Not since the hey-day of the Incredible Hulk, has the airways been so filled with the color green. It seems that every night the news contains a story on Global Warming or Green Products. We are being deluged with the message and so are your customers. What is causing this bombardment of the current green awareness issue? Could it be the high gas prices, the shrinking of the polar bears' habitat, the intense hurricane seasons, or the realization that the earth's resources are being depleted? Whatever the reason, retailers as well as entrepreneurs, are jumping on the band wagon to find ways to be part of the solution, not part of the problem.
So as responsible business people and members of the human race, what do you do? Should you trade in your Hummer for a Prius, turn off all your electricity and go solar, eat only food grown in your back yard or join the tree hugger movement? Well maybe you don't need to go to those extremes. There are some relatively minor steps you can take that will both help the environment and your profits.
As responsible retailers and business owners we need to be proactive in the Global Warming Area, not only to improve our image with the customer, but our profits also. So what do you do to accomplish this goal? The answer is don't fight the trend, embrace it.
Today, more and more customers are shifting their purchases and loyalty to retailers that are moving in the green direction. In turn, more and more retailers are joining the green movement to provide their customers with the most eco-friendly products. Retailers have to decide how Going Green will affect the bottom line. Also, is their a competitive threat by not going green
and how long will the current shift towards green last? Is it here to stay or just another cycle?
The most important point is to develop a relationship with your customers. Ask them what they would like to buy and provide them with those products. Remember, it is not about what you want to sell, it is about what the customer ultimately wants to buy. If the customer wants more organic baby products, find a suppler who will provide you with those products. The best place to find new and exciting products is to attend a trade show. You will find thousands of great products to choose from. Many trade shows now have Green Product Showcases.
One of the simplest things you can do is to let your customers know that you are trying to do your part. Make your store environmentally friendly by making a few simple changes.
Borrowing a theme from the David Letterman Show, here is our Top Ten Ways for Small Businesses to Go Green.
1. Buy Energy Star-rated light bulbs and fixtures, which use at least two-thirds less energy than regular lighting. Install timers and motion sensors that automatically shut off light when not needed.
2. Make it a habit to turn off your computer and power strip when you leave for the day.
3. Keep your store cool, not freezing, by raising the thermostat a few degrees.
4. Use and sell re-usable cotton bags in your store.
5. Sell timely merchandise in your store. There are many examples of new products on the market that carry an eco-friendly theme.
6.. Make it a policy to purchase office supplies, packaging materials, and bathroom supplies made from recycled materials.
7. When possible buy natural fabrics for sale in your store, organic when economically feasible.
8. Refill computer ink cartridges rather than add them to the landfill.
9. Start using electronic invoices to bill your customers. It is easy to create a PDF invoice and then email it. The sent invoice now has a date stamp in case any issues arise.
10. Use suppliers who are environment-aware and preferably small businesses themselves.
The dividends will be worth the effort. Your customers will leave your store with a favorable impression of both you and your business. People have many choices today in where they shop for baby merchandise. They are much more likely to frequent a store that is doing its' part to help save the planet for the children than the big impersonal chain store.
In a vary famous book, All Markerters are Liars, The Power of Telling Authentic Stories in a Low Trust World, author Seth Godin states the following premise. "Successful marketers don't talk about features or even benefits, instead they tell a story we want to believe." The current feel good story is Global Warming and everyone that embraces it will win. The most important story here, is that the environment and the planet win. Nobody loses when we conserve our natural resources.
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