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Sustainable Marketing
Sustainable Marketing
Sustainable Marketing
Brands typically judge their success by the numbers. How much revenue they have or will
generate in any given period is usually the biggest indicator of success.
Sustainability shifts this perspective by having brands evaluate themselves by something bigger
than profit.
As a brand, you have to promote something that's bigger than your products and services and
transcends any particular industry.
Do you have a clear social mission? If not, spend time discovering what that is and how your
brand plays a role in furthering that mission.
For instance, fashion brand Autumn Adeigbo sells clothing, accessories, and home decor items.
However, its mission, as stated on its website, is to impact the lives of women on a global scale.
They do so by using female-owned production facilities, employing female artisans, among other
practices.
2. Think ahead.
However, what happens once your lead has made a purchase and turned into a customer? How
will you build loyalty and create brand evangelists?
Sustainable marketing looks at ways to nurture consumers during the entire buyer's journey.
Education is one way to build loyalty with your audience early on. From when they first discover
you on social media to after they've made a purpose.
For instance, a food brand could educate its audience on the importance of ethical farming on
social media and continue this process post-purchase with package recycling tips.
3. Be customer-oriented.
You might be thinking, "Isn't being consumer-oriented what all marketing is? "
In traditional marketing, a brand will often try to push a product or service to a customer. With
consumer-oriented marketing, it's more about understanding your customers' needs and tailoring
your marketing to that.
For instance, say your audience is craving more transparency in your sourcing practices or want
you to be more vocal on social issues. You could use that information for your next campaign.
With so much competition out there, one way to stay customer-oriented is by innovating.
We've all heard the Blockbuster and Netflix cautionary tale. But that speaks to a huge societal
shift that Blockbuster was unwilling to make.
But the truth is, innovation doesn't always have to be so big. It can happen in small iterations –
the key here is staying in touch with your audience's needs.
Imagine finding out a business that claims to be sustainable has failed to implement any practices
to promote its mission. Consumers would distrust that brand and it would be difficult to earn it
back.
Make sure your brand is looking at sustainability from a holistic lens.
Are you preaching about sustainability but use unsustainable resources to build your product?
Are you collaborating with brands that conflict with your mission? Is your team representative of
the future you want to promote?
These are the questions you should ask to determine if your brand reflects the mission you've set
out to achieve. Identify the areas that need work and go to the drawing board to figure out
strategies that align with your mission.
Audiences don't expect perfection, they do, however, value transparency. It's OK – and
recommended – to share where you currently fall short and how you plan to remedy these issues.