Daily Biz Solutions

…Finding Business Value in Environmental Practices and Marketing Success

Guest Post by Elisabeth King, Senior Vice President, ABI Marketing Public Relations

For many years, creating environmentally friendly messaging was largely left to consumer marketing.  But today, because of expanding concern for the environment, and pressures filtering through the entire supply chain, a second bottom line is evolving for many B2B companies – and it’s green.  Communication strategies for this messaging can be new territory for many companies, and, in some cases, can turn commonly held marketing beliefs on their heads.

Internal Efficiency is Valuable

At one time, if a company cut its own energy usage by 20% or reduced material consumption by 10%, the results were kept quiet.  Why?  No one wants their customers to ask for price reductions if a process costs less, uses less energy, or requires fewer materials.  Today, however, creating greater internal efficiency is a value that can be passed on down the supply chain even to the consumer level.

For example, if a new packaging process uses 20% less material and energy there is value in the initial savings, but there is a huge marketing value in that 20% figure as well.  In fact, that 20% snowballs through the supply chain all the way to the consumer with each party along the way adding to their green line.  In the end, brand owners can use that 20% as a differentiating factor to consumers on the store shelf, in advertisements, viral marketing, and PR.

For this to work, however, it’s important to market these figures to the right people.  Brand owners and decision makers need to know that, as a supplier, you are offering something more than your competitor and something that can be used to differentiate their own products.  Good B2B communication targets brand and marketing decision makers instead of purchasing.  One party is rewarded for innovation and market growth based on the latest trends like sustainability; the other on cost cutting.  You can guess which is which.

Partnership Opportunities

One of the keys to good B2B communication is highlighting partnership.  Any level of service or partnership or specialized innovation elevates your product above a commodity.   Environmental initiatives are an opportunity to work with customers more closely on typical B2B applications such as the installation of equipment, process efficiency, or waste and energy reduction.

Customer testimonials and technical articles serve as a good ‘one-two punch’ when it comes to marketing these partnerships.  For example, at ABI we will interview our clients’ customers about their own initiatives and how a partnership approach has helped grow business and enhance environmental initiatives.  We then interview our clients’ technical teams and write technical or thought leadership articles on their work adapting customer processes to reduce environmental impact.   This approach lends credibility to a program because it offers: a.) real information that can be applied to an actual B2B environment b.) real-world examples of success.

Credibility is Key

With an environmental communication strategy, credibility is absolutely essential.  Like any business initiative, it’s important to ask no only what you are doing but what you are doing better than anyone else.  Environmental initiatives are no different.    Anyone can
“spin” a green message, but this type of marketing is very thin and susceptible to a net zero effect if your competition is doing the same thing.

An environmental initiative should be in place that genuinely is working to reduce impact both internally and throughout the supply chain.  Does it need to be perfect or complete to begin communicating?  No.  Does it need to be genuine?  Absolutely.  And a credibility campaign backing up these initiatives will show how a partnership relationship with your company holds value beyond simple cost cutting.  That’s just good old fashioned B2B marketing.

Without Marketing, It’s All a Commodity

The environment is, more than likely, a long term trend rather than a short term fad simply because it is based on more than just notoriously fickle consumer tastes.  Beyond saving the planet (which is, in its own way, also a financial concern), fuel costs, increasingly severe weather conditions, and unstable (or at least unpredictable) political climates – all make business more difficult.

Consumerism is a huge part of the economy.  In the US, consumer spending makes up 70% of the total economy.  Arguably, a stable consumer economy is essential to the overall economic health of the world. In many ways, B2B companies are responsible for this stability.

In the past, B2B trends supported this notion in many ways.  Quality was the clarion call of companies 15 years ago.  Next came cost cutting.  Then, innovation was the catchword.  The B2B environmental movement is all of these trends rolled into one.  Quality, efficiency and innovation are essential to reducing dependency on materials and to overall impact.  B2B companies will be central to this movement

However, communicating the implementation of these programs and promoting their success is key.  Anything, including good environmental practices, can be commoditized.  Credible communication can ensure that innovation + efficiency + sustainability = value.

By John McKee

Expert Tips & Quiz to Help Bosses Change Their Hell on Wheels Ways

In the workplace, managers get a bad rap.  The butt of endless water cooler jokes; bosses are more often than not characterized as the office “villain” and are maligned for simply existing, in perpetuity.  How then does a boss transcend this collective disdain and find that delicate balance between managing as a tyrant like Miranda in ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ or as a “pushover” that is taken complete advantage of?

Here is some practical advice to help managers at all levels – bottom, middle and those in the executive suites – hone a style that serves everyone’s best interest and, as such, fosters positive perceptions among subordinates:

• Give credit where it’s due – Among the biggest complaints about managers is that they are “glory hogs.”  One of the fastest ways for a manager to become disliked and disrespected is by taking the recognition for others’ work – or exclusive credit for a team effort.  Great leaders are recognized for their ability to share the glory with others.  Learn to cite those who have helped create successes and improve the overall sprit around you. Staff members will be appreciative and pleasantly surprised when they notice you sharing the accolades that will ultimately further their career growth as well.

• Have an open door policy – Let’s face it; most managers have to work hard to keep up with daily demands and expectations.  Meetings, telecons, emails, number crunching, planning – all of these tasks can keep managers separate and apart – both physically and emotionally – from their team.  It’s important to remember, however, that one of a manager’s primarily jobs is to know what your staff is doing at all times, and help them to do it better. The best way to accomplish this is by staying visible and accessible with staffers by not only welcoming them into your office, but also by walking around the department where you can ”mix it up” with subordinates in a less formal way and in their territorial comfort zone. Make a recurring ‘appointment’ on your Outlook calendar to allow yourself the time to get out into the general offices regularly; if you have staff in other offices or locations use that time to get a little more personal calling them simply to ‘drop in’ as opposed to only when there’s a problem.

• Appreciate face value. Today’s professional is decidedly “wired,” with email, voice mail, teleconferencing and web-conferencing taking the place of good old human-to-human interaction.  The most effective managers communicate with their staff in person whenever possible. Although remote communication is admittedly efficient, technology is not entirely effective when it comes to getting people energized or feeling like they are part of a team led by someone who cares about what’s on the collective plate.  There is simply no direct substitute for having a face-to-face dialog – not a monologue – with staff members if you want to get things done while also cultivating a positive spirit within the organization. Finally, research is clear that people are more prone to dedicate themselves to a leader they feel they know and who shows her or his passion occasionally. No amount of memos will create that sense of care.

• Be firm but fair. Every office has its “suck-ups” and “brown-nosers,” and everyone knows who they are…except the boss.  If your team thinks you are allowing others to have special privileges or that you are too naïve to recognize when you’re being manipulated, you will lose their respect very quickly.  Once lost, respect is a virtue that is very hard to regain.  To avoid this, debrief your team as often as possible so they understand why you do things a certain way or have made a certain decision, and so they consider your decisions fair in a business context.  Regularly scheduled ‘all hands’ meetings with an agenda allow them to see you in action and present an opportunity to show you in the best light.

• Find, and maintain, a “whole life” balance.  We’ve all heard about the guy with the great title, corner office, fancy company car and trophy wife who’s miserable.  Executives can often find themselves becoming similar versions of that individual if they don’t have a game plan.  Busy times and demanding jobs can cause managers to lose their humanity – those other things in life that make it “all worth it.” It’s okay to burn some midnight oil once in a while, but everyday demands at the expense of your personal or family life is a recipe for disaster: high stress levels and low energy, attention span, patience and tolerance levels makes for a less than lovable boss. This, of course, leads to low morale and decreased team productivity coupled with increased staff turnover – all of which plays into a vicious cycle of both professional and personal unhappiness.  When you are frustrated and wound tight, your staff truly feels your pain.  Creating a personal action plan lets you shoot high and know when you are making progress on all fronts – life a deparment or company action plan it alerts you to take course corrections which keep balance on all fronts – career, personal, and financial.

Not sure what kind of boss you are?  McKee offers this quick quiz to help you find out: Simply answer yes or no to each question, below.

1. All employees generally dislike work
2. The best motivator for your team is money; it’s what brings them back every day
3. Keeping emotions out of the management process has served the operation well
4. Your staff prefers to work as a team so that individual accountability is lessened 
5. As much as I would like to, I just don’t have the time to spend talking in-person to my subordinates
6. I encourage feedback from a suggestion box or other anonymous method
7. I live for the weekends – this job is a paycheck to support my “real” life
8. I don’t believe outsourcing can happen to my company
9. Regular team meetings are not justifiable as they take too much time, which lessens productivity
10. My current management position isn’t very influential, but when I move up the ladder a bit I can make a “real” contribution to the company

Score Card: Give yourself 1 point for every time you said “No”:

10 = Excellent!! You’ll be running the show in no time!

9 = Brilliant. You obviously see your employees as an asset

8 = Solid. You have the right attitude, and the team will see that

7 = Well done. You know people and their needs

6 = Good. You recognize the power of your role

5 = Fair. May be time to re-think your management strategy

4 = It’s definitely time for an attitude adjustment

3 = Change or die (metaphorically). Things aren’t good, but it’s not too late to make impactful changes

2 = Do something significant that will be viewed in a positive light or your employees will leave

1 = It’s time to consider a new job where you do not manage people

0 = Ever consider a job as a bounty hunter?

About the Author

John McKee, Founder and President of BusinessSuccessCoach.net, is the author of “Career Wisdom” and “21 Ways Women in Management Shoot Themselves in the Foot.” He can be reached at 720-226-9072, , or through his web sites at www.BusinessSuccessCoach.net and www.BusinessWomanWeb.com.