Marketing insight: Devising your green messaging strategy

Mark Jones and Ana Martins, Pantree

Like any strong marketing strategy, for a message to be relatable and convincing, it is crucial that what you are communicating is genuinely authentic.

Keep it clear and simple by identifying one or two USPs which underpin your business proposition and ensure that these messages are both reflected in your core values, from supply chain to customer, and that they are woven into the fabric of all your communications – internal and external.
 
Whatever the size and scale of your business, with consumers more considered than ever in their purchasing decisions, keep your messaging simple and clear and your business model robust enough that you can back up what you are promising.

Rich Ford, Sherlock Studio

Take your customers on the journey with you. Tell them that you’ve got your waste-to-landfill down to 30% but you’re working really hard to get that down to zero. They’ll respect you for your efforts and who knows, may even have some ideas to help you. Honesty and transparency should also make it less likely that customers will feel isolated or overwhelmed.

In a physical store environment, think carefully about the material you choose to display it on. A message that reads ‘We’re all about reusing everything we can’ that is printed on say, single-use plastic vinyl, is a contradiction in terms. But one that is handwritten on an old wooden palette will demonstrate that you’re putting your words into action.