5 Ways to Green-Up Your Small Business

Did you know that 69 percent of U.S. consumers always or sometimes consider the environment when deciding which product or service to buy?1 That’s an opportunity for small businesses that offer environmentally friendly products to differentiate their business from the competition. The Small Business Association’s Green Business Guide provides a number of tools to help businesses do just that.

Here are a five resources to get you started:

  • Smart Steps to Sustainability: A Guide to Greening Your Business – Provides an overview of the benefits to greening your business, including a 5-step process and specific opportunities for small businesses.
  • Green Business Case Studies – Learn from other businesses as they describe the benefits of greening-up, such as enhanced brand image, stronger customer loyalty and increased appeal to socially responsible investors.
  • Green Certification and Ecolabeling – Learn how to obtain certification from one of several independent organizations so you can include their logo on your products or your promotional materials.
  • Market Research – Including a study by the University of Texas that includes tips for avoiding the pitfalls of green marketing.
  • Environmental Grants and Loans – Links to resources for financing your business’s innovative environmental products and to support your environmentally friendly business.

A green product or service doesn’t guarantee you’ll capture the market. It still has to provide value to your customers by helping to solve a problem. But in a competitive market, it can help you stand out in the crowd. Consider the resources offered by the SBA to help you gain that competitive edge.

1 2012 Cone Green Gap Trend Tracker, How to Use Green Marketing Effectively in Your Business. U.S. Small Business Administration, SBA.gov, 2012.

 

Link 1:  http://www.sba.gov/content/green-marketing

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