The 4 P's of Green Marketing

Entrepreneurs who are getting ready to market their new green products face a dilemma. Green products can't be marketed in the same old way. Regardless of new social media networking, and the speed and reach of social utilities like Facebook and Twitter, green marketing is running a slippery slope when it comes to reaching a mainstream consumer.

Companies like ReBinder, a zero waste binding company, believe there are three important ways to market their green product.

-- Sit on the same shelf/catalog/website/showroom as irresponsible products
-- Meet the same functional requirements
-- Cost the same

While this may be true, it rankles many other business people who are either marketing green products or trying to install green initiatives in their company chain supply line.

"Why is it difficult to market eco-friendly products? The trend I see regarding green products is higher price compared to its "non-green" counterpart. If this is the truth, then is marketing green products in this economical state doing more harm than good? What I'd like to know is which angle I should take when marketing a green product, for example our Eco-Panda Junior swim line." Kenny Yoon, Director of Marketing for Eco-Panda Apparel

After significant research in the green marketing arena, it becomes pretty clear that cost drives mainstream consumers away from '˜green' products, even if those products are proven to last longer- as is the case with CFL light bulbs.

And, selling '˜green' products to a known green demographic like LOHAS (Lifestyle of Health and Sustainability) is pretty much like preaching to the choir. With them, it must meet strict sustainability criteria or be accused of green washing- a term used to describe products or initiatives that are trying to appear green for the sake of marketing, alone!

As in all marketing mix strategies, we look at product, price, place, and promotion. But, with green marketing we are in a quandary because the product has been set apart and become part of a movement that many consumers find immensely political.

That is why green marketers must concentrate on the 4 P's of the marketing mix- with a twist!
Let's focus on the traditional four P's and see where challenges occur.

Product- A green product must be absolutely green, or it will not sell to those who are ever vigilant of how the material world is impacting our planet. And, if a company decided to implement green policies, they need to be certain that their value system is in the right place.

Price- This is the toughest challenge when it comes to mainstreaming green products. The solution is to steadily work towards bringing prices down or up to the same level as those types of products that are not sustainable. Big leap? Yes! Necessary? Absolutely.

Place- Green marketers who think that place is not important do not live in the Rust Belt. Many conservative areas of the United States that are being hit hard by the recession could care less about '˜going green'- and are always put off by higher prices. The solution? Sell where going green is almost fanatical. This is one area in the marketing mix where social media can be advantageous, but then the seller runs up against shipping criticisms. In green marketing, local always wins- but what if local is not interested? That's the challenge with place.

Promotion '" In green marketing place and promotion wear dual hats. Promotion is the same today as it was in yesteryear. But, if a LOHAS finds out that flyers that are not being created with recycled paper is promoting your green product, watch out! Most environmentally responsible companies try to blend their initiatives in order to quiet the steady hum of '˜greenwashing' attacks.

Those are the 4 P's of green marketing. But, the last one, the Plus P, if you will, is really the solution to it all.

Those of us who are creating, developing and selling green products, or fostering green initiatives must mainstream our value system. Whether we like it or not the majority of consumers who are not LOHAS, still believe that '˜green' products cost too much and do far too little to help their families and environment.