The buzz is strong, so strong that it is utilised as part of small businesses’ marketing campaigns – an effective one, I must say (provided, of course, the businesses are really doing what they are preaching.)
Going green campaigns for small business
There are many type of campaigns, but typically, going green for small businesses involves energy saving/energy conservation, neutralisation of carbon footprints, and the use of ‘green’ power for your business.
Energy saving/energy conservation: This involves effective and efficient use of the energy, including changing your office light bulbs to those that have energy-saving properties, such as compact fluorescent and LED bulbs.
Neturalisation of carbon footprints: This can be done by managing your small business’ carbon footprints or by ‘purchasing’ clean energy to neutralise your carbon footprints.
The use of ‘green’ power: This means you directly use ‘green’ energy to power your business. The ‘green’ energy includes wind, solar, and water-powered energy generator.
The impact of going green for your business
There are small businesses that are consciously going green in the way they do business without thinking the ‘Return-on-Investment’ of their campaign – They do it because they ‘feel good’ doing it.
There are also small businesses that go green with ROI in mind and highly consider marketing/branding benefits of going green – They do it because it will help them in their marketing and branding campaigns.
In my opinion, no matter what your real intention is in going green, including ‘go green’ in your business plan can do good for your business:
- Going green will eventually buzz your small business – Whether you purposely do so or not, going green will put you and your business in the spotlight in a good way.
- Going green will close you more sales – People do respect someone who can make a difference, no matter how big it is. In marketing, letting the public know that your small business is going green will attract those people who value environmentally-friendly products, services and/or business practices – This will eventually close you more sales.
- Going green helps you in employee retention – The employees who are environmentally-conscious will likely to be motivated to work for the companies that put ‘green’ practices high in their priority.
- Going green makes you feel better – Like it or not, you have to admit that going green will give more purpose to you and your business – and this does make you feel good about yourself and your business.
Ivan Widjaya
Green small business
Image by La Citta Vita.