4 Surprisingly Eco-Friendly Customer Acquisition Strategies

The demand for sustainable businesses continues to grow. Last year, Barron’s reported that 69% of customers said that they would be willing to pay a premium for products made from recycled or sustainable materials.

Eco-friendly businesses need to look beyond their product development strategies to show that they are committed to lowering their carbon footprint. They must avoid making half-hearted attempts at sustainability to avoid being accused of greenwashing.

This means that they should try to take advantage of environmentally friendly marketing strategies. Fortunately, there are a lot of green marketing ideas that sustainable businesses can embrace.

What Are Some Effective Eco-Friendly Marketing Ideas?

Every small business owner wants to attract more customers. No matter what product or service you offer, there’s always going to be others out there that offer the same product or service you do. You need to both environmentally friendly and effective in your customer outreach strategy.

That’s why it’s important to find creative, often tried and true eco-friendly ways to gain more customers so that you can grow your business to the size you’ve always dreamed of having. The fact is, especially in the face of the lockdowns and COVID-19 pandemic, that 4 in every 10 small business owners have cash flow problems to deal with.

One way to solve that cash flow problem is to attract more customers to your store. You just need to find a few environmentally friendly ways to get that customer base flowing.

1. Purchase Leads

The Networx reviews are in, and they are quite positive from small business owners who have used them to purchase leads for their business. These are helpful when you’re having to cold call to find customers.

If you have leads, then these potential customers are already looking for the type of product or service you offer, so it’ll be easier to attract their business. They

aren’t expensive and well worth the money if you gain even a couple of loyal customers from the leads you get.

The carbon footprint of these strategies is very low. You don’t need to print a lot of paper or drive to generate existing leads. You just need to have a digital connection.

2. Word-of-Mouth Rules

While it’s the oldest form of marketing out there, word-of-mouth is still one of the most effective. It’s easier for potential customers to believe the recommendations and referrals of their family, friends, and co-workers than it is online reviews and emails from a business that is trying to gain them as customers. 

Word-of-mouth travels quickly, so shoot your steady customers an email or even run a contest to reward them for referring friends and family to you. It doesn’t cost you a dime, and makes your current customers happy, as you gain new ones. 

This is possibly the most eco-friendly idea available. You don’t have to do anything at all to reach more customers when relying on word-of-mouth, so your carbon footprint is practically zilch.

3. Attend Community Events

Attending community events is a great way to network. It’s a great way to get the word out there about your business. The reason to attend community events is simple. 

Most people, especially in small towns like to support their local businesses. If you don’t attend community events, then how are they supposed to know about your business? Hosting events yourself such as a local toy run to support the children or purchasing the uniforms for and sponsoring the local baseball team in your area can go a long way towards solidifying your reputation in the community and bringing customers into your business.

This may not be the best eco-friendly marketing strategy, but it can still be environmentally friendly. It is best to attend events that are close to you, since you won’t have to drive far and leave a large carbon footprint.

4. Advertise on Social Media

It’s the age of social media. Millions of Americans log onto Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and other platforms every day. That makes it a great place to use to market your company.

Advertising on social media is almost as good as word-of-mouth when it comes to bringing in customers. The platforms allow you to target specific groups of people and their ads don’t cost a lot of money. Also, if you interact with clients on the site, you can build a loyal base that will stick around for years.

If you feel that you’re not capable of being on social media sites or have a problem with marketing in general, there are plenty of reputable companies out there that will do your marketing for you. Make sure to do your research well, interview a few marketing services and then make the right decision for you and your small business.

These are just a few of the best ways to attract more customers and take your business to the next level. Remember, marketing is a part of owning a small business if you ever hope to succeed.

Social media marketing is great for eco-friendly businesses trying to grow their customer base. The carbon footprint of digital communications is much lower than direct mailing or driving to meet potential customers in person, so it is something sustainable businesses should consider.

Eco-Friendly Marketing Strategies Can Work Very Effectively

There are a lot of great marketing strategies that eco-friendly businesses can employ to reach more customers. You can embrace these strategies to make the most of your customer acquisition models.