Sustainable marketing is all about creating an impact on your customers' lives. If you're able to reach them, they'll be receptive to your message. Starting a new marketing campaign isn't something you should do on a whim. You've really got to plan how you'll lead the campaign. Here are a few things you should do to maximize your efforts in 2022.

Rethink How You're Sourcing Materials

To become more sustainable, you've got to source materials well. Not all sources follow sustainable business practices. If you're really trying to make a difference, you've got to lead by example. Show your customers what you're doing to lessen your environmental impact. Switching to a new supplier would be an easy way to demonstrate your commitment to the cause. Ultimately, it would be amplifying your message. Your new supplier could make a difference in your efforts to be sustainable. Make sure they're using proper practices whenever they're sending you new inventory.

Use an Interactive Voice-Response System

Consider the use of an IVR phone system that lets you automate a lot of your processes. This can greatly reduce labor costs and help you allocate your resources to other important matters. That's another budget item off your list. Simply create an IVR system that asks all the questions, instead. You can use an automated dialer to reach a lot more people than you could by hand. Plus, they'll be able to respond to all your questions without speaking to a live person. So, you're not limited by the number of man-hours at your disposal. You can set up the system to dial all night long.

Include a Call to Action in All Your Messages

A lot of business owners forget to include a call to action in their messaging. That's the biggest reason they're not getting the response they'd like to see. Only motivated customers take action without being prompted. If you're not including a call to action, you're sabotaging your own efforts. Just tell your customers what they should do at the end of all your messages. Simply letting them know is enough to get many of them to do something.

Give People Actionable Advice

Throughout your messages, you should pepper in actionable advice. Let your customers know what they can do to live more sustainably. By giving them something actionable, they'll be more likely to do something. Getting people to change how they're behaving is the best thing you can do when trying to be sustainable. Only a few businesses are good at following this standard, though. So, if you can do it, you're not going to have a lot of competition.

Reconsider How You're Shipping Things

Another way we impact the environment is by shipping things inefficiently. When you're ready to ship something, save it until you've got more to send. Try to pack as many things into a single shipment as possible. The fewer shipments you're sending, the less of an impact you're having on the environment. Finding new shipping companies would be another good idea. Some of them are much more environmentally friendly than others. Only work with the ones that practice what they preach. Updating your shipping methods could make a huge difference in your sustainability efforts.

Tell a Story in Your Outreach Efforts

Communicating anything to your customers can feel quite difficult. The best way to get something across is by using it in a story. Ask all your customers to send you stories about things they've done. Then, use their stories in your marketing efforts to communicate your message. By hearing it in a story, people are much more likely to respond to your message. So, it makes a lot of sense to use them while you're marketing.

Conclusion

Sustainable marketing is something anyone can practice. You've just got to reimagine how you're approaching the problem. When you're speaking to customers, communicate in a language they're able to understand. They'll be a lot more receptive if you're communicating with them like that. Also, don't forget to look at how your business is operating as well. Simply changing how things are done could really make a difference in your efforts.

Written by Tracie Johnson

About the Author

Tracie Johnson is a New Jersey native and an alum of Penn State University. She is passionate about writing, reading, and living a healthy lifestyle. She feels happiest when around a campfire surrounded by friends, family, and her Dachshund named Rufus.

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