Why try to be more sustainable? 
Surveys show consumers care about the environment and climate change.
​Sustainability is no longer just a “trend”. It’s a conscious decision that businesses are making to protect the future of the planet and positively impact their communities. Not only does transitioning into more sustainable practices help the world around you, but it can also save you money and contribute to the health and happiness of your team.
​
But how to go about it? If you're looking for ideas, try these suggestions to improve your business's sustainability – and remember, even minor changes can make a difference!
(Read more on sustainable marketing here.) 

1) Purchase wisely
When purchasing products or services for the workplace, consider where it’s made and their carbon footprint.
Can you buy locally or from a sustainable vendor? The item or service may be cheaper from further away, but it’s helpful to look at the whole life cycle of the product rather than just the individual cost to you. For example, products like bottled water and Styrofoam cups are cheap to purchase but have a high long-term cost to the environment. If you're using these, try adding a filter to your tap water and encourage employees to fill up their reusable water bottles instead.
Avoid single-use plastics. Consider if the item can be reused.  For example, switch to refillable ink cartridges that cut down on discarded toner units. Reusables can save money as well. * 
If your company is looking for customer gifts or conference giveaways, consider items made of recycled material or something not likely to be thrown away.

2) Be strategic about travel   
Would a video meeting work instead of traveling to meet face-to-face? If travel is necessary for your business, can you minimize it by routes or zones to save on gas?  If you have company vehicles, consider a hybrid or electric model when it’s time to replace them. Where practical, encourage office employees to carpool and offer work-from-home options, or four-day weeks.  Think about the costs of holding team gatherings or traveling to conferences; consider the tradeoffs with virtual options and other marketing tactics.
 
3) Reduce Waste
If your business still sends paper invoices, consider switching to digital. Buy paper with recycled content and encourage recycling of all paper. Another way to reduce paper waste is to remind your staff to print and photocopy on both sides of the paper. This can cut the amount of paper used in half.
Another idea is to provide color-coded recycle bins and station these by the printer or photocopier to encourage staff to dispose of their paper waste correctly.
Those working from home can save paper, too. And if paper recycling isn’t available, shredded paper can be added to a home compost bin.
 
4) Save energy
Energy-saving lightbulbs also help reduce your power bill. Encourage employees to turn off lights and computers when not in use, especially on weekends or holidays. You might even install automatic lights and use a programmable thermostat set adjusted for the season.   Wonder what temperature is best for saving energy?  Check out this guide. 
And when you need new office appliances, look for energy-efficient ones with the ENERGY STAR ® logo or items that are EPEAT registered.

5) Add plants and trees 
Office plants help remind people of the importance of the environment; they also can make people feel happier. 
​Peace lilies and spider plants are easy to grow and help cleanse the air.
If you own the building, consider planting additional trees outdoors.  For those with home offices, a tree adds value to your landscaping and cuts down on mowing time.  Or convert grassy areas into flower gardens for the butterfly highway. 
​

6) Ship Responsibly
Order multiple items from the same place at once with no-rush shipping. You may save on shipping costs this way, but even if shipping is “free”, rushed packages mean more trucks clogging roads in cities—which contributes to increased traffic and pollution.
 
7) Support the community
Consider sponsoring non-profit or organizing group events to support your local community. Or you can offer time off or consider compensating employees for volunteering.  Here is an example: https://cleanup.earthday.org/pages/find-a-cleanup
 
8) Engage your team
Offer a contest or “green” challenge for your employees to think of, or contribute to, additional ideas to support your sustainability goals. 
 
9) Communicate your Efforts
Publicize your actions and achievements by posting them on your website and on social media. Consumers and sustainable companies want to do business with companies that share their values - and your endeavors might encourage others to do the same!
 
There are many ways to improve your environmental credentials in the workplace and your community that are worth trying. They may also result in happier staff and lower expenses. Plus, mother nature will thank you!
 
Do you have additional suggestions or stories of what your company does?  Please add them in the comments.
 
 
For more information and inspiration:

The Carbon Almanac - ideas, data, perspectives, and resources to help us understand the realities of climate change and what we can do to fight it.   https://thecarbonalmanac.org/
Examples of sustainable companies with 250+ ee ​
 And a few more suggestions:  https://www.elle.com/life-love/a28035727/easy-ways-to-be-sustainable/
 
* Did you know that Target gives consumers 5 cents for each reusable bag?  Branded, reusable totes can also be a good option for swag.

How can your organization add sustainability to your marketing? 
​
1) First, add sustainability to your mission (if it's not already)
2) Plan how to integrate this into your strategy, operations, and marketing
2) Develop new messaging that includes sustainability:
       Consider - What is important for customers and the community to know about?
       What helps them have a favorable opinion about your brand?
       Can you clarify what differentiates you from the competition? 
        Is there a way to build an emotional connection?
        Think about your tagline or slogan - does it still fit?  If not, developing a new one is a good place to start. 
​ 
This process applies to many types of businesses, even solopreneurs, so don't think your business is too small!
Examples:

• You could show how your brand cuts waste, and how that waste affects wildlife/community
• For a construction company, you could illustrate how your buildings are more energy efficient

What if you'd like your business to be sustainable, but don't think it is now? 
Read our next blog for ideas on how your business can become more sustainable. It might be easier than you think to make a positive impact!



1)Source: https://www.thedrum.com/news/2021/12/07/59-consumers-say-they-ll-boycott-brands-don-t-address-climate-emergency
2) More on sustainability as a strategy: https://www.entrepreneur.com/living/why-you-need-to-build-sustainability-into-your-business/435075

In our last blog, we covered the buyer-driven experience -- and how B2B buyers are willing to do more research before interacting with sales representatives. This makes building an effective buyer-driven experience key in reaching these buyers. In this blog, we'll cover tips on building an effective buying experience.

 
​1) Create Initial Awareness and Interest
Think of this as an introduction to your business. 
Buyers want communications that make them feel they spent their time wisely; that they’ve learned something relevant and new, so make the most of your introductory content. Focus on the value you bring and start building trust by being authentic and honest in your communications.
 
When working on awareness content, consider your target buyer’s perspective:

How/where will they find your content?  

• From organic internet search?
• Social media?  
• Advertising – internet, conference, industry communications?​

Does the content fit with the expectations created by the source it came from?  

• In other words, if they click a link in your social media, does the headline and graphic match the post? And more importantly, does the content deliver what the title promised?

Is the content easy to access and consume?

• Can you scan the content?
• Is it visually pleasing? 
• Can it be written in a conversational style with the buyer’s context in mind? 

Is the content in a format that the buyer prefers? 

• For example, would your buyers prefer to scan a pdf or watch a video?

 
What did your content help them accomplish?

• Plan what you intend they learn from the interaction.
• Is the next step clear? For example, is there a place for more information, a phone number to call for questions, a select now link, etc.

 
2) Nurture Leads 
Getting attention is the first step, and it's a challenge to keep that attention.
Buyers need to gather information to decide to buy something new, especially if it is an innovation or departure from what they’ve bought before. They will want to know how your product or service solves their (or their organization’s) problem.
They’ll also want to know about the bumps they may encounter along the journey, so include information about constraints and complications that may come up and how to prepare for them. The more helpful and transparent you can be, the more trust you will earn.
And you need to give them this information at points when they are ready for it.
That’s where nurturing comes in.
 
Because buyers now prefer self-service engagement in the initial stages of research (only 21% engage with sales reps in the early buying stages), it’s critical to boost your ability to create self-service engagement.
Buyer-driven experiences must shift prospects from interest to consideration. 

Keep in mind:
The challenges a buyer faces:

• Convincing others - some buyers need to share information with others, perhaps a buying committee or upper management. Can you help them reduce perceived risk, gauge the disruption of implementation, gain consensus to change, and/or visualize their future with the problem solved?  
• Are you working to simplify the complexity? Even a highly educated audience doesn’t want to work hard to understand what you’re saying. Boil your message down to the simplest terms that you can without losing the meaning.
• Have you offered choices? Are there options that might make the purchase process easier? Is there a smaller offer that the customer could try first so you can gain their trust?

Are you reaching the buyers?

• Use yr analytics to gauge prospects’ reactions: Which emails do prospects open?  Do you see emails or social posts with high click rates or comments?
• You may want to experiment with different calls to action. For example, if the “book a demo” button is not getting clicks, they might not be ready for that step. Consider or research questions that need answering before moving to that step in the process. 
• For more in-depth information, talk to them! Consider buyer interviews or feedback surveys.

 
3) Enable the Purchase
One of the main reasons most buyers don’t engage with sales early in the process is that there are so many facets of the decision to address. (And sometimes they don't want a salesperson calling them when they are just looking!)
Now, if steps one and two go well, your buyer will have most of the information they need.
In this stage, try to make the purchase process as effortless as possible by eliminating any friction or barriers. 
In a complex buying environment, customers may appreciate information that helps them simplify the purchase process, so consider if a checklist, buyers guide or well-designed webpage that walks the buyer through each step. 
And don't forget to offer live assistance to those who want it!  Buyer-driven doesn't mean automated, especially in the
B2B world.
Suppliers who can provide buyers with clear information will be rewarded. In fact, Gartner research shows that customers are three times more likely to buy a bigger deal with less regret when suppliers provide information perceived as helpful in advancing the purchase process. (2)

Considerations:

• Do you make it easy for prospects to find answers in a format they prefer? For example, for those that prefer personal contact, is there a phone number or email address? For those that prefer to search online, will the search box on your website direct them to the appropriate content?
• If you provide services, like custom design consultations, site evaluations or financing, are these clearly defined and visible?
• And finally, do you make it easy to complete the buying process?  For example, how do you accept payment?

 

4) Experiment, Measure and Improve
Effective buyer-driven experiences will evolve as buyer’s needs and technology changes.  

• Experiment! Think about how to change your sales process to offer more self-service options.
• Ask for feedback!  Update it as you gain more information on how to meet buyers’ expectations for perceived value exchange. Asking for feedback also lets the customer know you care about their experience, helping to build trust for mutually beneficial relationships.

Think about:

• Can you enrich your buyer and customer personas?
• Have the influencers and decision makers changed?  ​What additional information do you need about your target customer or the buying process?
• Is your messaging consistent? Consistency is key to building and maintaining trust and relevance. Schedule periodic content reviews, especially after learning new information about your customer’s needs.
• Are there other ways you can help your customers? Don’t forget them after the sale. Can you help them anticipate future needs? Do you have access to trends or information that they might not?​

Think about this journey from your customer’s perspective – what is their environment, what choices do they have, and what do they need to simplify their decision?  Ensure that each interaction has the necessary elements to give buyers what they need to solve their problem or achieve their objective by using your product or service.
But don't forget the personal touch. It's good to remember when moving toward self-reliance during the buying process, there still may be touchpoints that are best served with a live person. Make sure that there is an effortless way for the prospective customer to get in touch with someone who can help them.

Thanks for reading!
For tips on how to develop your buyer experience, check out our next blog, The Four Steps to Build Effective Buyer-Driven Experiences, where we'll offer more tips on developing your buyer-driven experience.

[1] Lessons from Customers: What Marketers Need to Know to Make Digital Experiences Pay Off, Gartner for Marketing Leaders, 2021

Share knowledge

• Break technical content into bite-size pieces
• Use visuals – diagrams, infographics, or photo carousels
• Create how-to videos or demonstrations of  select topic areas, for example, “tips and tricks”
• Offer eBooks

Create lists
“Five to ten” ways and “best of” lists appeal to the curious.  Make it attractive and use headings so to make it easy for the reader to scan.

Ask questions

• This or that polls
• Ask for opinions
• Quizzes

Collaborate with other content creators
Video interviews or discussion, or team up on a piece of content. This may be a good time to try going live.

Offer contests or games
These are opportunities for followers to post their own content (tagged with your hashtag) or share your content and possibly get a prize or other reward. This also works great layered with an event, as in this example.

Get real   
Showcase your team, customers, or partners in action. For example, show your team’s community service project, take followers backstage at one of your events, or comment on a local happening.
 
Plan your engagement initiatives, experiment, and evaluate your results. Each target audience is different, and you may find some approaches work better than others. But don’t give up, social media has been described as more of a marathon than a sprint, or if you’re not into running, think cultivating a garden rather than cutting a bouquet of cut flowers.  ;)
 

Before you begin, evaluate if a webinar is the best tactic. 

Think about your objective:  is it long term, like thought leadership/brand building or shorter term, like lead generation?  Is this the best way to reach it? Would an alternative tactic, such as a whitepaper or video accomplish the same goal?

Then, consider your target market: 

• Do you have information that they would consider valuable?
• ​​Can you add unique insights to that information? 

If you have found a topic that aligns with your objective and target market, list the “takeaways” – what the participants will gain from attending -- you can add this to your invitations.
Then, while you are composing your slides, check out these 7 tips for successfully delivering your webinar.

Tips for successful delivery:

1) Keep your slides simple and interesting      

• Only present one idea per slide and use large type – if you’re using less than 24 point, you need two slides
• Use graphics, memes, and videos to illustrate points
• Add question slides to encourage audience interaction  
• Show, rather than tell – add examples, diagrams and stories

 
2) Practice

• Schedule a practice session – or more if you need it!
• Make sure each speaker/participant is comfortable with their slides and the technical equipment and application to be used.

 
3) Keep introductions brief and hold any overt sales pitches until the closing remarks. 
 
4) Speak clearly -- use terms your audience can understand, and when necessary, define technical jargon
 
5) Bring the participants into the conversation

• Keep them informed of what is happening – including when you are “starting in a few moments”,  have tech issues, or have  last-minute changes
• Read the questions in the Q&A aloud before answering -- not everyone may be able to read them, or if verbal, they may not hear what is being asked
• Ask questions and let the audience know what the results are – use the webinar software polling option or ask to raise a hand

 
6) Keep a handle on the logistical details

• Have music or messaging for participants who tune in early
• Send reminder emails – at least one the day before and one hour before starting             
• Have an additional person available to watch and assist with questions and technical difficulties  
• If presenters are in different locations, establish a call-in number or have them communicate by text with the other presenters

 
7) Plan to follow up

• Send recordings to everyone who signed up with messaging that supports your objective
• Ask for feedback on the webinar content and delivery
• Ask for ideas for future topics
• Analyze the attendee list to see if you are attracting the right target audience
• Plan a nurture campaign

 
After the webinar, use the audience feedback to make your next webinar even better.
Throughout the process, remember that you are trying to create value for the attendees so they will have a positive perception of your organization.

Watch for our next post on ways to repurpose your webinar content, or better yet, subscribe to our e-newsletter!