"First they laugh at you, then they ignore you, then they fight with you, then you win." That was Gandhi's description of India's path to freedom against the British.
What he didn't say, however, was that ultimately the response to your message depends on how well you engage with each individual in your audience to demonstrate the value of your offering.
Instead, that was consultant Melissa Schweisguth's conclusion in her article Engaging Consumers to Green Up Their Act, based on the latest series of studies about the average American consumer's path to greening.
This gradual culture shift is a topic of endless fascination to marketing statisticians as businesses try to track why consumers do - or don't - buy green. And in the past four years, at least, the numbers - or the interpretations? - have wiggled a little from one side to another, but the core message remains the same:
There is still a gulf between the passionate and informed uber-green consumers -- those who know how to recognize truly sustainable products and are willing to pay more for them -- and those who are progressively less aware and committed.
For example, 95 percent of the consumers in one study said they were interested in buying green, but only 63 percent actually looked for green products when shopping.
Why? When consumers are less informed and committed, they're also often confused about environmental issues and data. And as a result, the economic value -- the price -- of green (or greenwashed) products and services often trumps their actual sustainability-based value.
So how to overcome this confusion?
According to Schweisguth's interpretation, the answer is information and an invitation to action. Educating the consumer and inviting him or her to engage with your company, products and services.
Or as the Cluetrain Manifesto put it - engaging in a conversation rather than a sales spiel. Content is still the key, but the question is -- how are you using that content?
As Schweisguth says, "The opportunity goes beyond selling green products or services to include education on using products more sustainably and tips for reducing one's ecological footprint overall."
So what does this mean for you as you present your products and services to these less-informed consumers?
A quote from master-marketer Perry Marshall comes to mind: "No one ever buys a drill because they want a drill. They buy a drill because they want a hole."
In other words - what is the desired green goal for these consumers? Is it a lower energy bill or water bill, a less toxic indoor environment for their kids, freedom from fear about contamination of their food or water? How does this product or service help to achieve that goal - and how can they achieve the goal in other ways?
When you tie your company, product or service to an environmental issue or goal, you aren't just developing a responsible brand identity and just gain the enthusiasm of consumers who share that concern - you also have the opportunity to inspire them to get involved in environmental action.
So, for example, you could plan a public-service event to promote your green message - and your products. If you were selling green cleaning supplies, say, you could offer an information campaign about the health hazards of chemical cleansers and the risks of unsafe disposal. It would all lead up to a swap-out day for your customers to drop off their toxic chemical cleansers with you for safe disposal at a hazardous waste site, in return for a discount on safe organic cleansers.
Or, if you are marketing items to support waste reduction and recycling, you could sponsor a local stream clean-up and offer free cloth bags and reusable water bottles to participants. The trash they pick up alongside the stream will anchor the importance of using sustainable products.
Bottom line? Don't just sell to your customers...inform them. Not only will you gain their trust and their business, but you'll also give them practical tools to make their lives and homes greener.
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