75
TOBACCO BUSINESS INTERNATIONAL
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2014
KeyTag1’s Braun Barski shares
five
green
marketing
Tips
for businesses.
GoING GREEN
By Jennifer Gelfand
N
o matter what
kind of business
you run, there
are ways for you to run a
greener business and there are
also green marketing strategies
you can employ to spread those eco-
friendly practices to others. Here are a
few ideas to get you started:
1. Conserve PaPer
Instead of passing out paper flyers
and promotional materials, save paper
by sending email newsletters. You’ll
cut down on waste and litter, and your
business will benefit as well. After all,
you never know where those paper flyers
will end up, but with email marketing
you know exactly who your emails are
going to, as well as who actually opens
and reads them. What’s more, you can
include graphics, contests, links, articles
and other material you would never be
able to fit on a single flyer.
2. UseGreen seal ProdUCts
The products you use at your
business may likely have your company
logo and other information printed on
them in order to further promote your
brand. When it comes to choosing
which products to purchase for
these purposes, you might want to
check out GreenSeal.org. Green Seal
empowers companies to create a more
sustainable world by helping them
find green products and services. You
can find anything from writing paper
to construction materials to cleaning
products and food packaging on their
website—and everything is green.
3.startane-CommerCesite
Not all businesses sell their products
online but it is definitely a good place to start
if you want your business to go green this
year. By selling online, you are expanding
your customers from a local area to the
entire country or even several countries.
When people can buy your products online
they won’t have to drive to your store,which
keeps pollutants out of the air.
4. rewardYoUr
CUstomers
forGreen
PraCtiCes
Get your customers to join
you in the effort to go green.
You can encourage your customers
by offering them a discount or coupon
in exchange for bringing their own
reusable shopping bags and reusable
cups or foregoing a bag at checkout. Your
customers will notice that you’re doing
what you can for the planet and appreciate
the opportunity to do their share.
5. BUilda stronGsoCial
media PresenCe
Social media is a great way to market
your business—plus it’s safe for the
planet and economical for you. Creating
a business profile on Facebook, Twitter,
Google+ and Pinterest is free and you
can use those services to keep customers
and fans updated on the events of your
business, new items, special promotions,
contests, etc. It’s also a great way to
personally interact with your customers
and get feedback from them.
—Braun Barski is CEO of KeyTag1, LLC
