Customers are increasingly worried about the environmental impact of their purchases. In fact, 45% of consumers are choosing more sustainable products. This trend continues with B2B buyers. Sustainability only ranks below quality and price in their decision making priorities, with 35% willing to change suppliers if these needs aren’t met.
This shift means more B2B brands are talking about their green credentials. So much so, it's now become difficult for businesses to differentiate themselves (and their sustainability claims) from others.
To ensure eco marketing messages have real impact, communications don’t just need to be accurate, they also need to create a compelling story. Having worked on sustainable storytelling strategies for a range of brands, we’ve got a few tips to help make yours stand out.
Before considering ways to make your sustainability storytelling more engaging and compelling, it’s important to be aware of eco marketing rules. Set out in the Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) Green Claims Code, they’re essential to avoid accidentally misleading your customers and stakeholders.
Known as greenwashing, greenhushing or greenwishing, making incorrect statements about environmental credentials can impact your business’s reputation and lead you subject to fines. As such, its essential that any claims you make about your business, products or services are:
Checking any claims you make against the above criteria will ensure you’re not falling short of the expectations of the CMA, stakeholders and customers. Then, you can follow the tips below to start building a powerful sustainability story.
Once you’ve pulled accurate, transparent environmental claims together, you can use the advice below to create more captivating sustainability communications.
You might have a lot to say about how your green initiatives are making a difference. However, if your customers don’t care about the particular cause, then they won’t engage with the changes you’re making there.
For example, if clients have particular carbon targets to meet, you should prioritise talking about CO2 emissions. Others might be more concerned about water sanitation and waste, so setting out the steps you take to efficiently and responsibly use this resource.
Reflect on your customers’ interests, needs and values then match up the relevant environmental messages. When planning out any automations, ensure they’re tailored to segmented audiences. This will make your messaging more persuasive.
Once you’ve got customer priorities in mind, you can start to develop your brand’s main sustainability messaging streams. You should do this while keeping your business’ purpose in mind. That way every part of your communications plan will tie directly back to your ‘why’, making it more coherent and effective.
Also ensure that, even if the topic and target of your messaging is different, your tone of voice is consistent across every touchpoint. This will minimise confusion and contradictions which could build distrust amongst your audiences. As your messaging will be under tight scrutiny, this is a problem you want to avoid.
Facts, data and information can be compelling up to a point. However, customers mainly care about the impact of any initiatives on themselves or other people.
Showcasing the individuals behind your environmental efforts will create deeper connections with your audiences. It’ll also show that the changes being made in your business are genuine, by real people, and not a fabrication.
Brands shouldn’t be afraid of leveraging emotions either. Creative campaigns using employees, customers or beneficiaries of any sustainability initiatives can leave audiences feeling inspired, motivated or electrified by your brand.
Many customers are used to sustainability messaging being full of doom and gloom. What damage has been done, how we’re failing to take action and what the potential fallout might be are all well known. This can leave audiences feeling helpless and unmotivated to take action.
Using positive messaging will help inspire the opposite feelings within your target audience. It’ll also emphasise how you’re making a real, beneficial impact on the environment, which will help build customer loyalty and affiliation.
Breaking down or explaining claims using simple words and sentences is also essential to getting your message across as clearly as possible. It will leave no room for misinterpretation and help your customers fully understand your business’s sustainability initiatives.
How you deliver your sustainability comms is just as important as what you say in them. Using the formats and platforms your customers engage with most will help you get the best results from your green marketing strategy.
The right format can also help you communicate more clearly and accurately. For example, you need to ensure that any photography isn’t misleading your customers, particularly if you’re using stock images. In contrast, helpful graphics and explainer videos can support educational pieces.
Monitor the performance of different assets to see what is and isn’t attracting engagement. From there, you can start to build an effective content strategy that tells a compelling story about your business’s sustainability.
For more tips to elevate your brand’s ESG story, check out our infographic.