E-Commerce

There are many products that are not geared to an online environment. However, with the growth of the web and online purchasing by consumers there’s an increasing need to speak to the senses. Seeing, smelling, touching a product are all important but don’t lend themselves, obviously, to an online shopping environment.

So, what do you do?

This product has just been selected to be THE product luxurious enough and exclusive enough to grace the hands of Hollywood stars at the Emmys in September. Yes, it will be featured in restroom lounges for both men and women.

Gasp! I know, I know…B-I-G.

There will be buzz around this particular product as Hollywood continues down the ‘green’ pathway of enlightenment.  Plus, I mean, look here, these are STARS. Not just any product can make the cut. As it just so happens, these products are all natural, luxurious, sophisticated and exclusive. In fact, “The purity and quality of each product defies the imagination with transporting fragrances and nourishing formulas for the skin.”Wow. I want some.The descriptive words alone have created a desire.

But wait! There’s more…

All those famous people get to experience these products? Well, why not me? I may not be famous but I have a discretionary income and I like luxury just as much as the next girl.

Now, I REALLY want some.

I just found out that Susan Sarandon, Naomi Watts, Nicole Kidman and Alexis Bledel use these products. You know, I think that Nicole Kidman is kind of cool. If she uses it, it must be pretty good.

Now, I REALLY, REALLY want some. But do I need it?

Not only do these Hollywood ladies like this product, they’ve TALKED about how great these particular products are and how they’ve improved their lives. Plus editors of illustrious publications like Vanity Fair, Lucky and More have picked this as a winner and explained the health benefits.  Ahhhhhh, the power of testimonials!

Now, I REALLY, REALLY want it and I’m sure I NEED it.

I’m gonna buy it. Then, I’m gonna tell my friends about it.

I hope you get this little scenario. It’s about building perceptions of a product so that the customer doesn’t necessarily NEED to actually get their hands on it before making the decision to purchase.

There you go…green marketing tip #9. Stay tuned. Still more to come!

Okay, this tip applies to you if you are selling a product or service. Once you know who your market segment is and hopefully pinpointed WHAT they are looking for product-wise. You can further establish your positioning and branding by being a resource.

Providing resource information to your customers is extremely important. It legitimizes who you are, builds trust and furthers the relationship you are creating with your customers. Ideally, you want a long-term relationship with each and every customer. By giving them more than what they ever thought they needed, you are taking steps beyond what is expected and moving into the realm of good friend and partner.

So, how do you go about becoming a resource? First off, think about the whole ‘green’ market area. It’s rather new and while it’s a growing trend there are still a lot of terms being thrown around and concepts that are crying out to be clarified.

Recommendation #1
Get a good list of working definitions going. I mean, what does photovoltaic REALLY mean? How about hydro-electric? Sustainable? Fair Trade? Organic?
Get your terminology down and publish it on your site or blog.

Recommendation #2
You’ve got the catch-phrases and words defined that apply to the ‘green market.’ Now, how do you use it? Create articles and content and guides for your customer that tell them HOW to APPLY these concepts to their lives. Be sure to include how it impacts THEM, not you. This information is unbiased (or should be), helpful and succinct. It can be in the form of daily tips or a full blown article or both. Yes, it might take research, yes, you might have to hire a free-lance writer or two but yes, it will be sooooooo worth it.

Recommendation #3
Tools and calculators are just plain fun. They can be turned into widgets that keep customers connected to you in various ways from their desktops, their newsletters or blogs they read regularly. If you aren’t sure what widgets are, I’ll be talking about them more but for a real quick working definition look here.

Here are a few of my favorite fun tools.

• Earth 911 – to find a recycling center for all sorts of household items from oil to glass to printer cartridges
• Conservation International - Check your carbon footprint and figure out how to offset it
• See Green Now - Check your own green knowledgebase and see how green you really are.

Ok, there you go – Tip #8. Use the recommendations. Do your research. Create your content. Become a resource. It might not happen overnight but with a little hard work and dedication, you can do it. You’ll thank me for it later…I promise!

We aren't quite to #8 but we'll get there, I promise…

Here's an add-on to #7 - more green blog friends to add to your list. If you don't know about making new green friends, check out green marketing tip #7.

JetsonGreen - green building, sustainable architecture, and eco-friendly development with a modern perspective.

Inhabit - devoted to the future of design, tracking the innovations in technology, practices and materials that are pushing architecture and home design towards a smarter and more sustainable future.

PlanetSave - green news and links with colorful commentary, a dash of hopeful outrage, and a non-ironic desire to save the world since 1999.

YouGrowGirl - a new kind of gardener, seeking to redefine the modern world relationship to plants. This contemporary, laid-back approach to gardening places equal importance on environmentalism, style, affordability, art, and humour.

MetaEfficient - a web magazine that covers the latest green products and technologies.

GreenLove - applying the wisdom of sustainability to the relationships which make our lives what they are.

Stay Tuned. More to come.

Okay, okay…I really couldn't justify this as a full blown tip. It really just explains tip #7 so it's kind of an add on to yesterday's post about making new 'green' blog friends.

This is the WHY of making new friends in the 'green' blogosphere.

First off, these bloggers are people who really know a lot about their particular subject so they are excellent resources and you can get up to speed on topics that are important to your customer.

Secondly, if these bloggers know who you are, respect your product and your business it's highly likely they will at some point mention you. The better relationship you have with them, the higher your odds of getting a mention and some viral buzz going on about you and/or your business. Remember, it's all about getting the conversation started.

Thirdly, bloggers are great at expressing their viewpoints, sometimes loudly, on all sorts of things - namely products. Words like organic, natural, biodegradable, and sustainable are thrown around a lot in product descriptions but any green blogger can tell you why those words might not be accurate. So, your new friends might offer up fertile testing grounds for new products.

Fourthly, (is that actually a word?) blogs are a great place to garner some extra web traffic to your site - especially if the blog is a well-known, respected, highly trafficked site. A mention or link from a blog to your site can bring in very targeted traffic giving you an exciting opportunity to connect with new customers.

Okay, there you go…green marketing tip #7.5. It's good to make new friends. Happy Friday!

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This isn't a tip, exactly. It's more of a helping you in the right direction. You know, sharin' the love.

Remember the song that goes…"make new friends but keep the old, one is silver and the other gold?" Well, here's your starter list of new friends in the green blog arena.

This is not the most complete or extensive list by any stretch but these are pretty darn good blogs. And any one of these is a good place to start making new blog friends - which, by the way, you definitely need for your pr and marketing efforts.

AND…if, by some chance, your blog isn't listed and you feel it should be, don't get in a snit. Drop me a line or leave me a comment and I'll take a read and most likely happily add you to the list!

About My Planet - Blog and discussion boards.

Alternative Consumer - Reflects the needs of the next wave of smart consumers … chic, savvy shoppers who want to integrate more “green” into their buying decisions.

Eco-chick - The blog team at Eco-chick includes a model who has a degree in entomology, an alternative health freak who’s used herself as a guinea pig, a science nerd, a news junkie and a Barcelona-based expat; the site is run and hosted by an anarchist webmaster.  Today’s chicks want to know what’s going on, and want to laugh.

EcoGeek - EcoGeek.org publishes up to ten stories daily about innovations that are saving the planet.

Ecorazzi - the latest in Green Gossip – Very FUN! I absolutely love this site.

EcoSherpa - EcoSherpa is focused on inspiring people to live in a more earth friendly way.

Everyday Trash - A closer look at what we throw away.

Frugal for Life - Experience life by living a simple frugal life.

Green LA Girl - Fair trade coffee, local politics, and ethical consumerism in Los Angeles.

Green Girls Gone Global - An international weblog about people from different places with different experiences, skills and interests talking about how they and people where they live are trying to live a life in a way that is eco friendly.

Green Options - A community dedicated to environmental resources, education, and discussion.

Green Thinkers - An informal forum for ideas and thoughts on how to live a more green life. Plus, the very cool editors (Nathan) at Green Thinkers just put up a video of a friend of mine, Michelle Miller from Alive & Well TV – it’s all about her “green home makeover” so be sure to check it out.

Grist Magazine - Environmental news and commentary.

Joel Makower  - Sustainable business, clean technology,green marketplace.

Jolly Green Girl -  Here's what she says…“I was probably the furthest from the Green person you would ever meet. It all happened accidentally; hence the Accidental Environmentalist.”

Kristen Andersen - Sustainable design, living & style.

Lighter Footstep - Dedicated to helping you live a greener, sustainable lifestyle.

Mongabay.com - Seeking to raise interest in and appreciation of wild lands and wildlife, while examining the impact of emerging trends in climate, technology, economics, and finance on conservation and development.

OrganicAuthority.com - Get hip, go organic is the organic authority tag line. Yep, pretty cool.

Sustainablog - Sustainablog is dedicated to news, information and personal meanderings related to environmental and economic sustainability, green and sustainable business, and environmental politics.

The Big Green Purse  - Women have the power right now to solve many of our most serious environmental problems by using our green purses to make a difference.

The Groovy Mind - Trading in higher consciousnessorganic - fair trade - eco-friendly goods

Treehugger - The definitive, modern yet green lifestyle filter.

Unplugged Living - Helping you freeload off of Mother Nature.

There you go, your green marketing tip #7. Well, sort of. Now, go make some new friends! But, remember… PLAY NICE.

By the way, next time, I'll tell you WHY you need new 'green' friends… 

Okay this is an obvious one. You've probably already thought about it but I have to throw it in, just in case it's slipped your mind.

Purchase online advertising where your green community frequently visits to collect information. Yes, for this particular tip, I'm talking about green blogs. Here are a few, but I encourage you to do some research and ferret out more. There may be one or two or ten that exactly fit your audience profile.

• Treehugger has a bevy of green followers that happen to come in many different shades of green, from a light minty green to deep dark forest green and everything in between. Their interest lies in everything from serious political issues to buyer's guides. What I love about Treehugger is their small business option for advertising. They work hard to make sure the little guy has the same opportunities as the big fortune 500.
• IdealBite has a following of the more upscale, less politically motivated, luxury green shopper.
• GreatGreenGoods is a shopping blog. While the traffic isn't as staggering as Treehugger or WorldChanging (see the last bulleted item), if you have a unique eco friendly product, this might be the perfect place for your ad. Just a note, while I love the traffic stats of the whopping sites/blogs like Treehugger and WorldChanging, there's something important to be said for less traffic that is highly targeted. I like the shopping blogs (probably because I am completely in love with the whole social shopping scene) because the visitors are ACTIVELY in a phase of the shopping cycle which makes them a bit more targeted from a web traffic standpoint and more likely to purchase.
• TheGreenGuide is published by National Geographic. Their audience is actively looking for healthy alternatives and educational resources for their homes and families.
• WorldChanging has a large following of tech savvy, highly educated, deeply committed to the environment consumers.

Yep, that's the Green Tip #6 for today. Get out there and bother those bloggers. They secretly love it!

WARNING – No Greenwashing Allowed…

Greenwashing is a term used to describe companies that are pretending to go ‘eco’ in an attempt to cash in on the green market trend. In effect, they say they are green, create a couple of green educational resources or throw up a few eco friendly products and shout to the world that they are, in fact, green.

This is NOT a good thing. Understanding this is important.

The market segment you are trying to reach is values driven. They want to know what your values are as a company and if they match with their own personal values and beliefs. In essence, as a company, you have to walk the talk.

You want to get your company stance established before you begin talking to this new and very educated customer. If you are committed to lessening your carbon footprint, to cutting down on your waste, using solar or hydroelectric, carpooling or telecommuting, using biodegradable or recycled packing materials and truly committed to fair trade practices and offering goods and services that benefit not only your company but the people who create them, then you are most definitely on the good green path to enlightenment.

Okay, there you go, green marketing tip #5 – No Greenwashing, PLEASE! Be authentic and true to who you are as a company and to your customer.

It is an absolute must to participate in community. After all 'green' is grassroots. And, using technology (that whole web 2.0 idea) to socialize and increase awareness of your company is not to be overlooked.

Communities have long been an internet staple but with the increased socialization of the web, it's important to find and participate in like-minded groups, ie. social networks.

Check out RiverWired.

This is a place where you can post your videos, blogs and photos and participate in the discussion about all things green. My recommendation is to ALWAYS be up front about who you are, your company and your 'green' goals. Everyone has an opinion and places like RiverWired are a great place to really get hard-core honest feedback about issues or questions you might be facing.

If you provide good content, participate in groups and take an active part in the discussions, you'll find a group of people who are open not only to coming to your online store to shop but also recommending you to other people in their social network.

Okay, there you go, green marketing Tip #4. Get online and get busy building that social network. Who knows, you could be the next big blogosphere buzz!

Participating in Green Events like Live Earth on July 7 is an absolute must for any business going green. Whether it's hosting an event locally in honor of an event like Live Earth, or creating your own event, a big part of being green and reaching the green audience is about "thinking globally and acting locally."

Since Live Earth is coming up this Saturday, it's a great example for us to use. This is a global event created to raise awareness about environmental issues. In their own words, "Live Earth will use the global reach of music to engage people on a mass scale to combat our climate crisis."

This organization is so large that they make it easy for 'green' businesses to participate on a local level. If you click the 'Friends of Live Earth' link  you'll be taken to a page where you can register your event.

Just FYI, to see what's been scheduled you can click on the search for an even nearest you button. Then set up your query using your zip code to find local Live Earth events in your area.

Participating and creating events not only educates your audience on an extremely important topic but it builds top-of-mind awareness about you and your brand both globally and locally. Believe me, you want them to know who you are. And, it let's your target audience know you are aligning yourself with groups and causes that are important to them. You are taking steps to build your brand and build a friendship with your potential customer. 

The fabulous kickback in all of this is that not only will you reach your target market and begin to build brand awareness but also make a few friends along the way. Businesses that are 'green' and out there in the trenches building thier brands just like you and I are some of the most helpful friendly people around. By and large the viewpoint is that by helping one another we are, in essence, helping ourselves.

Okay, there you go. Tip #3 to use at your disposal. Go on, get out there and start building those relationships!

The green market is booming and FAST. Determining who your audience is, who the market demographic is can't be stressed enough.

Right now, everyone (and I mean everyone) is trying to figure out who these people are and what they want. I've talked a lot about eco-chic and luxury green. But Alex Williams over at The New York Times summed up the 'green movement' and it's complexities succinctly in his article "Buying Into the Green Movement."

Here's my own exploration into the Mainstreaming of the Green Market. Just let me say, that marketers and business executives are scrambling to figure out the "Green" demographic. It's a real mishmash of theory and debate about what is eco-friendly and how to capitalize on this rather new interest by a population driven by consumption. Yes, I AM talking primarily about those of us who reside in the US. 

The market is largely dominated by LOHAS (Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability). They represent a $228.9 billion marketplace for goods and services that focus on the environment, social justice, personal development and sustainable living. This is a rapidly growing group of consumers. They are leading the "green" movement. Any marketing efforts should take this group into account. Most importantly they are looking for and loyal to companies that are committed to being ‘eco’ to the core. Greenwashing isn't something they look for nor will put up with. 

“Naturalites” represent about 25% of all US adults. While this group isn’t driven to purchase eco-friendly products, necessarily, they are very health focused looking for natural and organic consumer goods, especially food. 

To further complicate the green demographic profile, it's also being broken down by how green a person considers themselves to be - ie, what ARE they willing to give up to live an eco-friendly lifestyle?  "Light Green" is now a term being tossed around that represents a certain upscale lifestyle and market approach. People who represent this market are characterized by the following characteristics:

• Drive their SUVs to Whole Foods
• Do not expect companies to be perfect in order to be considered “green”
• Are beyond boycotts
• Drink organic wine after yoga
• Applaud convenience
• Looking for opportunities to reduce their environmental footprint through their everyday decisions
• Are educated and seek information from sources they trust
• Approximate age 35
• 94% women 6% men
• Median household income of $82,000
• 79% college educated
• 70% professional/post professional degree

Okay, there you go. Tip #2. Go get 'em tiger! Use this information and get to know your customers.

All data provided came from the Natural Marketing Institute, Idealbite and Lohas.com.