Sustainable and effective methods to promote your business aren’t too tricky to come by. You just need to think outside the box a little. So here are some valuable pointers.
Print Media with Recyclable Materials
The modest way of promoting a business is through printed media. Business cards, flyers, and posters are excellent ways with a good ROI. However, these all use materials. So look for a printing company that gives you the option to use sustainable and recycled materials. These materials include the paper on which your ads are printed. But you should also check what other materials your printer reuses, whether they use eco-inks, and their contribution to carbon emissions. For example, soy-based inks are as good as traditional inks, without toxicity.
Don’t Use Physical Materials
You could also choose to not use physical materials at all for your promotion. For instance, you could attend local radio stations, hold street events or collaborate with local talents like artists and musicians. Any of these will significantly impact your carbon footprint and make it lower just by cutting out the use of paper and inks. And you can add to it by traveling sustainably as you go from place to place for promotion. For example, you could use eco-friendly public transport or buy an electric vehicle with 0% carbon emissions.
Promote Your Business Online Only
Almost 30% of the world’s population buys their products online, so why not appeal to online audiences only? This will drastically reduce your carbon footprint, but you will save a ton of money too. For instance, promoting your business using only social media engagement means your audience does the work for you. So you don’t need to spend on ads. However, you must maintain a solid engagement strategy for this to work. But be aware that Elon Musk has plans to charge businesses using Twitter following his recent purchase of the platform.
Setup Virtual Reality Marketing Events
Virtual presence is becoming more and more popular. Remote control devices and apps were used more during and following the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic. You can use apps like Skype and Zoom to hold live video conferences on products. But you could make it even better by giving customers virtual tours of your products. With VR, no one has to leave their home, reducing carbon footprints. And you don’t use any materials. Also, the price of VR systems is currently more affordable than ever, so now is a great time to check it out.
Offer Sustainably Sourced Accessories
Major brands love to dish out the merch because it’s a great way to engage and advertise at the same time. Popular examples include bags, USB sticks, and office accessories. However, many of these are made in an unsustainable way. You can angle your promotional swag towards sustainability. For instance, promote your brand with reusable coffee mugs and water bottles or offer trendy tote bags made from recycled materials. And getting them made is easier than ever. Online merchandise sites like VistaPrint offer sustainably sourced accessories.
Summary
Business promotion is necessary. However, it can be damaging to the environment. You can help with eco-friendly inks and recycled materials. Or you can promote using only the web.
What do you think?