Greening your marketing can be as easy or complicated as you want to make it.
For those that are looking for easy ways to green marketing practices, here are some suggestions.
Check Your Mailing Lists
By checking your mailing lists for duplicates or undeliverable addresses, you save paper and postage. One of Trekk Cross-Media’s bloggers, MJ Anderson, made a good point on the company’s blog, illustrating the need for checking mailing lists.
“Today I received a direct mailer at work that on the surface was funny, but after some thought was pretty sad….In today’s case, the direct mail piece was intended to tell me about the company’s new “environmentally responsible” policy on paper and soy based inks. Sounds like a great idea, right? I thought so, too, until I realized that not only did I receive this mailer, but six other people in my small office received the same mailer. Most of the recipients are not in a position to procure, use, or influence the purchase of printing services. The piece in question was a pretty elaborate envelope and well-designed brochure, letter and insert.
. . . I find it very ironic that a company interested in making an environmental statement as a marketing ploy would not take the time to check and verify its list before sending out an expensive mailing.
Not only does the printing company waste paper and postage, but it also looks hypocritical in my opinion, for trying to save the planet by sending out 6 pieces of the same paper to individuals who work in the same building."
Action Plans:
- Make your initial communication by email and then only send something in the mail as a follow-up to those that expressed an interest.
- Check your mailing list for duplicate addresses. If you’re sending direct mail to the president, CFO, marketing director and other notables, pick the top person who might actually read your direct mail piece and have the power to take action. Only send the piece to that person.
Not only will this help save the environment, but your company will save money and you’ll trim down your mailing list to the best prospects!
Talk to Your Printer About Green Choices
Commercial printers are increasingly becoming green, but in all actuality, only a small percentage have actually implemented green processes and materials.
Kodak researched how printers lie on the “green curve,” meaning how green are printers now and how green do they plan on getting? The results:
- 20% have no plans for environmental sustainability
- 30% have investigated it, but not started any initiatives
- 35% have not yet achieved any environmental certifications, but they have programs underway
- 15% have environmental sustainability programs in place, including certifications
As a marketer or business owner, this means you only have 15% of printers to choose from if you want to truly go green.
Action Plan: Ask about your printing company’s green certifications and what kind of sustainable practices are already in place, not are planned to be in place. And if your printer doesn’t even have a plan, you can easily find a greener printer who is at least working toward being green. Every bit of recycled paper helps.
Attend the Printing for a Sustainable Future Conference
Just learning about green initiatives and what printers can do to become green can help you understand how to green your print marketing solutions. The conference will be held March 16-18 in Indianapolis.
Topics include developing sustainable management systems and understanding green paper choices and eco-friendly inks. If you don’t know the green terminology, there’s a session on that too.
Action Plan: Take in as much info as you can, and use that info to pick inks and papers, and ultimately, a printer who cares about the environment as much as you do. Ask questions to learn what steps you can take in your business plan to green your marketing.
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