As Environmental Leader reports, a recent study found that a whopping 77% of consumers described themselves as green. These consumers can be divided into four main categories:

• Deeply Committed – people who are really trying to make a positive impact on the environment
• Trendy – people who see others going green and want to stay in touch with today’s green trends
• Practical – people who go green because it makes sense for their lifestyle for one reason or another
• Passive – people who want to better the environment in order to provide a better life for their families

What about your consumers, though? Where do they fall? And why should you care?

First, this effects your price point. If your consumers are, in general, going green to save money, you want to find ways to help them do that It might be in finding a cheaper way to manufacture products, using less energy so that you can cut costs, for example, or it might be in offering products of the same price, but that use less energy in their homes, thus saving them money.

On the other hand, if your target market cares more about going green for the good of the world, they will typically be willing to pay a higher price as long as they are doing something good for the environment. For these consumers, you want to focus on being as green as possible, even if it drives prices higher.

Price isn’t the only thing this affects though. You also want your advertisements to hit hardest the group into which your consumers fall. Say you’re selling hair dryers that use 50% less energy. How would you create a commercial that entices someone in the trendy group? Now imagine your target market falls in the practical group…how would that commercial for the same product change?

The point it, you need to constantly keep your thumb on the pulse of your consumer’s motives. Whatever you’re selling, it only makes sense to go green if you can get your market on board.

Post from: EveryJoe

What are your Customer’s Green Motives

To help meet this goal, the Aluminum Association is increasing public education, expanding the recycling infrastructure, and focusing on new legislation that will mandate recycling in areas where it is currently voluntary or legislation that will focus on recyclable deposits. Studies should that states with deposits have a 74% or higher recycling rate, while other states have just a 38% recycling rate.

You can read more about these goals at GreenBiz.com.

Setting Green Goals for your Business

What can you learn from the Aluminum Association? Even if your business doesn’t have products it can recycle, aluminum or otherwise, the take away message here is that you need to set green goals for your small business.

Here are some tips to help you create (and keep) your green goals:

• Make this a company effort. Brainstorm with all of your employees to determine areas in which you can go green.
• Write down your goals and post them. You should have some kind of visual reminder of the ways in which you hope to go green.
• Track your progress. Your goals, for example, might be to cut electricity usage by 15% by January 2010. Give your employees an update on your progress throughout 2009.
• Be vocal about your green goals. When you tell your customers about your goals, you’ll be promoting your products or services, and you’ll also be more motivated to reach those goals
• Offer incentives for employees helping your reach your goals. Make it worth their while to go green with you.

What are your company’s green goals and how are you reaching toward them? Leave a comment to inspire us all!

Post from: EveryJoe

What the Aluminum Industry can Teach Your Business

That number is super high but not surprising. What is surprising is why companies are going green. 67% of the companies responding say that their customers are “forcing them” to make the changes. You can read more about this story from Environmental Leader.

Keeping Your Customers Happy

Are your customers forcing you to go green? This change in sales might be small at first, especially by family-owned businesses. However, for many companies, the drop in sales is there. Consumers respond to companies who are going green.

To keep your customers happy, follow these tips:

• Well advertise the green changes that you’ve made.
• Ask customers to participate in surveys to determine the level of “greeness” you need and the best price points for your products.
• Educate the consumer with a green website.

How are you keeping customers happy with your green choices?

Post from: EveryJoe

Keep Customers Happy: Go Green!

I have to disagree.

Yes, emails take energy just like paper mailing. Yes, you can recycle paper. Yes, trees are, in most cases (at least today) cut down in a responsible manner for this type of thing.

That doesn’t mean that sending out a million letters to people who don’t want them is a good idea. In fact, arguing that cutting down on unsolicited mailings isn’t a green move is, frankly, bullshit. I understand that everyone has to make their dime, but I urge you to think about your mailing responsibly:

• Create an opt-in mailing list, where your customers sign up, rather than using random mailing addresses.
• Target your audience carefully. Sending information about your company to people who don’t fit your demographic is a waste.
• Use emails when possible. Yes, this has flaws, but is typically better than paper mailing.
• Work with companies that use recycled paper and responsible wood products.
• Revise your mailing list continuously. If you don’t receive replies from customers in ten years of soliciting them, chances are that they’re never going to contact you.
• Do one larger mailing packed with information instead of tons of little mailings.

There is something to be said for unsolicited mailing. Sometimes this is the best way to grow your business, and if it is, focus on going greener in other ways.

Post from: EveryJoe

Greening your Mailing List

The EPA will make personal changes to help this process, and these steps will take until 2011 and then states will have five years to comply with the new standards. This shouldn’t be a problem for most locations, though it is estimated that at least 18 countries in 12 different states will violate these standards. Over 100 cities also wouldn’t make the cut. You can read more here.

Using Green Products, not just Green Processes

When going green with your business, start with your products. A lot of business owners think that going green means replacing light bulbs and cutting back on packaging. While that is a part of it, going green should also be about using safe, clean products.

Lead isn’t the only material that is unsafe. Most people have heard about the dangers of asbestos and certain kinds of plastic, but many times, even “ok” materials could be better. In other words, take a moment to learn about ALL of the materials you’re using. If you’re running a flower shop, can you find natural clay pots instead of the pots you are currently using. If you’re running a bakery, can you find organic products to replace current products?

The point it, you have to look at going green from all sides. This isn’t something you can do in a year or two, even if money is no object. Going green is something you have to work on continuously.

Post from: EveryJoe

EPA Restricts Lead Levels Even Father: Green Materials, not just Green Processes

Keep in mind that in order to have a successful business blog, you have to have time to devote to it. The most successful blogs in any industry are updated at least 3 times a week – for many, updating even more is common. All of that blogging takes energy. However, consider the green “pros” of a business blog:

• You can announce new products or services without sending out snail mail newsletters. Email lists are great for this as well, but with a blog, you’ll be drawing in new customers at the same time.
• A business blog can help you promote going green in a way that is appropriate for your industry. Websites get lost in the shuffle, while green posts on a blog are more readily seen by readers in most cases simply because of search engine dynamics.
• Blogs are ever-changing. They’re a dynamic way to connect to people, not static like a website. So, like is often the case on this site, people with green ideas about your business can leave comments directly on your blog. If you’re anything like me, emails get lost way too easily. Comments are much easier to read.

If you choose to run a business blog, consider going with a green(er) host and feel free to contact my writing company for help, of course!

Post from: EveryJoe

Business Blogging: Is it Green?

Setting a Green Example

The energy used by the Eiffel Tower’s lights is relatively small, so cutting the twinkle time in half won’t really save all that much energy. Although every little bit helps, this is about setting an example for the community more than it is about making a big impact.

That’s something you can do in your own business as well. I can’t stress enough that you need to avoid greenwashing – making your company seem green when you aren’t really making a big difference. However, there are ways in which you can set an example, even if your business doesn’t lend itself well to making a huge environmental impact.

• Choose green holiday gifts for employees.
• Donate to green charities (and announce it in your company newsletter or on your website so others can do the same).
• Use CFL bulbs everywhere, but especially in your showrooms.
• Have a “go green” page on your website that gives little tips to your customers as well as talks about your environmental efforts.
• If there are greener versions of your products, display their green qualities in your store or, if you don’t keep the item in stock, have signs offering to special order them.

Every little bit does help, simply because you’re encouraging others to go green as well.

Post from: EveryJoe

The Eiffel Tower is Saving Energy: Setting an Example in your Community

Take a look at your vendor list – the people selling you your materials, promoting your business, and otherwise selling you products and services your business needs. How green are these companies? In some cases, you might be able to find greener vendors.

At the same time, keep in mind that you don’t want to burn bridges by suddenly refusing to work with certain vendors who have been loyal to you over the years. I suggest contacting the managers or owners personally and explaining your situation – you want greener options. Reduce your business with them slowly, perhaps by 50% upfront and then move the rest of your business to another greener vendor over the next year.

Don’t always assume that a business isn’t green just because they aren’t advertising the fact. Some small businesses go out of their way to be green whenever possible, so do your research before changing up your vendor list!

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Greening your Vendor List

Today, The New York Times reported that the European Union’s plan on climate changed is being challenged. The agreement, in which countries promised to slash emissions 30% from 1990 to 2020, in now being questioned. A number of Eastern European countries, along with Italy, have announced that they may no longer be able to uphold their end of things.

You can read more about this story here.

Should you Compromise Going Green as an Economic Precaution?

In the face of so many economic problems, should you revise your plans to go green? Well, yes and no. While you should make smart economic choices right now, here are a few things to consider:

• Many green choices will actually save you money, and you don’t have to wait years for a return on your investment. For example, switching to CFLs will start saving you money right away, and you’ll likely make your money back in less than a year.
• Consider going green slowly instead of all at once. You don’t have to totally scrap your environmental policies. Simply take a look at what you can afford to spend right now.
• Do some market research. While green choices might cost a lot up front, will you widen your market base by going green? If you’ll increase sales, it might be worth it.

Right now, be careful with your money. That doesn’t mean you can’t go green, though. Just be smart about your environmental decisions so that you can ride out the current slump.

Post from: EveryJoe

The Economic Crisis: Should you Compromise Going Green as a Precaution?

Sounds great, right? Well, maybe. While I’m sure that many copies will be sold, as you can read on Reuters, there are already a number of critics, including environmentalists who disagree with the highlighted passages and Christians who don’t like mixing secular goals with religion.

What does this have to do with your business?

Well, no matter what, there will always be people who don’t like the business decisions you make, and that includes decisions you make in an effort to go green. When you create green products, consider how they meet the needs of all of your customers, even those you *gasp* don’t really care about the environment.

Going green can be tricky – think through your choices because making changes.

Post from: EveryJoe

Green Bibles: Not Everyone Will Support Every Green Choice