Don’t Get Left Behind
Why Going Green Matters to YOUR Business
Businesses and consumers are going green, and this matters a great deal for your business. Is YOUR business getting left behind? If so, you are in the right place. Knowing where to start and how to go green can be a challenge, but we are here to help you navigate the green space. From corporate social responsibility (CSR) to marketing with custom reusable grocery bags, here’s what you need to know.
Save Money
In many instances, going green can help your bottom line. Reducing power usage, utilizing energy-efficient equipment and light bulbs, switching to digital storage, and going paperless are all ways your business can go green and save money.
Going green does not always result in immediate cash savings. For example, installing solar panels to power your business with solar energy is a great way to go green, but the panels can be costly. Solar panels can prove to be very cost-effective long-term, but your business may need to pay a lot up front, so it can take a while before you see cost savings.
Although some cities, counties, and even states offer tax incentives and rebates for businesses that go green, so making significant changes may not be as expensive as you think.
Corporate Social Responsibility
According to the 2019 Ford Trend Report, 40 percent of Americans Agree with the statement, “When I make a purchase, I often consider its environmental costs.” Many consumers like to do business with socially responsible organizations.
This responsibility can come in many forms, but going green is usually at the top of the list for many consumers, particularly millennials.
Taking your business practices green can positively impact the environment, but it can also show consumers that your brand is serious and dedicated to causes. This, in turn, can translate into goodwill towards your brand and even create a sense of brand loyalty.
Reduce Waste
Reducing waste or streamlining your waste is another actionable and often easy way to green your business. For instance, going paperless not only reduces your business’s paper consumption but will also reduce the use and need of ink cartridges and enable you to replace printers less often or possibly not at all.
Ink cartridges and equipment like printers can be hard to recycle, but if your business has a significantly diminished need, you will generate less of this waste.
A grocery store in Vancouver, British Columbia, Nada, sells items without packaging. Shoppers bring containers, borrow sanitized containers, or purchase containers from the store. Either way, everything is weighed and tagged before the customers begin to shop.
The containers are weighed again at the end, and the shoppers just pay for what they packed into their containers. This process is a bit extreme, and depending on the nature of your business, this may not be an option, but the way Nada works is an excellent example of reducing waste.
Reducing waste isn’t always about making your business operate more efficiently. Look for ways your business can help your customers reduce waste.
According to the 2019 Ford Trend Report, “Consumers overwhelmingly agree that environmental progress will depend on changes in human behavior, yet that awareness doesn’t always translate to action. Changing lifelong habits is hard, and many are looking for guidance on how and where to decrease their environmental footprint — recognizing that it may be the small changes that help make the biggest difference.”
Additionally, when your business goes green by marketing with custom reusable grocery bags, you will attract new consumers looking for companies that make it easy for them to find small ways to make a difference.
Engage Employees
The same consumers who like to work with socially responsible brands also want to work for socially responsible brands. Just like consumers tend to be loyal to green brands, employees are likely to have the same response as employers who go green.
Employees are also a great source of ideas for going green. The people who do the workday in and day out are more likely to understand how to improve efficiency without impacting quality or productivity. These innovations can help your bottom line but also make your operation greener. Involving employees in this process sends the message that you value your staff and their contributions.
Competition
Just because other people are doing something doesn’t always mean you should too, but you definitely should when it comes to going green. Your competitors are likely doing everything they can to go green, and they are reaping the benefits. If your business fails to implement green practices, you will appear out-of-touch and socially irresponsible. This can end up hurting your business and cost you customers and maybe even talented staff.
Help the Planet
Going green ultimately helps the planet. Less trash and better use of resources will eliminate, or at least reduce, pollution. This leads to improved air quality, cleaner water, and less interference in ecosystems and food chains.
Saving money and creating a good image for your brand are secondary benefits to going green, but these are still worthwhile benefits.
Show and Tell
Since your business has a lot to gain by going green, it is essential to spread the word. Educate your customers about your green initiatives through newsletters, website, social media posts, and other outreach.
Be transparent about your efforts and why you do things the way you do to help consumers understand your green journey.
Consistency is essential when implementing any strategy, so look for ways to go green in all aspects of your business. A great way to show your consumers that you are dedicated to going green is through your promotional marketing pieces.
Customized reusable products, like reusable bags and water bottles, made from recycled or sustainable materials are environmentally friendly ways to promote your brand. These items not only promote your brand but also promote your dedication to going green.
Make Your Marketing Green
At Factory Direct Promos, we have been helping customers both large and small create customized green promotional products for almost 30 years.
Our certifications include GOTS, Fairtrade, ISO 9001-2015, and FEDEX. All of these certifications are a testimony of our strong quality and social commitment.
We can make sure your business is not left behind. We can help you promote your brand in an eco-friendly way.
Learn more and create your custom reusable bags HERE to positively impact the planet and your marketing efforts.
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