{"id":1113,"date":"2019-03-22T01:36:07","date_gmt":"2019-03-22T08:36:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.agiliron.com\/blog\/?p=1113"},"modified":"2025-09-25T21:59:26","modified_gmt":"2025-09-26T04:59:26","slug":"how-to-grow-your-audience-by-making-your-business-greener","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.agiliron.com\/blog\/how-to-grow-your-audience-by-making-your-business-greener\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Grow Your Audience by Making Your Business Greener"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><strong>Greener is better, especially in the eyes of today\u2019s consumers.<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1115\" src=\"https:\/\/www.agiliron.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/eco-friendly.jpg\" alt=\"Greener is better, especially in the eyes of today&#039;s consumers\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.agiliron.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/eco-friendly.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.agiliron.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/eco-friendly-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.agiliron.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/eco-friendly-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.agiliron.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/eco-friendly-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.agiliron.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/eco-friendly-600x400.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><a href=\"http:\/\/thebluediamondgallery.com\/tablet-dictionary\/e\/eco-friendly.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Source<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/p>\n<h3><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThe environment is where we all meet; where all have a mutual interest; it is the one thing all of us share.\u201d \u2013 Lady Bird Johnson<\/span><\/i><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many businesses today have taken the stance that becoming a greener, more eco-friendly organization is pivotal from a moral standpoint. These businesses also realize that by making genuine efforts to reduce waste, consumption, or emissions, you stand to attract a whole new audience and even increase your profit margins. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Studies suggest that <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.environmentalleader.com\/2007\/10\/53-of-consumers-prefer-to-buy-from-companies-with-green-rep\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">over half<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (53%) of today\u2019s consumers prefer shopping with businesses that boast a green brand reputation. Today\u2019s average web surfing consumer is eco-conscious and far more likely to connect with brands that share the same values. In short, being a greener business \u2013 and shouting about it from the rooftops \u2013 could significantly boost your commercial prospects. You\u2019ll feel good about helping the planet, too.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here, we explore ways you can become a greener business and market your new eco-friendly initiatives to a potentially loyal, lucrative target audience.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b><br \/>\n<\/b><b>Going green will save your business money<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.un.org\/sustainabledevelopment\/blog\/2016\/05\/rate-of-environmental-damage-increasing-across-planet-but-still-time-to-reverse-worst-impacts\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">rate of environmental damage is rising across the planet<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, but we still have a chance to reverse some of these issues. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As a business owner, it\u2019s important to do your bit to \u2018go green\u2019 if you can and here\u2019s the great part: being more eco-friendly will ultimately help save your business money.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By investing in reusable products (for example, reusable bags containers and packing as well as bamboo cutlery and cups for the kitchen rather than single-use paper or plastic alternatives), you will reduce your outgoings over time by eliminating the need to rebuy items and inventory. Moreover, by going paperless, you won&#8217;t have to purchase any printer paper and by reducing water as well as energy consumption you will reduce your utility bills quite significantly.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are many <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.entrepreneur.com\/article\/276978\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ways you can make your business greener<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and by doing so, you <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">will <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">save money.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><b>Why going green creates a positive consumer impact<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A recent sustainability report discovered that <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/ashtonmanufacturing.com.au\/66-of-consumers-willing-to-pay-more-for-sustainable-goods-nielsen-report-reveals\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">66% of people<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are willing to pay more for sustainable goods. Moreover, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.businesswire.com\/news\/home\/20110605005064\/en\/SCA%E2%80%99s-Tork%C2%AE-Brand-Releases-Green-Business-Survey\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">82% of adults<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> believe they&#8217;re well-informed about brands with a solid track record for sustainability. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As more people begin to play their part in creating a greener, more sustainable future, a wealth of eco-friendly <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.smartcitiesdive.com\/ex\/sustainablecitiescollective\/green-business-trends-and-what-expect\/1182102\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">trends<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and activities are emerging constantly \u2013 initiatives that you can leverage to your advantage.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Not only does this new activity offer prime promotional opportunities for your business, but by communicating a greener brand message to your customers, you will remain relevant, foster more brand loyalty, and tap into one of the world\u2019s <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.grandviewresearch.com\/industry-analysis\/green-packaging-market\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">fastest-growing markets<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Today\u2019s millennial generation sees sustainable shopping as a major <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.lofficielusa.com\/wellness\/millennials-more-likely-to-shop-eco-friendly-new-study-finds#\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">priority<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. As this cohort alone makes up a significant segment of today\u2019s eCommerce shoppers, appealing to these \u201cgreen-minded\u201d digital natives will significantly boost your bottom line.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><b>How to make your business more eco-friendly<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When it comes to making your business greener, there is no one-size-fits-all approach. If you want to ensure you can make sustainable changes, sitting down in a collaborative environment and developing a green strategy is a must. To help you form the bones of your green business strategy, here are some quick eco-friendly tips that should get you started:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Encourage staff members who live nearby to carpool, cycle, or hop on public transport by offering incentives. This will help reduce emissions while giving you the scope to create some engaging behind-the-scenes blog or social content that appeals to eco-conscious millennials.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Use alternative energy sources to power your business. If possible, install solar panels. If that\u2019s not practical, choose an energy provider that gets their power from renewable sources.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Source your internal goods (from kitchen supplies to office equipment and cleaning products) from other green, sustainable businesses.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many used electronic items end up in a landfill. If you can, donate them to charities or schools or get in touch with organizations like <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.recyclenow.com\/dont-bin-it-bring-it\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Recycle Now<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that can take them off your hands and dispose of them properly.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/smallbiztrends.com\/2011\/03\/5-strategies-saving-water-your-business.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Conserve water<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and reduce your single-use <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/en.reset.org\/act\/7-quick-and-easy-ways-reduce-your-plastic-consumption-04202018\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">plastic consumption<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (for starters, try sustainable packaging materials to send out your products) across the business, encouraging employee buy-in by making these new initiatives as easy as possible to implement.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Go paperless as much as possible, using electronic communications, documents, and invoices where appropriate.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These efforts alone will make your business significantly greener and give you plenty to shout about \u2013 which brings us onto our next subject.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><b>Promoting your green message<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once you\u2019ve put your new green initiatives into place, you should share your new eco-conscious ideals with your target audience. Here are four key approaches you can take to help you market your new, greener activities.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Recraft your brand message<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The first thing you need to do is revisit your core brand messaging. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Explore your <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.inc.com\/sangram-vajre\/how-to-use-simon-sineks-golden-circle-for-marketing-and-sales.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">golden circle<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (your \u201cwhat,\u201d \u201chow,\u201d and \u201cwhy?\u201d) and consider how you can tweak your existing communications to share your exciting new eco-messaging with existing customers as well as new prospects.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Stand tall with all of your newfound values and make sure that you explain them to your audience through your brand messaging.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One way of getting to the heart of your brand messaging is by creating a brand story that gets results. You can achieve this by recrafting your \u201c<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.agiliron.com\/blog\/5-key-ingredients-in-an-about-us-page-that-get-results\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">about us\u201d page<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, using this content as the foundation for all of your other business campaigns and communications.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Get eco-social<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As mentioned, this seismic consumer shift toward sustainable living has spawned its fair share of trends and activities \u2013 particularly through social media.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Remaining up-to-date with activities, social media trends, and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/ritetag.com\/best-hashtags-for\/environment\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">hashtags<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> surrounding plastic consumption, pollution, emissions, packaging, products, and activities will allow you to leverage them to your advantage. If you explore the latest trends and hashtags that are relevant to your eCommerce business niche or industry, you\u2019ll be able to craft engaging, relevant content that resonates with these audiences while sparking up meaningful conversations that could result in conversions.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Moreover, by launching your own social media-based trends or campaigns that cut through the noise, you stand to boost your brand awareness exponentially.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Take Johnson &amp; Johnson, for instance. An eco-conscious brand and an early adopter of green brand marketing, in 2013 Johnson &amp; Johnson paved the way for many of its peers by launching a <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/caretorecycle.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tumblr campaign<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> urging consumers to be more mindful about recycling.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By building an entire Tumblr-hosted microsite dedicated to bathroom product-based recycling and mindfulness tips, this engaging, inspiring work of green content marketing is still widely used today. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By creating a buzz around the Tumblr campaign through its most subscribed social media sites (including Facebook and Twitter), the brand generated a great deal of traction. This socially-driven initiative positioned Johnson &amp; Johnson as an industry thought-leader, and the campaign\u2019s <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/caretorecycle?lang=en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">hashtag<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is still actively used by eco-conscious consumers in 2019.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A testament to the enduring power of social media.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Work with influencers<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Influencer marketing is a powerful way of sharing your brand messaging and eco-friendly products or processes with a wider audience.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At present, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thinkwithgoogle.com\/consumer-insights\/youtube-stars-influence\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">70%<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of young consumers trust influencers more than traditional celebrities. Creating shareworthy eco-based content such as blog articles, infographics, and videos as well as using niche influencers to promote it (and your products) has the potential to grow your business substantially.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In today\u2019s hyper-connected world, there are thousands of well-subscribed <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.skinnyfit.com\/blog\/eco-friendly-influencers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">digital influencers<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> covering just about every facet of greener living imaginable. Reaching out to the right influencers and forging a meaningful, mutually-beneficial working relationship can help you make your efforts known. You can create inspiring collaborative content or ask the influencer to review your latest products or initiatives, sharing their thoughts with their growing following.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As a result, your green brand reputation will become firmly cemented as your audience grows.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Host eco events<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s one thing talking about being green, but sometimes, actions <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">do<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> speak louder than words. By hosting a gathering or event, you will be able to share your newfound values with a highly-engaged audience and encourage lifelong brand loyalty.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here are some ideas to inspire you:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Host an eco-friendly pop-up market and invite other green businesses in your area to participate.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Organize a plastic cleanup or litter pick in your locale or wider area.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Set up an event with food, drinks, and keynote eco-friendly speakers, inviting existing customers to come along and enjoy for free.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hold a product launch and invite customers, influencers, and the press to get up and personal with your new greener processes.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">All of these events offer invaluable opportunities to create inspiring behind-the-scenes content that you can promote with your target audience through social media. Get planning!<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThe Earth is a fine place and worth fighting for.\u201d \u2013 Ernest Hemingway<\/span><\/i><\/h3>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Becoming a greener business will be one of the most rewarding and valuable things you will ever do. Heed this message today, and you will reap amazing rewards tomorrow, both for your business and the planet.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For more eCommerce inspiration for the coming year and beyond, explore our guide on using <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.agiliron.com\/blog\/how-to-use-traditional-media-to-cut-through-the-noise-in-2019\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">traditional media to cut through the noise in 2019<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Greener is better, especially in the eyes of today\u2019s consumers. &nbsp; Source \u201cThe environment is where we all meet; where all have a mutual interest; it is the one thing all of us share.\u201d \u2013 Lady Bird Johnson Many businesses today have taken the stance that becoming a greener, more eco-friendly organization is pivotal from [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":1117,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1113","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.agiliron.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1113","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.agiliron.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.agiliron.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.agiliron.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.agiliron.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1113"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.agiliron.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1113\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.agiliron.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1117"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.agiliron.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1113"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.agiliron.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1113"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.agiliron.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1113"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}