Austin, Texas:  Companies of all sizes are talking about corporate culture these days.

But are your employees all on the same track? If not, how can they positively shape your brand?

As more and more companies open up their social media to all employees, it is imperative that each employee buys into your agenda, so that your corporate culture can be expressed freely, but with a clear understanding.

For green businesses and organizations that are going green, it is crucial that when hiring, you seek employees that understand and appreciate the green movement, and understand global warming, sustainability and how mankind impacts these issues.

Ask questions to uncover their thoughts on these important green issues.

What are their thoughts on global warming?

See what kind of car they drive.

Discuss your corporate culture and be sure the buy into it.

A company is only as good as their weakest link.

Without complete buy-in, this employee might engage with customers online, in person, at a trade show or on the phone or with peers — and their message may not be in sync with your own.

Each employee must truly understand and believe in your green mission in order to spread your culture.

Take time before hiring your next employee.  Instill in them your green mission, your corporate goals — and make sure they are in alignment.

This is true from everyone from the shipping clerk to your bookkeeper, and everyone in between.

Corporate culture shapes brand culture.

Keep training and instilling your green mission and culture into your employees. Brand it into your employees as much, if not more, than you brand it to your customers.

A green corporate culture must be nurtured.  It cannot be a one time event, or mentioned and promoted only for your annual Earth Day celebration.

It must be a part of how your company does business. It must be a part of your company’s footprint and brand identity.

And it must be part of your employees personal beliefs.

Shape those already on board for buy-in.

And make sure all new hires understand and agree with your corporate green mission and stance on sustainability and environmental agenda.

I am all for diversity in a workforce.  Political parties, race, religion, age — variety is the spice of life and it is good to have a broad mix.

But if your employees do not believe in your green agenda, they can unintentionally subvert your mission and show your company in a poor light during customer interactions.

What kind of questions are you asking your new hires to make sure they want to be a part of your green business?

Please share them with me.  I’d like to know.

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Robert Piller, president of Eco Marketing Solutions, is experienced in green marketing campaigns and recycled promotional products.

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 I watch the Republican Presidential debates over the past few weeks, I am amazed at  the lack of commitment by any candidate on most major issues.

Answers  by all seem to be vague, ambiguous and wishy-washy.  There is certainly no passion that comes across to the viewing public.

Is this like your company’s stand on the environment–vague, ambiguous and wishy-washy?

People can easily cut through this B.S. and tell that you are not truly committed.

Green Washing?  No, too many companies do Green Lying, where they knowingly are not green but pretend to be.

If you are a green marketer or an organization going green, how are you living that commitment?

Jut by having the word “green” or “environmentally-friendly” on you packaging or in your mission statement doesn’t make you a green company.

Where is your passion?

How is your company reducing its energy consumption?

How are you reducing packaging waste?

How are you encouraging car pooling by your employees, inspiring greener procedures at work and changing your green lifestyle?

Going green is like fitness….. you need to be committed to it in order to be successful.

Show some passion to the green movement and get involved.

Practice what you preach.

Live the lifestyle.

Your organization will gain a great deal more credibility..and your commitment will show.

I’ll vote for that!
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Robert Piller, president of Eco Marketing Solutions, is experienced in green marketing campaigns and recycled promotional products.

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.

Business should both Buy American and Go Green at the same time. They are not mutually exclusive.

Austin, Texas: Marketers are constantly looking for the next “big thing” to help promote their brand or message.

For the past five years, it has been green.  

Who hasn’t heard the term “going green” or “sustainability” bandied about in sales meetings, on websites and print ads, in direct marketing campaigns, in mission statements–everywhere.  

Many of the companies that have been going green have been truly working to reduce their carbon footprint and reduce energy consumption.  Kudos to them.

Others liked it because “green” was hot and a way to differentiate themselves from their competition.

Now, with being and acting “green” the cost of entry for most companies, eco marketing, or green marketing, may not have the impact that it once had.

So, what is next?

Red. White. Blue.

That’s right. Buy American.  Old Glory. Patriotism.

Like going green, buying American is a good thing.  It will create more manufacturing jobs in this country, which our economy really needs.

It has already begun.

Personally, our company has seen a tremendous uptick in the number of American-made tote bags, wearables and water bottles that we have been selling these past few months.

As more and more factories produce these goods, prices will surely drop and the difference in cost from an overseas product will get closer to the cost of an American-made product, especially when you add in such other costs as ocean or air freight and turnaround time.

I am all for the Buy American mantra.  I, like most businesses here, prefer to support American jobs and grow our economy.

But, in five years, after the American flag emblem appears on everyone’s products and websites, what will be next?

Is red, white and blue the next green?

I hope so. I think so.

But please don’t abandon green.

Whether it is your marketing niche, unique selling proposition, or just the way you do business,  let’s continue to reduce climate change and continue to Think Green.

We should be able to be green and patriotic at the same time.

After all, what is more patriotic than leaving a greener planet to our families and neighbors?

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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.

Data Capture or Go Green Movement? Depends on the Retailer

Austin, Texas: Retailers, are you looking for an easy way to capture your customers’  email addresses and go green at the same time?

Well, many retailers are now offering to send cash register receipts by email--to prevent receipts from getting lost, and also for capturing customer data.

There can, of course, be hyperlinks to your Facebook page, twitter page, etc.

But please, if you are not a green company, do not use the excuse that you are doing this to “save the trees”.

Not only will customers roll their eyes, but you will only make it harder for legitimate green retailers to promote the green movement.

At the same time, be sure to offer a reusable tote instead of plastic bags.

You don’t want to be  a hypocrite.

Help 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.
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Outreach: The Best Form of Marketing & Branding for a Green Company

Austin, Texas: I was asked at a panel discussion recently what would be the one best way for a green marketer to increase sales.  I immediately responded with OUTREACH.

After some discussion and debate, I came to the conclusion that I had given the right answer.

Sure, everybody wants to increase sales, so they start planning creative strategies.

Focus groups.

Visits with ad agency and or marketing departments.

New product features–gotta have them.

New ad campaign–a must to justify this campaign.

Sleeker packaging–why not?

The list goes on–products, features, benefits, etc.

All these are fine.  But so what?

Why should customers care?

The base for green products is not growing at the same rapid pace it has for the past decade.  The greenies are all on board, as I had mentioned in a previous post.

But what about the rest of the population?

If you are not doing outreach programs to promote green causes and the benefits of going green, you will not expand your market share. In fact, if every company in your field promoted a green product to the same base, your market share will dry up quickly, as competition for that segment will increase.

Set aside a good amount of your green marketing and advertising budget–and spend it on creating awareness for environmental issues:

• recycling
• reuse of products
• carbon footprint
• cap and trade
• sustainability
• alternative energy
• pollution reduction

Your products and services should only be mentioned in passing — or as an afterthought.

Outreach should be done to create passion.

To build the base.

To inspire social change.

Can it be political?  Sure.  Will it create some negative impact among non-greenies? Possibly, so tread carefully.  But if you are truly a green company, the positive will surely outweigh the negative.  And, if you are truly green, those that are most offended are probably not going to be your ultimate target market any way.

At your next show, will you be touting product benefits–or building the base through outreach?

Outreach first.  Sales will follow.

That is the best way to increase green product sales over the next decade–and beyond.

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.

Rather than admit to being guilty, SC Johnson settled some lawsuits last week over its green certification claims, according to an article in GreenBiz.com.

This should shed a light on green certification programs.

Recently, many companies seem to be trying to cut corners and budget by testing their own products for lead, and certifying their products as green.  Hand held lead testing equipment prices have been falling, while third party certification still remains relatively high, causing many companies of all sizes to trim costs.

I am one for saving money in certain ares, but third party certification is not one of those.  Neither is product safety.

If you are going to make green claims, then back it up with legitimate claims.

Be sure your claims are transparent.

If you are going to put one of the dozens of green seals of certification on your product or product packaging, be sure it is from a reputable 3rd party testing lab.

Saying you are the greatest or greenest or smartest or best looking, etc. does not make it so.  Having third party certification makes it much more so.

Please learn from the SC Johnson situation.  Don’t be penny wise and dollar foolish when it comes to green certification claims.

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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.
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Why Has There Been A Sudden Drop In Green Product Development This Past Year?

A new study shows that green product development has been declining over the past two years.

It showed that just 28 percent of companies have maintained investments in green product development, while 48 percent have increased their spend. That last number represents a drop of 7 percentage points compared to earlier this year, when 55 percent of respondents cited increased funding for green products.

Why is there a sudden drop in green product development?

Are consumers and businesses purchasing less green products?

Green marketing expert Jacquie Ottman suggests that ” lack of familiarity with green brands, inability to identify green brands on the shelf, and price premiums for greener brands that don’t have the benefit of economies of scale” are some of the reasons for the decline.

What can we do to encourage greater acceptance of green products, so that “going green” is not just a passing fad?

Government Mandates? I have written that it might be a good idea to have a program that mandates government offices to increase their green purchases over the next ten years, starting at 10% of purchases–and phasing out completely at the end of the decade. This would give manufacturers a chance to increase production, which would led to economies of scale, and lower prices.

Guilt by Association?:  Can we make the buying of non-green products seem “creepy” or “evil” through advertising and social media, such as has been done with cigarette smoking and drinking and driving over the past 10-15 years?  Can non-recyclers, for example, get the cold shoulder from their friends and peers?  It may take time, but many movements start out this way.

Education?: How much more education about the correlation of greenhouse gases to climate change must we have before real change takes place?

Sure, the younger generation has been taught about climate change in a watered down way over the past decade or so, but real change is taking too long to make an impact.

How can we reach out more to seniors? Can we get churches, synagogues and mosques to preach about the moral duty of becoming good stewards of the planet? Although this movement is certainly growing, it is not happening soon enough.

How about teens, some of the biggest polluters around?  Ten hours of climate change, pollution reduction videos before they get their driver’s license? Perhaps.

Increasing Green Product Purchases?: Sure, it may cost a little bit more for a recycled product or organic alternative, but until more people purchase them, prices will not fall quickly enough.

A 10-year tax-break for consumers on green product purchases? Might be hard to implement and administer.

A 10-year tax break for manufacturers of green products? Might be better.

Either way, consumers must shop greener in order to make real change happen. If every consumer switched just 10% of their purchases to green alternatives, imagine the positive impact that would have on the green movement.

The green movement needs participation on all sides to move forward. Green manufacturing without green purchasing equals failure.

Let’s all do our parts to go green.

It needs push, as well as pull.

Have you “purchased green” 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.
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I have been exhibiting at a Keep Texas Beautiful convention and the booth next to me is from an organization that is sponsored by the American Chemistry Council.

They are promoting a fun program designed to encourage businesses and cities to recycle plastic bags. The have a cute campaign and do a great deal of social media through their A Bag’s Life campaign.

However, their ultimate goal is to lobby to prevent bag ban legislation from coming to fruition.

Does the good they are doing in promoting the 3 R’s (reduce, reuse, recycle) outweigh their agenda?

Is it OK to get big business to finance recycling education? This might be akin to the Tobacco Master Settlement money that was taken from the cigarette companies to pay for anti-smoking ad campaigns.

Personally, I see no problem, as free education is better than no education.

What is your take on this? I’d love to hear from you.

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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. We’d love to hear your additions to this list.

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In the past few weeks, I have read over a dozen articles and blogs condemning the act of greenwashing.

It seems that “the left” has declared war on the evils of greenwashing– but has forgotten about the virtues of going green itself.

Is greenwashing really a sin?

Can we really even recognize greenwashing?

Is the term “greenwashing” over used and over-hyped?

Sure, there are still too many companies that deliberately exaggerate – or even lie – about the green virtues of their product. They may claim that their product is made from 40% recycled, post-consumer plastic, for example, without using any recycled materials at all.

Greenwashing. No–that would be outright fraud…and should be condemned. This is preying on the unknowing.

I am not advocating greenwashing, at all.  That is certainly not the idea of this blog post.

Instead, I am talking about companies that are actively pursuing policies to “go green” — yet don’t meet the “absolutely green” purity test.

I would argue that there is no product that can be truly green, so people need to expect a little over-exuberance in marketing a legitimately green product.

Most greenwashing claims are from exaggeration, not fraud.

Does that make it right? No. And it should be toned down, and claims should be presented more accurately.

I posed a question on LinkedIn a few weeks asking if a product can be 100% Green–and nobody was able to find one that could be able to be made available for public consumption.

Sure, there were a few answers, such as “getting milk from a cow” or growing your own fruits and vegetables.  However, if you took those products across town in a truck, then it no longer would be considered 100% green.
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Many green companies spend most of their advertising and marketing budgets promoting their brand, but very few of them are spending a proportionate amount of effort on outreach.

With social media being free, are you making the most of this opportunity to promote green values and causes?

Your social media (including Twitter, Facebook,  and possibly LinkedIn) should be focused on promoting green issues that may be of concern to your clients and prospects.

Do not push product in this space.   This will not get Retweeted or Liked and it will annoy your audience.

Instead, this  effort should be geared to expanding your base and making your customers more aware of green topics, websites, causes, etc.

Spend your Social Media efforts promoting :

• Local and National Green Events
• Political and Legislative Issues Facing Voters
• New Proposed Regulations/Policies Affecting the Environment
• Ideas and Tips on Becoming More Green, Reducing One’s Carbon Footprint, etc.
• Trade Shows and Fairs Relating to the Environment
• Earth Day Ideas and Events

Become a resource to your clients and prospects … and your organization’s name will be remembered.

What are you plans to do more green outreach over the next 12 months?

I’d love to hear about it.
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Robert Piller, president of Eco Marketing Solutions, is experienced in green marketing campaigns and recycled promotional products.  He has worked to help plant over 25 million trees through his live tree seedling gift program over the past dozen years.  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.