There are a number of ways that you can make your business more eco-friendly and benefit the environment. You’ll also very possibly further your own business objectives.
If you are thinking that those two above objectives are in irreconcilable conflict with each other, well, they’re not!
Very large numbers of people these days are increasingly concerned about the environment and don’t like to see businesses doing things that are downright stupid in that domain. Many are increasingly choosing to purchase from companies and businesses that are seen to be adopting best environmental practices.
So for both moral and self-interest reasons, taking the environment seriously is a good idea.
The strategic issues
If you are starting a business from scratch, why not consider one that has as its primary objective things related to benefiting the environment?
Of course, if your business ideas are not directly related to such fields, then you might need to establish your credibility in other ways.
Some of these might be termed strategic and potentially invisible to your customers.
Ideas here relate to things such as using your own wind generators, were possible, to help with electricity, making sure that you have economy light bulbs and energy-efficient machines installed and ensuring that your premises are well insulated.
There are a vast range of options in that area which might offer real environmental benefit whilst at the same time saving you money. In fact, it might be easy to obtain business loans to help with progressing green savings initiatives from companies such as www.everline.com.
The customer visible initiatives
There are also a number of green actions you can take that might not only benefit the environment and your pocket but also be much appreciated by your customers.
Inevitably, some of this might take a little investment upfront but that should more than pay for itself in due course.
For example:
- make sure all your paper and packing is sourced from sustainable sources or recycled. Highlight that on them, so that your customers know it;
- where possible, use electronic distribution for your documentation rather than paper. Customers will like both the speed and the saving of trees that is involved;
- move away from corporate trivia type distributions. Pens, desk calendars, coffee mug mats, pencils, paper weights and plastic knick-knackery (and the like) are all still produced in vast quantities. These now looked desperately dated, their advertising value is limited and they’ll often go indirectly into the bins of the recipients concerned. Make a point of highlighting to your customers that you are not distributing them for environmental reasons;
- put your information online and avoid printing vast product brochures. A huge percentage of the purchasing population is now on line and sending out unsolicited brochures to people who immediately put them in their recycling pile isn’t doing much for your green credentials!
Keep in touch with evolving ideas. You may see things that inspire you.
Finally, be certain that you constantly update your customers with your various initiatives to try and save the planet’s resources in one form or another. That’s just good psychology!
[This post is supported by Everline.com]
