Is There a Sustainable Way of Marketing?

If you’ve never heard of sustainable marketing, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we’ll be explaining everything you need to know about sustainable marketing, as well as the differences between green marketing and sustainable marketing, for good measure. It’s important that the two aren’t confused with each other, because they’re actually very different. With this in mind, let’s delve deeper in the world of sustainable marketing and how you can do it yourself successfully.

What is sustainable marketing?

Sustainable marketing is the art of promoting and advertising socially-responsible goods, services and practices. More often than not, “socially responsible” equates to sustainable or eco-friendly. If you own a business that is already, and quite obviously, completely sustainable or environmentally-friendly, sustainable marketing will come naturally. 

However, if you’re a business that has never had to think about being eco-friendly before, then sustainable marketing can prove to be more of a challenge. But don’t panic. We’ll be telling you how to run a sustainable marketing campaign later on in this article. Firstly, it’s important that you know the fundamentals of sustainable marketing, and that comes with knowing the principles of sustainable marketing. 

There are three basic principles of sustainable marketing, and they include ensuring your plan is long-term, consistent and fully-integrated. Below, we have left some more information on the three principles of sustainable marketing, therefore allowing you to understand sustainable marketing and everything it entails in further detail:

1. Plans need to be long term – Being eco-friendly as a business isn’t something you can be dipping in and out of. You need to make sure you have a long term plan in place, and part of that involves being consistent, which brings us onto the next sustainable marketing principle…
2. Plans need to be consistent – is your brand eco-friendly or is it not? You need to be consistently posting sustainable content as part of your campaign, making it as clear as possible for your clients to understand that you are a sustainable business with planet-friendly practices, goods and services on offer
3. Plans are fully-integrated across the business –  there’s no point carry out a sustainable marketing campaign if it’s not translating to other departments in your business, so make sure that you’re spreading the word and being consistent throughout the entirety of your company so as to avoid customer and silent confusion

What is the difference between green & sustainable marketing?

It’s a common misconception that these two terms can be used interchangeably, but they are in fact two very different things. Green marketing focuses on strategies used to promote sustainable and environmental awareness, together with the protection of such things. Whereas sustainable marketing covers a broader range of things, not just environmental awareness. While sustainable marketing can touch on sustainability issues, it can also embrace social problems as well as promote eco-friendly goods, services and practices – something green marketing doesn’t do.

Why is it important to adopt sustainable marketing?

Now that you’re aware of what sustainable marketing is, it’s time to delve deeper into the importance of sustainable marketing and everything it has to offer. On a larger scale, it brings awareness to both environmental issues and social issues simultaneously. 

When you consider sustainable marketing on a business level, it can help to improve brand loyalty and worker engagement, purely because you’re showcasing your commitment to the planet, which is more desirable for consumers when it comes to choosing a vendor to buy from. 

According to PwC, consumers are prioritising sustainability in their consumption practices, with almost nine-in-ten (85%) people saying they’re experiencing the disruptive impacts of climate change in their lives. 46% of people, from the same source, also say that they’re looking to buy more sustainably in order to reduce their impact on the environment. 

What are the sustainable ways of marketing?

When it comes to sustainable marketing, there are multiple different things you can do to make sure that you’re doing it as effectively as possible. However, it’s important that you know what you’re doing so as not to confuse your sustainable marketing campaign with a green marketing campaign. This is because, as we’ve touched on already, they’re two very different things. So, what are the sustainable ways of marketing? Let’s take a closer look:

Promote something that’s bigger than your goods and/or services 

Sustainability is more than just the products and services you’re selling. It’s in the things we do and the practices we promote in the workplace. If you’re looking to completely dedicate yourself to the world of sustainability, then you need to be starting with the principles. This will give you a good foundation upon which to build your sustainable marketing campaign.

Reflect sustainability in every aspect of your brand

Sustainability needs to be reinforced into your brand every chance you get. You need to tell your customers that you’re eco-friendly and you’re dedicated to the cause. Not only will it help them to minimise their carbon footprints, but it may also mean that they choose to give you their custom as opposed to your competitors.

Think and plan ahead

Sustainability and eco-friendly practices are here to stay, so you need to make sustainable marketing a long-term integration in your business plans, both in the world of marketing in what you’re looking to sell, whether it be physical products or services.

Be as customer-orientated as possible 

While you might think that being customer-centric is part of all marketing, it’s even more important when it comes to sustainable marketing. With so much competition around us, you need to show your customers that they matter, and you do this with exceptional customer service, whether you’re running a sustainable marketing campaign or not.

Kumo is a dedicated digital marketing agency with over two decades of experience behind us. We have a team of dedicated experts on hand, each with a wealth of knowledge and expertise to draw upon. From SEO and PPC to professional content writing and website design, there’s nothing we can’t do when it comes to propelling you into the spotlight and setting you apart from your competitors. If you’d like further information, get in touch with a member of our friendly, specialist team today – we’re always pleased to hear from you.