In a world where profits trump life on earth as we know it, how do businesses stand out from the crowd? And will they still stay true to their word?
Organizations can take advantage of any aspect that will help their image. It’s this very kind of marketing that helps them thrive. When a company’s values align with their beliefs, consumers are more loyal to that brand.
We’ve seen SMEs do this, telling stories about their grassroots beginnings. Larger organizations take pride in industry awards to look more credible in the eyes of the people.
Every day, more and more consumers are shifting to greener purchases. Because of this, businesses are looking to create strategies that reflect their care for the world.
According to Harvard Business Review, organizations with sustainable business practices have better risk management, innovation, and financial performance, including higher earnings, cost reductions, and enhanced efficiency and logistics. On top of this, long-term enterprises also enjoy increased client loyalty.
If your company has corporate sustainability management strategies in place, it’s time to take a closer look at how you can market it. It might just be what you need to give your business an edge.
What is sustainable marketing?
Sustainable marketing is a marketing strategy that promotes an organization’s environmentally, socially, and economically responsible products, practices, and brand values.
Companies use this to combat negative publicity from waste, price markups, and deceptive marketing. It is a great strategy for establishing relationships with customers while giving importance to the future.
This marketing strategy is not as simple as tying your products to a hot topic and then going about your business as usual. You need to first check the context of the issue you are addressing and how and why your brand fits as a solution in the customer’s thinking. From there, you can create goals that your company can assess and celebrate.
Getting started with marketing your corporate sustainability
1. Have A Wider Goal In Mind
The success of a brand is typically measured by numbers—usually how much money they have or will have in any particular period.
Sustainability alters this viewpoint by asking brands to re-evaluate themselves in terms other than profit. As a brand, you have to think on a wider or deeper scale. You need to promote something larger than your products and services that transcends any industry.
If you already have a clear social mission statement, now’s the best time to review it. If you have yet to draft one, spend some time figuring out what that goal is and how your brand fits into it.
Take a look at Patagonia, for example. Its products are simple—outdoor clothing and gear for all ages. What makes it stand out is its commitment to the planet, which is shown everywhere from its website to its socials.
2. Consider The Future
If you’re looking for a short-term strategy that’s easy to develop, sustainable marketing is not the answer. Its goal is to create long-term benefits for both your company and your consumers.
Brands are preoccupied with maximizing immediate profits. Many marketing strategies, such as Google Ads and blogging, are excellent lead generators. But what happens when your lead makes a purchase and becomes a customer? How will you cultivate enthusiasts and build loyalty?
This is where sustainable marketing comes in. It’s a great way to nurture customers throughout their entire buying journey. At the very start of this funnel, you can use education as a way to establish loyalty with your audience.
A great example of this is when a food business uses social media to educate its audience about the importance of ethical farming. They then follow this up with package recycling recommendations after the sale.
3. Be More Transparent
While marketing might seem like it’s always consumer-oriented, the truth is that that’s not usually the case. Not all brands are transparent, especially with their supply chain practices.
In traditional marketing, a company tries to persuade a customer to buy a product or service. Consumer-oriented marketing flips this over its head. You’ll first have to understand your consumers’ needs and demands and then adapt your marketing to them.
If your audience wants you to be more transparent about your sourcing practices or more vocal about social issues, give them the proper information. You could even use this in your next campaign.
Nike, for example, signals transparency by sharing its manufacturing map. This gives consumers insight into their factories.
4. Include Your Sustainable Marketing Strategies In Everything You Do
Authenticity is a huge part of sustainability marketing. Trust us, your audience will know when they’re being deceived.
Imagine learning that a company you support claims to be sustainable but has failed to put any procedures in place to support those goals. Consumers would begin to be more cautious about that brand, and regaining their trust would be tough. Some might even refuse to ever do business with this brand again.
You need to make sure that your company has a holistic approach to sustainability. Ask yourself the following:
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Do you speak about sustainability but develop your product with non-sustainable resources?
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Are you cooperating with companies whose missions are at odds with yours?
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Is your team a good reflection of the future you want to foster?
If any areas need work, go back to the drawing board to devise solutions that are in line with your mission.
Remember that your audience doesn’t expect perfection, but they will respect your transparency. If you have any existing shortcomings, it’s fine and even encouraged to discuss them. Just keep in mind how you will address them.
5. Create a Community and Leverage It
Building a community is an important aspect of implementing long-term marketing tactics. This is especially true in sustainable marketing.
If you want to gain a strong following, you can look at linking yourself with local events, activities, and communities. Make every effort to gain publicity for your company and the causes you support. You can also use your social media profiles to share photos and videos that show what your firm is doing differently.
This will aid in the growth of your website, email list, and social media following. Once you’ve built up a sizable following, you can use your audience to spread the word about your company. Encourage them to share what you’re doing to make the world a better place.
Sustainable marketing isn’t easy, but it is worth it
Compared to traditional marketing strategies, sustainable marketing is a little more complicated. Its goals are for the long term.
While it is difficult, it’s well worth the effort in the end. With this strategy, you’ll get to create a company that you can be proud of while having a beneficial impact on the world.
About the Author
Sophia Young recently quit a non-writing job to finally be able to tell stories and paint the world through her words. She loves talking about fashion and weddings and travel, but she can also easily kick ass with a thousand-word article about the latest marketing and business trends, finance-related topics, and can probably even whip up a nice heart-warming article about family life. She can totally go from fashion guru to your friendly neighborhood cat lady with mean budgeting skills and home tips real quick.