How to Profit from the Green Revolution

Jennifer Duffield White

If you’re still equating the green revolution with riled-up environmental activists, it’s time to get real.

Environmental consciousness has solidly moved into the mainstream and it has penetrated every generation in some way. The Natural Marketing Institute claims that 83% of Americans are some shade of green. And a 2015 Tork Green Business survey indicated that 78% of American adults purchase green products and services.

Concern for sustainability—the environment and for social issues—only seems to be rising. In a recent survey, 55% of Americans said they wish they did more for the environment (from Sustainability in America 2015: Trends & Opportunities). And the younger Millennial generation is even more concerned, with 77% saying they wish they did more.

The overarching global need to take care of our natural resources, and of each other, is driving the green revolution. As companies, we engage in the green revolution to be better global (and local) citizens. But we also do it to protect our bottom lines and our investments.

So how do you position your company and your products to do both? Here’s our list of five key strategies. Build, grow and sell by them. Live them. (Well, that is, in fact No. 1.) Read on.

#1: Live it, breathe it.
Think about who you are as a business, what you stand for and embody that. Do so earnestly.

Jacquelyn Ottman, author of “The New Rules of Green Marketing,” writes, “It used to be that companies were what they made. … Now, businesses and brands are what they stand for.”

“Consumers around the world are saying loud and clear that a brand’s social purpose is among the factors that influence purchase decisions,” said Amy Fenton, global leader of public development and sustainability for Nielsen, in response to the Nielsen Global Survey on Corporate Social Responsibility 2014. “This behavior is on the rise and it provides opportunities for meaningful impact in our communities, in addition to helping to grow share for brands.”

In the corporate world, sustainability has increasingly become part of the core business model, not just because it’s “cool” and there’s consumer demand, but because company leaders see that sustainable stewardship often leads to savings and can increase a company’s resilience to change in the future.

#2: Look for ROI.
Efficiency has always been the goal and it’s never been easier to invest in environmentally friendly technology that pays back—alternative energy, irrigation, energy efficiency, etc. Gone are the days when going green meant always paying more or choosing inferior products. Saving energy means saving money. Saving water means saving money. (And it also means you’re walking the walk.) But, of course, you still need to have a vision of change and you need to make an initial investment. So embrace the vision and gravitate towards a good return on investment (ROI).

Need some inspiration? In the last 10 years, Walmart doubled the fuel efficiency of its trucking fleet by focusing on driving techniques, routing and loading logistics, and the vehicles’ technologies. Not only did they reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but they say the changes saved nearly $1 billion this fiscal year. (Heading into the project, they thought it might save $300 million a year.) Now, you don’t have as many trucks as the giant retailer, but you get the idea: investing up front led to huge savings (and some impressive environmental benefits).

#3: Be transparent.
In the early days of the green marketing revolution, companies slapped “eco” language and images on any product they could. Some of it was hogwash, also known as “greenwashing.”

The market expects more of you now. That’s why the reputation of your company (see No. 1) holds so much weight. Marketing claims and transparency can be a slippery slope. (In the last few years, we’ve seen it happen with pollinator-friendly plants.) Don’t be afraid to tout the added value of what you’re doing—from saving energy to smart pest management plans, conserving water and helping your local economy. But be honest with yourself, and your customers, about your claims. Be transparent. (Chances are, if you aren’t, it’ll kick you in the greenhouse glass someday down the road.)

#4: Elevate the plant.
Perhaps the biggest advantage the horticulture industry has over other industries is the fact that plants offer their own set of ecosystem services. Those plants can enable a person to make their property greener, whether it’s providing wildlife/pollinator habitat, growing their own local food, reducing the energy use of their home with strategically located trees, improving air quality and the list goes on.

Your products can, by their very virtue of being living plants, empower the consumer to directly influence the environment beyond just making a consumptive purchase. Make sure they know that. And make sure that your company values and production align with what you’re marketing. (Example: If you choose to market pollinator-friendly plants, be ready to also communicate how your production practices protect pollinators.)

#5: Communicate. 
You can be models of industry for everything we’ve talked about so far, but if you don’t effectively communicate your principles and actions to your customers, then you’re leaving three-quarters of your potential in the well.
This means marketing, telling your story, layer by layer, across different channels, so that your customers get a real sense of who you are and what you stand for. They should sense your passion and your dedication. They should want to buy that plant for more than just its hip shade of fuchsia. If you tell your story and the plant’s story, the value becomes apparent, your company’s reputation shines and hey, you’re affecting positive change—for your profit margins and your world.

Shades of Green
Marketing? Be sure you know your audience(s). Consumers exhibit varying levels of commitment to sustainability—from the passionate diehard greenie who will buy and live by sustainable products no matter the cost, to the price-conscious mother who just wants to do what’s healthy, to the Millennial who feels deeply devoted to brands that demonstrate social responsibility. That brings us to the big caveat: Know your segments of customers and know what motivates them. You may need to speak more than one language to more than one segment in this “green” revolution. GT