If you were asked, “What are you doing to ‘grow green (plant/profit)’ your market share,” what would you respond? Would you similar to my colleague Ed Snodgrass of Emory Knoll Farms, http://www.greenroofplants.com/, be recognized as an eco leader, a person who is growing green their market share?
Nationally coined by media as the ‘Green Roof Man of the Year’, Snodgrass, a committed conservationist, has supplied plants for over one million square feet of green roofs in 20 states and the District of Columbia. And, perhaps more importantly, if you look behind his commercial commitment, you will see that it extends far beyond a business focus. He applies his philosophy, ‘don’t take more out of the Earth than we are able to put back’, to all facets of his lifestyle.
While it can appear difficult to identify ‘eco-biz greening strategies’, in most cases it is a matter of applying effective core business strategies such as efficiency of scale: create maximum output from minimum eco resources input. In a prior blog/column - http://blog.thewrightscoop.com/2011/03/21/eco-biz-leadership.aspx - I identified the nation-wide lack of recognized eco leadership. So, through writing a series of blog/columns, I hope to initiate discussion of ‘how to’ resolve this issue.
For the present, let me share a few ‘grow green market share’ tips -
• Become a steward of the land because ‘green matters’.
• Be aware research has revealed 8 of 10 consumers prefer a green product, service or information; regardless of age, green matters. Consumers are willing to pay more (usually 5 to 10%); and, prefer to deal with a company that has an established ‘greening’ reputation.
• Provide ‘green’ products or services defined as ‘made/provided with little environmental harm’: goods or services produced in environmentally and ecologically friendly ways, e.g. by using renewable resources.
• Strive to create ultimate ‘green’ products or services that meet present-day consumer demand without impacting future generation resources.
• Understand the Ps – product, publicity, promotion, people, planet & profit – as each influence ‘greening’ market share; and then, develop vision/mission statements and green initiatives which enable media formats that support brand recognition.
• Use mechanics involved in creating branded images and identify communication formats that create a differentiated message, an industry appropriate image sustained by viable ‘green’ products or services.
• Inject the market place with a unique, consistent, desirable ‘green’ persona position that reigns over a consumer’s mind and is so highly valued that you and/or your product are not simply seen as “a” product but “the” product.
• Become the recognized niche product or service eco-brand, create a brand name - you!
If a colleague in your region were asked the question, “pause for moment, who do you consider to be an eco leader,” would he/she visualize you? Could you be coined by media as an ‘eco man/woman of the year’? Are you participating in activities that ‘green (planet/profit)’ your market share?
To share comments, ideas or strategies related to this subject or other communication topics, contact Sylvia@TheWrightScoop.com. Contribute to a series of topics that are helpful to the Industry.
About the author – Sylvia Hoehns Wright, author of Seven Steps to Grow Green Market Share, http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/seven-steps-to-grow-green-market-s... and The ABCs of Green Industry Communications: assess, brand & communicate, http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/the-abcs-of-green-industry-communi..., challenges all to ‘grow green their market share’. To acquire Wright’s books or her assistance as an eco-biz communications specialist, link to www.TheWrightScoop.com Sylvia’s Store option or contact (804)672-6007.













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