Are You Going “Too Green” in Your Home Business?
February 24, 2008 by Mary Emma Allen
If you’re joining in all the hype about “going green” in today’s world, do you ever consider that you might turn some of your customers off if you’re focusing too heavily on this to the exclusion of other important aspects of your business or their needs?
Also, as Bob Turek says, at Project Management 411, Green Hype Can Distract.
This overstated environmental record should caution companies to avoid overstating it’s own products and services.
Yes, we should be aware of environmental concerns. However, is there a point where you can overstate your claims or turn customers away because you’re focusing on this issue too much?
What do you think?
(c)2008 Mary Emma Allen
Believe it or not, I’ve actually read some posts and comments online of some people who are “sick” of all the green hype. Especially since a few companies are being “outed” for capitalizing on false green claims (such as Lululemon)
Like anything else, unless it’s an integral part of your market, I don’t think it should be the focus. It’s nice to note it on the side, but I wouldn’t do a whole campaign on it unless it’s an issue that’s important to my target market as well.
Celine,
I agree. I think there is so much “green” being applied to anything and everything connected with the environment (even remotely connected), that people are getting tired of it, especially when there’s no valid connection with a business. Getting on the band wagon, just to say you’re on it, doesn’t always work.
This is a really hot topic you’ve brought up. There are many companies who have been “green” long before there was a name for it. Now that being eco-friendly has become trendy (read: profitable) there are lots of companies jumping on the marketing bandwagon without being able to back up their claims. Another term for this is greenwashing.