Article Number : 3827 |
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| Date | 11/5/2008 8:55:15 AM |
| Written By | LGM & Associates Technical Flooring Services |
| View this article at: | //floorbiz.com/BizResources/NPViewArticle.asp?ArticleID=3827 |
| Abstract | By Colette Chandler It’s that time of year again—time to exhibit at a trade show or consumer event and make it known the products you make or carry are green, or at least your brand is striving to be. Consumer and industry trade shows are now “greening” themselves... |
| Article | By Colette Chandler It’s that time of year again—time to exhibit at a trade show or consumer event and make it known the products you make or carry are green, or at least your brand is striving to be. Consumer and industry trade shows are now “greening” themselves. The shows make it known that they are environmentally friendly through marketing, promotions, publicity and often advertising. And, if you’re exhibiting there, it only makes sense that you make your customers aware of your eco-friendly practices, too. Booth Remember bigger is not necessarily better, especially when you consider the environment— your natural strategic partner. Your booth is your calling card. It either draws people in or repels them. I worked in the trade show industry, and I’ve seen plenty do the latter. When you consider how you want to best represent your brand (your company, products and services), you need to consider the old, not-very-PC saying, “Keep it simple, stupid.” We call this K-I-S-S. Since consumers are not as familiar as you think about what constitutes a green product, it’s better to keep things as straightforward as possible. Just use the same philosophy you learned in kindergarten, “show and tell.” Show them what your green features are, then tell them why they are important—the story behind it and what’s in it for them. This same strategy can be applied to most any part of your show experience. Marketing How you market is equally as important as what you say in your marketing pieces. You can say all you want, but your actions always speak louder than your words. If you say you are reducing waste and have started a recycling program, yet you are printing on less than 30% recycled paper and using chemicals instead of soy-based inks, it really doesn’t show much of a commitment. To successfully market green, you need to consider: • How will you make your brand known without too much waste? • How will you make consumers aware that you are keeping the environment in mind when marketing? • How will you package your information? • How will you drive potential customers to your booth in the most environmentally friendly fashion while being true to your brand? Take the time today to really green your trade show practices and rise above those just claiming to be green. Consumers know the difference. Colette Chandler is president of The Marketing Insider, an expert in consumer environmental and health trends and helps companies understand the consumers driving those trends. She consults, trains and speaks nationally on how to create authentic green brands. Sign up for her newsletter at www.marketinginsider.com. She can be reached at 614.776.1416 or cchandler@marketing-insider.com. |