decades.

Let’s hope that this project is a success – and we can make further exploration dependent on increased alternative fuel subsidies.

I am certainly for green energy and clean energy.

Our dependence on fossil fuels is destroying our planet through climate change and air quality issues.

We will certainly not wean ourselves from fossil fuels overnight, but we should definitely do what we can to stop supporting Middle East unrest.

Let’s test this job creation project with a tremendous amount of oversight.

We need to increase all forms of energy–fossil fuels for the short term and solar, wind and geo-thermal for medium and long-term security.

Hopefully both sides of the political spectrum can soften their approach to energy and we can move forward on cleaner energy for a better tomorrow.

Tighter regulations mean cleaner fuel projects.

I grew up in New Jersey and can still remember the smell of the refineries.

Let’s clean up our act.

Let’s increase expenditures for alternative fuels from the profits of this new exploration.

It can create a win-win — more jobs, cleaner energy.

That’s a platform I think most Americans can support.

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Robert Piller, President of Eco Marketing Solutions, has over 25 years of experience in running and implementing green marketing campaigns and is a leader in the recycled promotional products industry, including offering one of the largest selections of reusable and organic tote bags, recycled and biodegradable water bottles, recycled pens and pencils in the country.

His company’s website, EcoMarketingSolutions.com, features over 25,000 eco-friendly promotional items in all price ranges, for any business or organization interested in going green. The site’s handy search tool helps you easily find biodegradable, organic and recycled imprinted promotional items in your price range and time frame.

You can also reach him by email (robert (at) ecomarketingsolutions.com) or comment on his blog postings at GreenSpotBlog.com or below at his Twitter link.

Austin, Texas: A few weeks back I had attended a trade show for the wholesale trade and was amazed at the number of people with banners touting “Eco-Friendly” and “Go Green”, etc.

Being a green marketing company, those signs immediately attracted my attention and I stopped at most of these booths.

Unfortunately, I was quite disappointed at how these firms substantiated their claims.

Just because an item can be recycled, does not necessarily make it eco-friendly. Many of these companies had no clue as to the recycle symbols on their products, whether or not it had any recycled material, country of origin, etc.

Customers are wary of claims that cannot be backed up with proof.

Then, on top of that, the majority of these companies had business cards that were not made on recycled paper stock or FSC-certified paper– nor were their catalogs or flyers.

Pay attention to the little things.

Going green means paying attention to the details, big and small..

If you claim to be green, at least know the issues that are affecting the country in terms of sustainability, carbon footprint and even climate change.

If your business cards and flyers are not recycled or FSC-certified, take down your “eco-friendly” banners- and decide if marketing to a green niche is the right target audience for you.

Marketing takes consistency.

Is your green marketing message consistent?

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Robert Piller, President of Eco Marketing Solutions, has over 25 years of experience in running and implementing green marketing campaigns and is a leader in the recycled promotional products industry, including offering one of the largest selections of reusable and organic tote bags, recycled and biodegradable water bottles, recycled pens and pencils in the country.

His company’s website, EcoMarketingSolutions.com, features over 25,000 eco-friendly promotional items in all price ranges, for any business or organization interested in going green. The site’s handy search tool helps you easily find biodegradable, organic and recycled imprinted promotional items in your price range and time frame.

You can also reach him by email (robert (at) ecomarketingsolutions.com) or comment on his blog postings at GreenSpotBlog.com or below at his Twitter link.

Austin, Texas: The other day, in an article in the Wall Street Journal, GM announced a possible recall of the Chevy Volt for safety reasons.

But what was surprising about the WSJ article was the fact that the Chevy Volt has failed to sell its initial run of just 10,000 cars, hoping to eke out around 8,000 vehicles this year.

Greenies, if we do not support green products, businesses will fail to cater to our needs and wishes.

8,000 Chevy Volts in the entire US– that’s just 160 cars sold per state!   Ridiculously low!

Come on!  We have got to do a better job of going out of our way to purchase green products or their will not be a green industry much longer.

Is the green movement comprised of a vocal minority, demanding greener products, but who fail to follow through and purchase them?  I hope not.

Are you searching the store shelves for greener products on every occasion?  Every occasion–really?

Are you walking the walk — or just talking the talk?

Talk is cheap.

The marketplace is listening.

We need to make an effort to support green businesses, green products, if we are going to achieve economies of scale and drive down prices.

Let’ start increasing our green expenditures…starting today.

Who is with me?
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Robert Piller, President of Eco Marketing Solutions, has over 25 years of experience in running and implementing green marketing campaigns and is a leader in the recycled promotional products industry, including offering one of the largest selections of reusable and organic tote bags, recycled and biodegradable water bottles, recycled pens and pencils in the country.

His company’s website, EcoMarketingSolutions.com, features over 25,000 eco-friendly promotional items in all price ranges, for any business or organization interested in going green. The site’s handy search tool helps you easily find biodegradable, organic and recycled imprinted promotional items in your price range and time frame.

You can also reach him by email (robert (at) ecomarketingsolutions.com) or comment on his blog postings at GreenSpotBlog.com or below at his Twitter link.

Austin, Texas: Noted author Seth Godin wrote a blog post today talking about how a movement actually happens one person at a time.

He says, “Products and services succeed one person at a time, as the word slowly spreads. Customers defect one person at a time, as hearts are broken and people are disappointed. Doors open, sure, but not all at once. One at a time.”

Too many people view the green movement as a whole, as an entity, without thinking about how people come to join the movement — one at a time. Or how they leave a movement.

The key to a greener planet is education and outreach.

As young children are taught more about the hazards of climate change and understand how decisions they make can impact their carbon footprint, they will tell others. And lead by example.

Other students will catch on, as will some of their parents and grandparents.

After time, the movement snowballs – as it gains momentum.

Resistance will fade over time, just as other movements, such as Civil Rights, Women’s Suffrage, etc. have ceased to be the major wedge issues in this country.

But always remember, to promote the Green Movement, one needs to practice outreach and education.

One person at a time.

As Seth Godin says, “One at a time is a little anticlimactic … but one at a time is how we win and how we lose.”

Are you continually practicing green outreach?
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Robert Piller, President of Eco Marketing Solutions, has over 25 years of experience in running and implementing green marketing campaigns and is a leader in the recycled promotional products industry, including offering one of the largest selections of reusable and organic tote bags, recycled and biodegradable water bottles, recycled pens and pencils in the country.

His company’s website, EcoMarketingSolutions.com, features over 25,000 eco-friendly promotional items in all price ranges, for any business or organization interested in going green. The site’s handy search tool helps you easily find biodegradable, organic and recycled imprinted promotional items in your price range and time frame.

You can also reach him by email (robert (at) ecomarketingsolutions.com) or comment on his blog postings at GreenSpotBlog.com or below at his Twitter link.