Customers are more aware of the purchasing power of their wallet, which is a great thing. This means that a customer might not just purchase your goods because they’re quality or affordable, but also because they algin with their chosen values or even politics. Does that mean you need to be as vocal as a brand like Ben & Jerry’s might be? Well no, of course not, but that’s your choice if so. However remember that with contentious topics, sometimes you alienate as many people as you draw.
However, there are some values that most rational people would admit are worthwhile and laudable. For example, pursuing eco measures to help reduce your global impact and begin investing in the future with care. If you can offset your carbon footprint or other resource use, that can be wise.
However, it’s also true that while these efforts are certainly worthwhile on their own, it’s smart to market them appropriately so more consumers see your efforts, and potentially add you to their ethical brand list. But how do you market this with the most effectiveness? Let’s consider that, below:
Implement Transparency
Building trust starts with openness, that’s as true in life as it is in business. Customers like to see that you’re not hiding behind corporate jargon as so many do, especially in this field. So, posting details about how your company operates, even if it means exposing a few challenges along the way, can be a refreshing change. When you talk about your methods, it helps to keep things real and relatable – for instance, if your production process faces an issue you’re struggling with, it can feel genuine to mention what you’re doing to address them. No one expects perfection, just a willingness to improve and an honest account of where you stand. It also shows you’re not just focusing on the marketing first but the substance, and arguably, that makes the best substance of all.
Set Clear Goals
It can be pretty useful to define what you’re aiming for, even if the targets aren’t grand or flashy. It’s so easy for companies to try and sell a huge eco vision without really being specific about what they want to achieve by when. So, you can do differently. Have particular milestones in your sustainability journey, as then you give your audience a sense of direction and accountability.
A clear goal could be as achievable as reducing waste in a particular area of your production, perhaps by using scrap metal recycling services, or as ambitious as transitioning to a more eco-friendly supply chain from the top down and only buying from trusted suppliers. This also gives you a chance to show small adjustments and market those as appropriate, even if you don’t win everything that year..
List Sources & Suppliers
If you can share information about your sources and the folks who supply you, it helps create a complete picture of your commitment to sustainability and also shows you’re not hiding behind anything (except for where trade secrets should be kept of course).
But for the most part, being honest about who you work with not only shows accountability but also reinforces the idea that you’re part of a larger community striving for better practices and that it’s a network change you need to consider, not just a personal effort. It might feel like a lot of detail at first, but when customers see a network of trusted names behind your products, it builds a kind of quiet confidence, and you may even gain approval by being adjacent to other brands.
Upload Video Materials
Infographics are cool of course, but it can be good to use video as well, as they have a way of pulling people in by showing the human side of your operations. If you’ve made a change to your sustainability approach that can be worthwhile, such as showing a behind-the-scenes look at your facility, a chat with a team member, or a simple walkthrough of your process.
This humanizes your brand and offers a chance for your customers to see for themselves what steps you’re taking and who’s involved in the journey, especially if you combine that with a report. You may be surprised how much confidence this can inspire, because if you seem like a normal group of people just trying to be better as opposed to a brand trying to promote how virtuous they are, you’ve grounded your operations well.
With this advice, we hope you can continue to market your eco-approach to consumers in the best possible way.
