Category: Marketing Techniques and Philosophies

By Posted on Posted in Demographics/Psychographics, Diversity, Energy & Sustainability, Marketing Techniques and Philosophies Tagged with , , , , ,

Would you use the same marketing strategy to sell a Lexus and a Smart car? I certainly hope not! Market segmentation, and then marketing differently to those different segments, is a pillar of marketing strategy and has been for more than 100 years. And in our technological era, it’s so easy to do, you’d be a fool to try any kind of one-size-fits-all marketing.

This is equally true in any sector of the Green market. Example: the affluent suburbanite who shops at Whole Foods is going to have different wants and needs than a just-getting-by urbanite who’s a member of a food co-op for economic reasons…or the rural farmstand shopper who values the freshness and health benefits of just-picked organic produce. And with each of those slices, you want to slice again: a parent of young children needs a different approach than an elder living alone. Market to them differently, or fail to market.

Just as in B2C (Business To Consumer) marketing, in the B2B world, you have to understand not only your own motivations, but those of your clients. Are they motivated by a desire to lower carbon footprint, a desire to reach the Green market themselves, an EPA mandate to clean up their act, or simply a desire to shave 30 percent off their energy bill?

There’s a good article on the Strategic Sustainability Consulting blog on this, which I found through Carolyn Parrs’ blog.

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By Posted on Posted in Corporate Social Responsibility, Energy & Sustainability, Marketing Techniques and Philosophies Tagged with , , , , ,

The latest research proves the need. In a wonderful article for Sustainable Life Media, “Measuring the Value of CSR Communications,” Perry Goldschein notes that “80% of consumers had no idea that sustainability leaders (e.g., HP, Intel, Cisco, Unilever) were participating in any sustainability practices at all.”

If the sustainability efforts of these leading companies are so under the general public’s radar, what does that say about the rest of us and our visibility?

This is why I wrote my eighth book, Guerrilla Marketing Goes Green: Winning Strategies to Improve Your Profits and Your Planet (co-authored with Jay Conrad Levinson), why I do Green marketing consulting and speaking, and why I’m starting an international trade association for Green marketers: to provide the tools businesses need to tell their Green story to the world, and to take full marketing advantage of the edge that gives them if told properly.

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By Posted on Posted in Marketing Techniques and Philosophies, Uncategorized, Web 2.0/Social Media Tagged with , , , , ,

My latest article, 10 Ways to Make Your Message Resonate with Green Consumers, was published today on GreenBiz.com (Joel Makower’s very well-regarded enviro site).

For anyone into Green marketing, I recommend this. (Of course, my book, Guerrilla Marketing Goes Green, goes into far more detail.)

Creating original articles is one among several marketing and visibility strategies I’ve been using regularly for many years. In the last several months, I’ve posted quite a bit of original content (articles and guest blogs) on major environmental and PR sites—part of a strategy to become a go-to person for commentary on Green business. This doesn’t count making comments on others’ blogs or being interviewed frequently not only by bloggers, but by traditional media as well. If you’re trying to get known in your own industry, these strategies can get you there, and they cost nothing but time. Here are a few places of the places where you can see my articles:

Triple Pundit:
Coffee Activist Dean’s Beans Brews the Perfect Blend for Change

GreenMarketing.tv
Why Green Consumers Make the BEST Customers

Fast Company
At least 77 articles, 2008–2010.

Bulldog Reporter (a trade journal for PR)
Green Consciousness Creates Fresh — Often Unexpected — Opportunities for Savvy PR Professionals (I can’t get this link to load so am not including it here)

Now, the next goal, is finding markets that will pay for content. That’s harder, but not impossible. When I was actively freelancing, I got paid for as many as 87 articles in a single year. The publications I was writing for back then didn’t pay much, but they didn’t pay. It wasn’t a living, but it was part of one.

–>This is post number 10 of the ten posts I committed to writing in the last third of August, as part of Michele Scism and Michelle Shaeffer’s #Blogboost Blog Challenge–and there are still several days left in the month. I may keep it going through the end of the month, or even beyond. It’s good discipline.

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By Posted on Posted in Advertising, Marketing Techniques and Philosophies, People Helping People, privacy Tagged with , , ,

Guest post by Steve Ostrow

[Editor’s note: I was sent a review copy of this book, and enjoyed its playful approach to an intimidating subject. So when I was asked if I’d give Steve a forum during his launch, I gladly agreed.]

Congress has spoken! Anti-telemarketing legislation has been passed. Under reasonable restrictions, certain tactics by telemarketers are prohibited and court actionable. Violations can be enforced by the State via the attorney general’s office, the public via class action lawsuits or private lawsuits, and individuals via the small claims court.

The Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991 (TCPA) started the ball rolling. Congress was torn between the special interest lobbyists and the people’s vote. The green cash of the lobbyists stalled the legislature for numerous years, but eventually the annoyance of the telemarketing industry became too much. The door opened and the unfettered invasion of free speech was outweighed by the consumer’s right to privacy. After strong objection and outrage by consumers groups, the common sense legislation protecting the privacy of one’s own home was long overdue.

The 1991 original law was pretty weak and without sharp teeth. A free bite at the apple was given and the first offense by a telemarketer to a residence was forgiven with only a simple apology. A second offense was required in order to make an unsolicited commercial call actionable. Basically business did not change under the original law. In 2003, over great objection from the special interest groups, came the National Do Not Call Registry. Yes, 2003 was a great year for the peace and quiet in a consumer’s home. Instead of a consumer requesting individual companies from not calling the home telephone soliciting their service, a residential consumer could sign up at one location and prohibit almost all telemarketers from calling the home phone number. The burden shifted to the telemarketing companies to check “the registry” rather than having the consumer contact the merchant and opt out. Penalties were instituted which are collectible by attorney generals, lawyers, and individuals through the small claims process.
Under the TCPA and the Do Not Call Registry, there are several different violations which are collectible. The most popular ones are:
1. Calling a residential telephone number that is on the National Do Not Call Registry;
2. Using a pre-recorded dialing device to initiate a commercial sale;
3. Using a blocked telephone number when initiating a commercial sale;
4. Soliciting a consumer before 8am or after 9pm;
5. Failure to provide a copy of the company’s Do Not Call Manual after demand for a copy.

Each violation is actionable separately, or can be “stacked” together when multiple infractions are incurred. Even though the courts are supposed to punish each violation with a $500 penalty, different judges will approach cases differently. Some judges will allow you to “stack” as many violations into one case as possible. Others may limit you to one, two, or three causes of action. Regardless of the amount of the judgment, you are able to prosecute the invasion of your peace and privacy in your home through the small claim courts.

Penalties under the TCPA may be “trebled” when the court finds that the violation is intentional. It can be tedious to understand when a telemarketing violation is intentional and when it is not. Rationally thinking, all solicitations by telemarketers are intentional; they are intentionally picking up the phone at their boiler rooms and randomly telephoning as many people as possible making their commercial pitch. It is not accidental that your number may be called, just random bad luck. I guess the easiest way to understand the intentional tripling of damages is using the playoff basketball foul analogy. Some fouls are hard basketball fouls, some are flagrant one fouls, and others flagrant two. Sometimes you just shoot free throws, other times you get ejected from the game. Sometimes the court awards you $500; sometimes the atrocious call telephone solicitation can be awarded $1,500. It’s all up to the ref.

If you are a Democrat and you get a telephone solicitation from a Republican candidate, slow down before you start licking your lips about bringing the opposing political party to its knees. Under the TCPA, certain types of speech are exempted from lawsuits under the Act. Always remember, the violations under the TCPA were balanced with the First Amendment Right of Freedom of Speech. Certain solicitation exceptions are specifically carved out:
1. Tax exempt non-profit organizations, including political parties and campaigns;
2. Organizations with which you’ve had a prior business relationship;
3. Organizations with which you’ve given prior written permission and not expressly revoked;
4. Calls which are NOT COMMERCIAL.

Convenience is a big part of our lives. All of us would like to nail these pesky telemarketers; sometimes it is easier just to hang up the telephone. However, if you are in the mood to make some cash and fight back against these commercial parasites, the good news about small claims court litigation is that it can prosecuted in our home backyard. Since the violation occurred at our telephone, the proper jurisdiction for the action would be our local court.

Steve Ostrow is an attorney, celebrity impersonator and the author of the new book How To Sue A Telemarketer: A Manual for Restoring Peace On Earth One Phone Call At A Time. To date, Steve has successfully sued, or settled, won and collected, over 10 judgments against telemarketers. To find out more and order his book, go to www.howtosueatelemarketer.com

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By Posted on Posted in Marketing Techniques and Philosophies, Marketing Trends/News, Uncategorized Tagged with ,

A between-issues special edition of Shel Horowitz’s Clean and Green Marketing Newsletter.

Contents:
1. A Concentrated Dose of Marcia Yudkin, Marketing Genius
2. Tobri: A New Social Network from Ken McArthur
3. Communication is a Lot More Than Words: Sharon Sayler’s New Book
4. PS – Say hi at Boston Greenfest

Marcia Yudkin is proof that you can be an introvert and still be a very successful marketer. She’s also one of the most ethical people I know.

Join Marcia and me on a Special Interview Just for My Readers: “Top Ten Must-Know Principles
of Marketing Psychology.” You will NOT want to miss this one! This coming Monday, August 23, Noon Eastern/9 a.m. Pacific.

Click here to register. I’ll send a replay link if you can’t be on the live call—but if you can, I suggest calling in.

She and I go back a long time. In the 1980s, when she had recently left a teaching position at Smith College to go out on her own as a freelance writer and editor, and my business was still a typing and editing service, she used to freelance for me. And I knew any editing project I gave her would be done beautifully, turned in ahead of deadline, and add to my standing with my clients. I also knew any article with her byline in a local magazine was going to be a compelling read. Then she moved to Boston and I lost track of her for a few years.

In the 1990s, both she and I independently turned our attention to marketing, and we independently discovered the Internet. I rediscovered her back in the days when I still used an AOL account, so that puts it in 1994 or 1995. By then, I believe she’d already released at least a few of her great books, like Six Steps to Free Publicity and Persuading on Paper. And had begun to build a reputation as a marketer’s marketer: someone who could see through what you were actually saying to what you were trying to say, and show you how to say it a whole lot better—without hype or exaggeration. Then she moved back to the area and our paths would cross again. A couple of years ago, I invited her to join with another friend and me in a Mastermind group, and since then, I’ve benefited enormously from her critiques and suggestions on my own projects.

Marcia’s weekly Marketing Minute and occasional Name Tales (product and company naming stories) have been brightening my e-mail box all the way back to 1998. She was one of the first people with a folder in my Marketing Geniuses file, where I keep many of her back issues. And she’s one of a very few newsletter publishers who continue to provide value to me many years after I subscribed. (My typical tenure as a subscriber is somewhere between six months and two years).

The point I’m making is that Marcia is someone well worth paying attention to. As a trend watcher, a copywriter, a marketing consultant, and one of the world’s leading experts on choosing great product and company names, Marcia has a tremendous reservoir of wisdom behind her shy, reclusive outer shell.

Marcia just spent some serious time organizing the best of her Marketing Minute how-tos and think pieces into a series of five books and 10 audios called the Marketing Insight Guides: a book and two audios each on…

  • Book 1: Persuading People to Buy: Insights on Marketing Psychology That
    Pay Off for Your Company, Professional Practice, or Nonprofit Organization
  • Book 2: Meatier Marketing Copy: Insights on Copywriting That Generates
    Leads and Sparks Sales
  • Book 3: Strategic Marketing: Insights on Setting Smart Directions for
    Your Business
  • Book 4: Publicity Tactics: Insights on Creating Lucrative Media Buzz
  • Book 5: The Marketing Attitude: Insights That Help You Build a Worthy
    Business

    • The books average about 75 articles each, and each 2-CD pair averages 95. In other words, there are a bunch on the audio that you won’t find in the books. So you don’t feel overwhelmed, she’ll be delivering them once a month for five months.

    And even though I read all of these in the original as she wrote them, I intend to spend some serious time with them again, now that they’ve been thematically organized. That will be time very well spent!

    And Marcia asked me if I’d be one of only 12 affiliates selected to pre-announce this collection, ahead of her remaining affiliates. She’s also giving special pricing right now. Through the end of August, you can grab this treasure trove of marketing wisdom for just $99; the final price will be $199, so this is definitely a deal. It works out to about 21 cents an article. I dare you to find so much value anywhere else for 21 cents! Yes, this is an affiliate link.

    2. Tobri: A New Social Network from Ken McArthur

    Ken McArthur has a new beta social media site for making great connections. And because he’s Ken McArthur of JV Alert, author of a great book on impact, and he has a history of pulling together incredible people who need to know each other (and helping them consummate amazing partnership deals)—I’ve signed up because I know it’ll be good. Even though I can’t really keep up with the social media I’m already involved with; for Ken, I’ll make an exception. Check out the video and connect with
    me there. I’d love to have you in my network!

    https://shelhorowitz.com/go/tobri (This is an affiliate link.)

    It doesn’t cost a cent and there are some amazing people in there. Lots of buzz on this one!

    3. Communication is a Lot More Than Words: Sharon Sayler’s New Book

    You’ve probably heard that in face-to-face communication, the words only account for about 7 percent of the message received. Body language, tone of voice, facial expressions and the like account for the lion’s share. (This is why it’s so easy to have misunderstandings online; you don’t have all those nonverbal cues so it’s very easy to misinterpret the real message.)

    The good news is that my friend Sharon Sayler has an excellent roadmap for you, so you can navigate the unsaid meanings and get to the heart of things—making friends and making deals along the way. And the better news: she’ll give you a free chapter plus a special report, How to Avoid the 3 Biggest Body Language Mistakes – in Under 10 Minutes. (This is not an affiliate link.) The book is called What Your Body Says, and I found it full of great insights. If you actually buy the book, you get ten nice bonuses from some of the most respected people in self-help, including a whole year’s access to Sharon’s private membership site.

    4. P.S. Say Hi at Boston Greenfest

    If you’re attending Boston Greenfest on Friday (August 20), I’m speaking from 1-1:25 on “Communicate the Value in Your Values.” Come say hi while I’m signing books afterward, and get your very own autographed copy.

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    By Posted on Posted in Blog Tour, Marketing Techniques and Philosophies, Networking, People Helping People, Web 2.0/Social Media Tagged with , ,

    I’ve just signed up for the Ultimate Blog Challenge (Twitter hashtag #blogboost), which means a commitment to add ten posts between now and the end of the month. Especially nuts because I’m speaking in Boston tomorrow and probably won’t even get on the computer. Fortunately, I happen to have one post already scheduled.

    I’ll be honest. Despite the many benefits of participation (increased visibility, exposure to other people’s networks, and of course a nice boost in the search engines, etc.)—the main reason I’m doing this is because Michelle Shaeffer, a/k/a SmallBizMuse is one of the organizers (along with Michele Scism, who I hadn’t known before, but who seems to offer a lot of useful resources for solopreneurs). She’s been my Virtual Assistant for something like eleven years, and I’ve taken a sort of nachas (Yiddish word meaning pride in the accomplishments of one’s family) in watching her develop some marketing chops of her own, and a dedicated fan base, over the last year or two. She has 4989 followers on Twitter! All organically acquired, as far as I know; I only have 3395.

    So my joining her blog challenge is as much a public thank-you for all she’s done for me these last 11 years as anything else. You, of course, will have different reasons for signing up.

    Of course, when she’s rich and famous, I’ll probably have to go out and find a new Virtual Assistant. So it goes.

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    By Posted on Posted in Abundance and Prosperity, Corporate Social Responsibility, Marketing Techniques and Philosophies, poverty, Social and Economic Justice Tagged with , , , ,

    Editor’s Note: Sometimes I like to post things to stimulate controversy, and thus I’m running this guest post by Alexis Bonari, critiquing one of the sacred cows of the sustainability movement: fair trade certification.

    From my own point of view as a consumer, I look to Fair Trade certification for many products, especially chocolate. I am all-too-aware of the use of child slaves to harvest cacao, particularly in the Ivory Coast, and as a lover of chocolate, I don’t want to be a party to that. Fair Trade labeling is my assurance that the cacao was grown honestly.

    I also disagree with Bonari’s two points:

    First, there’s nothing, to my mind, inherently evil about mechanized farming, as long as it’s done sustainably. Many Fair Trade products are also organic, and that’s a big step in the right direction. Systemically, of course, we should be looking at how we power our tractors and all the rest of it. And we can all look for ways to increase our “locavore” quotient by consuming products (including food) created locally. But I do believe there is a place for imports in the mix, and in fact, in my book, Guerrilla Marketing Goes Green, the section on “Local as Green” is followed immediately by one called “Global as Green.”

    And second, Far Trade (while far from perfect) certainly does provide a wedge against poverty. Farmers in Fair Trade co-ops are demonstrably better off than most who sell through conventional channels and who have no choice but to accept a pathetically low bid. Remember, too, that economic leverage varies a lot from country to country, and differences can be orders of magnitude. There are many parts of the world where an income of $25 or $50 a day puts someone in the upper half of the population, but it may only cost a few cents to cook a meal.

    I’ll turn the floor over to Alexis now—but I’d love to know your thoughts. Please add your comment below.
    —Shel Horowitz

    Marketing Honesty: Is Fair Trade Really a Fair Deal?

    By Alexis Bonari

    The Fair Trade label has become a marketing boon for many companies. Soon, even Nestlé’s Kit Kat bar will be made from Fair Trade sources.

    Essentially, the term Fair Trade refers to the following business model: companies pay craftsmen and farmers in developing countries an increased wage for goods that are traditionally produced in that region. These goods are produced with an eye to minimal environmental impact. Examples of Fair Trade goods are: bananas, honey, cotton, wine, handcrafts, coffee, sugar, and tea. As of 2008, the annual amount of revenue generated by Fair Trade goods amounted to approximately US$4.08 billion worldwide.

    While the popularity of Fair Trade goods is almost certainly a byproduct of good intentions on the part of consumers, is there a downside to the Fair Trade industry?

    The problem is twofold:

    1. Unsustainable Markets
    While incentivizing the production of local crops and handcrafts may temporarily short-circuit the cycle of poverty in certain communities, it does nothing to address the problem of supply and demand. First world countries lead the global economic market by producing technology and mass-produced products. India, and other developing countries experiencing economic growth, are educating their people and encouraging them to adopt mechanized means of production and farming.

    Fair Trade workers are being incentivized to continue producing the very same products that are keeping them in poverty. A comprehensive solution would encourage education and new business ventures.

    2. Perpetuation of a Toxic Cycle
    Simply put, Fair Trade policies perpetuate a system that denies the citizens of developing countries control over their own businesses. Under the banner of Fair Trade, foreign companies are offering them pennies on the dollar that a citizen of the US or a member of the EU would make for the same service.

    Fair Trade is a case of inaccurate marketing. The consumer is convinced that they’re working toward eradicating poverty in the Third World. In reality, Fair Trade could potentially hurt the very people it intends to help.

    Alexis Bonari is a freelance writer and blog junkie. She is a passionate blogger on the topic of education and free college scholarships. In her spare time, she enjoys square-foot gardening, swimming, and avoiding her laptop.

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    By Posted on Posted in Advertising, Corporate Social Responsibility, Demographics/Psychographics, Marketing Techniques and Philosophies, People Helping People, poverty, Social and Economic Justice Tagged with , , , ,

    Editor’s note: I like to say that my blog “covers the intersections of ethics, politics, media, marketing, and sustainability.” But I think this may be the first post in six years of blogging that touches on all five.

    Levi’s “Go Forth” Ad

    Chris Brogan’s blog brought my attention to a Levi’s ad called “Go Forth”—one of the most thought-provoking ads I’ve ever seen.

    “A long time ago, things got broken here. People got sad, and left. Maybe the world breaks on purpose—so we can have work to do.” The young girl narrator says this, and a bunch of stuff about the pioneer/frontier spirit.

    The ad shows a lot of images of a distressed town, Braddock, Pennsylvania—but also images and especially narration of hope and achievement. The people in the ad are not professional actors, but Braddock residents, apparently.

    How I reacted

    To, me this ad was about a company wanting to make a difference in a town. Yes, I noticed everyone was wearing Levi’s—but I didn’t pick up a message that I should buy its blue jeans. I got the message that it’s my job to make a difference in the world, no matter what I happen to wear.

    Now, I confess—As an entrepreneur motivated more by creating social and environmental change than by making a monetary fortune, I am exactly who this ad is directed at. And I was fascinated. I took the rare step of typing in the link that was displayed on the video to find out more: Levisgoforth.com.

    [Side note: In my book, Guerrilla Marketing Goes Green, I attack the conventional wisdom that you need seven or more touchpoints to create action. I argue instead that if you match message to market exactly, even a single impression may be enough. In this case, I took action immediately, on my first exposure.]

    The Shocking Call to Action

    Fully expecting a corporate rah-rah site about how Levi was helping communities, I was rather shocked to find a third-party site about the project, and one that was fairly critical of the company (click on the Go Forth and Facts pages). The site is anonymous, though there is a contact-the-site-creator link, which brings up an e-mail address for someone named Brett. Obviously, this link was added later, and not by Levi’s.

    Apparently, Levi’s made a one-time million-dollar investment in the community, which is being put to good use creating artist spaces and the like. The effort has the active support of the mayor, but apparently is somewhat controversial in town. But the site attacks Levi’s for treatment of workers, shipping all its manufacturing jobs overseas, and environmental violations, as well as for trying to make the problems go away with a one-time infusion of cash. It says, “We all want to see Braddock Prosper we just have different solutions” (punctuation and capitalization are from the original).

    What’s really odd to me is that this third-party intervention is the only call to action. Why didn’t Levi’s have one of its own? They get me all worked up with a feel-good surge of “I can do something,” and then utterly drop the ball.

    If you’ve followed my work, you’ll know I’m not usually a fan of image-only advertising (though I’ve seen it serve some powerful purposes, even on campaigns I’ve been involved with). I believe strongly in having a call to action. That is particularly true when you use such deep emotional hooks as this ad does. Why leave people with no place to go? Why not harness that energy?

    A Different Reaction

    I asked my wife, novelist Dina Friedman, to view the ad. Although she teaches in a business school, she’s not an entrepreneur. But like me, she is an activist. Her reaction was quite negative: “They’re trying to tell me that their blue jeans are a way out of poverty. If they want to show corporate responsibility, why not run an ad highlighting what they’re doing for this community.”

    How About You?

    View the video. visit the go forth site. And tell me what you think. Please post your comment below.

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    By Posted on Posted in Advertising, Copywriting, language, Marketing Techniques and Philosophies, propaganda Tagged with , , ,

    Note From Shel Horowitz, Owner of this Blog:

    I’m posting this not because I agree with everything Jim says, but because I don’t. I’m not going to tell you which parts I agree with and which I’d argue with, at least not yet. I’d like you to have your say first, and when I return from vacation (this post is being scheduled ahead), I might choose to add to the dialogue.

    I proudly call myself a marketer. The problem with doing that is that a lot of people think that marketer=scumbag. I get it. Consumers have been burned before and they blame the marketing most of the time.

    But that doesn’t make it right.

    There’s a big difference between good marketers and bad marketers. Good marketers want to get your attention and make you aware of their wares, whatever that might be. Bad marketers want to deceive you into buying something that you don’t need for profit.

    Good marketing is good business. Too often business owners don’t want to do effective marketing because they don’t want to be lumped in with the scammers out there. Here’s a few examples.

    In the online world there are people called information marketers. They sell things like membership program and eBooks, and “systems”. These often come as something like a 22-disc DVD set, or online training program. To sell these products, they use tactics like long-page sales letters. You’ve seen those pages before perhaps? Is the page that is one big single column and you have to scroll 20 times to get to the buy button at the bottom. The page is filled with testimonials and bullet points about why the product/service is so awesome, etc… Then it’s got a ton of bonus items.

    Here’s the secret to those pages. Know why you see them so often? Because they work… really, really well. As a matter of fact, pages like that are often the top converting page on the Internet today. And in the Internet business, conversion is job #1. If you don’t convert well, you’re losing the battle.

    Does marketing with long sales pages letters make them scammy? Not at all. It’s a tactic, and yes, some of the people who sell those types of products are out to rip you off. However, most of them have really good products to sell you. The problem is that because of the tactic they use, they get lumped in with a certain mindset of consumers who will never buy from them.

    What about those annoying late-night infomercials you see online? You know what I’m talking about. The late Billy Mays selling OxyClean or Vince selling a Slapchop. Ever notice the “but wait, there’s more” at the end of every tv spot where you get a “bonus” item for ordering now? Again, it seems kind of marketing wrong, right? Actually, it’s there because it works, really, really well.

    The point is this. As a business owner, it is your job to drive more sales, leads or publicity to your business. Bottom line. Good business is good marketing. Don’t leave marketing tactics on the table because you’re worried about how you’ll look. At the end of the day, you’re going to need to find a way to improve your business and beat your competition. It might be time to start looking around at new ways to do that.

    For over 15-years, Jim Kukral has helped small businesses and large companies like Fedex, Sherwin Williams, Ernst & Young and Progressive Auto Insurance understand how find success on the Web. Jim is the author of the book, “Attention! This Book Will Make You Money”, as well as a professional speaker, blogger and Web business consultant. Find out more by visiting www.JimKukral.com. You can also follow Jim on Twitter @JimKukral.

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    By Posted on Posted in Energy & Sustainability, International Association of Green Marketers, Marketing Techniques and Philosophies Tagged with , , ,

    What would be the mission of an international trade association for Green marketers? In launching the International Association of Earth-Conscious Marketers, here’s what I hope we’ll be focused on:

    1. To use our skills in marketing and our commitment to ethical approaches to create messages that encourage the use of earth-friendly products and services, and the rapid spread and adoption of earth-conscious ideas into the social mainstream.

    2. To identify and oppose (both publicly and privately) messages and methods that claim to be Green but are actually harmful to the environment and/or misleading to stakeholders and/or the general public. (Need an example? Read more »

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