Austin, Texas: I spoke before a marketing organization recently and somebody in the audience asked me how they can get a green reputation quickly and easily in order to catch up to some of their competitors.

After some clarification, it seemed that they wanted to know shortcuts and secrets to avoid doing the hard work and start promoting their “green virtues”.

I replied that there are no secrets to green marketing success and just one formula: Truly become green.

People are becoming more eco conscious and they can smell greenwashing a mile away.

Before you can call yourself a green company, and before you can market yourself as a green organization, you must become environmentally conscious.

Ask yourself these questions:

• Why do you want to become more green?
• What makes your company green?
• What are the first 3 steps your company can do to reduce waste?
• How can you educate and inspire your employees to recycle more?
• How can you organization better reduce waste and energy consumption?
• How are you promoting environmental outreach to your customers, suppliers and employees?

Then, after these steps are being carried out can you start on your green marketing campaigns.

Don’t put the spotlight on your eco marketing efforts and achievements until you have something tangible to show for your efforts.

Avoid greenwashing.

Speak from the heart.

Tell the truth.

Bottom line is that no organization is 100% energy efficient and none are 100% sustainable.

Those are ideals that can never be reached (like infinity) but should be challenged to get as close to as possible.

Understand how you can continually improve your green efforts across the board.

It should be a goal that changes over time, much like sales and profitability goals do.

• Always heading upwards.
• Always seeking better solutions.
• Always looking to improve on past performance.

Those are the secrets to green marketing success.

I hope your organization finds success along the path.
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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: For the past twenty or so years, Earth Day has been an important  day to our company–like Christmas is to retailers.

For the months leading up to it, we sell millions of live tree seedlings with company logos, imprinted reusable tote bags, recycled pens, pencils, coloring books, water bottles, and other eco-friendly promotional items– all with an Earth Day theme or recycling message to corporations large and small, as well as to government institutions who believe in the need for eco marketing.

This year seems a little different.  As of today, sales are up only 8% over last year — and that is down from our 18-25% average sales increases that have been more typical over the past decade.

More importantly I am wondering  why am I not hearing about Earth Day too much this year?

Some of my major corporate account shave scaled back from Earth Day events and marketing efforts, as have many city governments.  Luckily, many smaller companies have been picking up the slack – but not making the same impact.

“A cause not promoted is a cause soon forgotten”, I always say.

Earth Day is a accumulation of branded and educational messages that reach the mass audience over a period of time.

Kids learn about Earth Day from their schools. Parents are reminded of it on their national or local news shows, in the newspapers and, hopefully at work.

But if the number of organizations promoting Earth Day are leveling off – or falling – then the message of Earth Day will soon die.

Religious institutions know this very well, which is why the major stories of the Bible are inculcated at a young age, and re-told year after year. It is not told once and hoped that it sinks in.

People like stories — and the message of Earth Day needs to be filled with memorable tales of recycling efforts, energy reduction and global warming evidence.

Perhaps it should focus on local or national heroes.

We cannot hide from global warming or pacify non-believers because “they are entitled to their opinion”. Just because someone doesn’t believe in something doesn’t mean they are right.  I had dinner with a neighbor the other day that said they do not believe in the Internet–that it was a fad.

That doesn’t mean they are right.  I’ll continue to use the internet and promote my business through it, while they do things the old way.

Earth Day needs stories.

Earth Day needs legends and heroes.

Earth Day needs songs.

Earth Day needs characters –like the Easter Bunny.

Earth Day needs a universal symbol, like Breast Cancer Awareness has the pink ribbon.

Most of all, Earth Day needs to be the focus of educational institutions, businesses, and dare I say, religious institutions.  A greener planet should be something we all believe in and something we all strive for — without wedge issues of whether climate change is hoax or not.

Whatever your belief is on climate change, a world with less pollution and with more of a focus on reusability, reduction of resources and recycling efforts is a win-win for all.

Let’s put the focus back on Green for Earth Day.  Let’s leave the name calling and finger pointing out of this event and make it one of the biggest holidays and events on an annual basis.

I’d love to hear your comments about ways to bring back the impact of Earth Day.

Here’s to a green 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: I’ve been blogging about green issues and green marketing for nearly four years and the dialog and discussions I have received have been invaluable.  I seem to “get” more thaan I “give” — that is the power of social media.

I encourage all my followers to start their own blogs  – or at least continue to reply to my blog postings and to keep informed of green issues.

With Earth Day less than 2 months away, I look forward to increased conversations on eco marketing issues and how to best promote environmental outreach.

To open up more channels, I encourage everyone to also keep up with me on Twitter and on Facebook.

I welcome ideas, thoughts and comments from my Twitter account, which you can get to here.

Like me on Facebook so we can also have a dialog on that platform.

Thank you for continuing to read my blog posts over the years — and I look forward to continuing to reach you on this blog, as well as on Facebook and Twitter.
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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 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.

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.

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.

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.

Good news- November 15th is America Recycles Day - a full day to promote the value of recycling.

If you are a green marketer or promote the fact that you are “going green”, this is a tremendous opportunity to put your money where your mouth is.

Promote recycling to your audience.

     Be loud.

     Be proud.

     Be seen.

     Be heard.

     Get noticed.

One place to start is by joining with your nearest affiliate branch of Keep America Beautiful, which you can find at the link.

If you are  a recycler, this day should be highlighted on your calendar every year..and planned far in advance, so you can coordinate outreach programs.   I find it funny that I am still receiving calls, faxes and emails for last minute imprinted recycled tote bags and recycled pens– and the event is less than two weeks away. This seems to be the pattern year after year.

The  America Recycles Day website offers several useful toolkits that you can re-print to promote the one day event. This is an easy place to start, as they have slides, handouts, activities, games and other pre-planned programs available.

Sponsor a recycling drop-off program or pair up with those already in place.  The website has a zip code guide to the nearest recycling locations.

Volunteer to talk to a school about the need for increased recycling activity.  Children are the greatest demographic for environmental awareness activities, and as the future protectors of this planet, the best place to start.

If you are a bit more daring, volunteer to speak at senior centers, church groups, Chamber of Commerce, Kiwanis, Lions Clubs and other organizations and encourage them to take a pledge to recycle .  I say more daring, as there will usually be more climate change deniers among those crowds, so you need to be prepared for a little more push back.

Be sure your company is implementing a recycling program for all employees, so you are practicing what you preach.  Encourage employees to recycle at home, as well.

Promote recycling on your company website, catalogs, blogs, etc.  Get the message out.

Learn recycling facts and bring them up on as many occasions as possible.  I found a great source of recycling facts and figures at Recycling Revolution‘s website that are sure to amaze and inspire.  For example, “If every American recycled just one-tenth of their newspapers, we would save about 25,000,000 trees a year.”

America Recycles Day is November 15th.

How will you be promoting recycling to your audience?

Please let me know what type of activities you will be participating in, send images, etc. so I can mention them in future blog posts.

Let’s Make Every Day, Earth Day.

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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: I got a call this morning from a green marketing consultant wondering whether or not she should spend the extra money getting recycled journal books rather than regular ones, imprinted with her name.

The price difference was nominal– maybe 25 cents on a $4 imprinted journal book.  

I was shocked, speechless for a few seconds.  Then I started to laugh.

If you are a company that is serious about green marketing, your thinking has to be focused 100% on green.

• No dithering.
• No “sometimes”.
• No “maybe”.
• No “only if I get a great deal”, etc.

If you do not show a genuine commitment to eco marketing, then you are, at best, not serious about the environment– and, at worst, a fraud or hypocrite.

Going green is not a part-time cause.

It is a way of thinking – a way of acting.

It is a change in your behavior, activities and a change in the way you look at the world.

Going green should be a trigger to change how you do many of the everyday tasks in life–from driving, to shopping, eating, switching to energy efficient lightbulbs and appliances, etc.

If you are to consider yourself a green organization, you need to live green.

• Act green.
• Think green.
• Read about green.
• Write about green.
• Preach green.
• Vote green.
• Editorialize about green.
• Be green.

If not, do not even think about using the words “eco”, “green” or “environmental” anywhere in your name, in your logo – on your mission statement, your website, etc.

We don’t need green wash. We don’t need subterfuge.

If you are going to carry the green banner, let’s take a more serious view of our commitment to the environment and to social causes.

Let’s make a difference.

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.