Public Opinion
It’s fairly apparent that as concerns about climate change continue to increase, consumers have begun to shop with an expanding environmentally conscious mindset. According to a survey taken in 2013 by Cone Communications, 90% of Americans consider the environmental consequences of their purchases [1]. Clearly, if businesses want to appeal to consumers, particularly young consumers, they should take into account their ingredients, methods of production and their marketing strategies.
Although the level of public doubt is waning, many Americans remain skeptical about organic products, especially with the prevalence of buzz words like “green” and “eco-friendly.” Plus, there still seems to be a stigma surrounding organic products. Either the product is less effective than a traditionally made product, or the product’s claims are over exaggerated and its manufacturer loses credibility in the community. So how can one gain the confidence of the public and promote organic and green items at the same time?
Seek Help
When marketing green products, one must be careful with language. There are many legal nuances involved when identifying a product as either 100% organic, organic or simply made with organic ingredients. Rather than risk being scorned for a mistake, it’s best to seek help from a marketing agency that has experience in green marketing. Saibot Technologies, for example, has been helping its clients with green marketing for nearly two decades [2]. As a result, these sort of agencies understand the necessary steps to honestly promote organic items.
Never Exaggerate
Trust is the key element for selling organic products. Truly environmentally minded individuals often perform rigorous research before their purchases, and any form of falsehood could end up being an irredeemable mistake. When consumers lose faith in the company, they may potentially disown it.
Luckily, the FTC has begun to crack down on false claims, and in February, the agency fined a light-bulb manufacturer for making misleading proclamations about the longevity of their bulbs [3]. Consumers must be able to trust any ecological claims made by a company.
Reduce Your Carbon Foot Print
I spoke with Adam Furman, President and CEO of Saibot Industries, about how a company might improve its ecologic credibility. He said, “I personally like to buy carbon credits. There’s actually a carbon exchange where different projects are listed. Someone will audit your company for a carbon footprint. Then, they might recommend that you change your bulbs to LED lights or introduce a carpooling program in order to lower your foot print.” Furman stated that he often recommends the carbon exchange program to his clients. If a company goes the extra mile to prove its dedication to the environment, then ecologically minded consumers will show respect and potentially opt to support that company among others.
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