Just by making an effort to be environmentally friendly, your business may make itself seem even more appealing to prospective clients and customers. You may not be able to totally revamp the way your organization operates, but even a little goes a long way. To get a leg above your eco-inconsiderate competitors, you should start by introducing your brand without harming the planet. After all, first impressions are the most important. Here are three possible ways to share information about your company while eliminating paper waste:
1. Mobile-to-mobile business cards. Instead of passing out those tiny squares of shredded trees that are apt to get lost, you can pass along your basic business details through a text message. Services such as Contxts allow you to create a standard template that’s sent to a phone directly or when someone (you or your new business associate) texts in a certain code. An added bonus is that smartphone users can simply tab a link to your company’s website to get loads more info than you could ever squish onto a little business card. The only downside is that users who pay to send or receive messages might not appreciate spending the extra cents (try reminding them that it’s not for you, it’s for Mother Nature).
2. Take info, don’t give it out. If you’re out in the field (trade shows, promotional events), you should solicit e-mail addresses and phone numbers that can all be input via a laptop at the site. Then you can send out e-newsletters or links with further information about your company. Visible materials on the site can be helpful ways to promote your business, and they can be used again (freestanding displays, T-shirts). But you can eliminate the paper handouts that weigh down those free totes that everyone else is giving out. And you can even helpfully inform your visitors that providing their electronic contact information for future advertising endeavors will spare the environment the burden of paperwork follow-ups. Hey, it’s worth a shot.
3. Put everything on your website. This may sound like a no-brainer, but it means you can just give out your website and consolidate a lot of marketing. Having a website that’s not only an advertisement but also a thorough resource having to do with your company and its industry can save your customers time when making up their mind about you. Sharing a URL is thriftier than giving out fliers, brochures and sell sheets. This is especially important because your info can be regularly updated online, while it more quickly goes out of date on disposable materials that get handed out. You might change your phone number four times before Mr. Buyer stops using that handy koozy you gave him at a convention eight years ago.