Fish Where the Fish Are...and Use the Right Bait

“Talking green” with your customers means understanding their businesses and their needs. Your sustainability strategies should not be focused on just your company; you should be looking for prospects that will resonate with your values and principles.

A fisherman will tell you that you won’t catch a single fish if you don’t go where the fish are—and use the right bait.

The Opportunity

There are five general market sectors that are focused on “Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability” (LOHAS) and offer goods and services to consumers that have a sense of environmental and social responsibility—and incorporate those values into their purchases.

These prospects want their promotional materials to reflect their commitment to sustainability. So fish where the fish are.

According to the Natural Marketing Institute, sales of goods and services into the LOHAS market is about $290 billion a year. How does that break down?

• $117 billion: Personal Health – natural/organic food, personal care, vitamins and supplements, etc.

• $100 billion: Green Building – certified homes, Energy Star appliances, etc.

• $20 billion: Alternative Transportation – hybrids, diesel vehicles, electric vehicles, car sharing, etc.

• $42 billion: Eco-tourism – includes travel spent on excursions in nature.

• $10 billion: Natural Lifestyles – home furnishings, apparel, etc.

• $1 billion: Alternative Energy – renewable power

The Target Audience

Most Fortune 100 companies have C-level sustainability staff and have embedded a focus on sustainability throughout their organizations. It has become everyone’s responsibility to consider the environmental and social impacts of their products and operations. And, most have made headway in at least understanding, if not reducing, their environmental footprints.

Despite the increasing influence of sustainability officers, the CMO is still very much at the heart of the strategy when it comes to the environment. Keep talking to the marketing department while you reach out to the sustainability staff.