Using your Green Journey as a Marketing Tool

If your business is running a Green programme to reduce it’s carbon footprint it seems logical to use your green journey as a marketing tool.

The travel agent central statistics released a report in 2019 were it stated that:

87% of global travellers want to travel more sustainably

78% of traveller would pay more to stay in Green certified accommodation

So a green programme is not only good for the planet, it is also what society and your customers are seeking more and more in recent years.

Running a Green Hotel can increase your customer footfall and rates, but there are a few top tips to follow, in order to market your green journey in the right way.

1. NEVER EVER say you do more than what you do. This is my number one rule, always be honest and never over exaggerate your achievement, there is nothing worse than green washing.
2. Document your team’s journey through videos, photos and social media posts. Are you having a Green Team meeting? Take a photo, disclose what you discuss and what your future plans are
3. When you adopt a new green initiative, calculate what it’s environmental impact will be over a period of time and tell your customers. For example, if you are going to abolish mini toiletries from your guest bathrooms in favour of large refillable bottles to reduce single use plastic waste, calculate how many mini plastic bottles you will abolish in the next 12 months. Tell your customer facts and figures.
4. Create a Green page on your website, upload your Environmental policy, make sure it is dated so that your customer know it is this current year’s policy. Use your green page to list the amount of actions you have already implemented, and what are you committing to achieve in the future. Remember a visitor to your website might not know your business at all, if you do not tell them you have a Green Programme in place, they will never know.

Applying for sustainability awards is another great way to stand up from your competitors and let your customers know you are good at what you do.

I have been an judge on some sustainability awards in Ireland the UK, and it always surprises me how little data is recorded in the candidates entries. As I judge, I do not want to know that you provide compostable coffee cups for take away coffee, I want to know that you have reduced your landfill waste by 20% for example, and you have achieved that by doing X,Y and Z. I want to know you have reduced your carbon footprint by 10% in the past 12 months and that you are committed to reduce it by 5% more in the next 12 months. That is real data, real figures that can me measured and proven.

But as I said at the start, the most important thing when using your Green Journey as a marketing tool is not NEVER lie, never say you are doing more than you are doing, highlight your achievements but recognize you are in a journey of continued improvement and that you and your team have a lot more to do. Your customers will appreciate your honesty.

Raquel