An environmental analysis of your marketing campaign is often done as a part of a larger analysis, called a PESTLE Analysis, which stands for political, economical, social, technological, legislative and environmental. Your marketing plan can impact the environment in a variety of ways. Protecting the environment is socially responsible and a company that makes an effort to limit the size of their carbon footprint is typically viewed favorably by the public. By being environmentally responsible you can gain positive publicity as well.
Review the marketing materials you plan to print, such as flyers, brochures and catalogs. Evaluate your current stock of old brochures, flyers and catalogs in relation to what was originally printed to determine if you can decrease your printed quantities. This can cut down on wasted paper copies. In the digital age, more and more people prefer reviewing materials online. Consider substituting e-newsletters and e-catalogs for printed ones. You could also produce brochures on discs or flash drives in lieu of printing on paper.
Consider how much travel and shipping you will do as a part of your marketing strategy. Finding ways to limit this can have a positive impact on the environment. For example, if you have regular sales and marketing meetings people travel to, consider using video conferencing calls on occasion. Also, instead of mailing out direct mail flyers, compile an e-mail list to distribute the sales information electronically.
Look for ways your campaign is encouraging waste from consumers, for example, if you are promoting a coupon that can be printed from your Web site. Find ways that you can limit this waste, such as by giving consumers a code word to use at the register instead of a printed coupon, or allowing customers to simply show photos of the coupon on their phone.
Consider your product packaging and how it impacts the environment. Ask your design team if the packaging is biodegradable or if it is composed of recycled materials. If it is not, look into adapting your packaging to make it more environmentally friendly. Promote the environmentally savvy aspects of the packing on the product itself to gain some positive publicity.
Michelle Barry graduated from Salve Regina University with a Bachelor of Arts in English. Since then, she has worked as a reporter for the Wilbraham-Hampden Times, an editor for Month9Books and Evolved Publishing, editor and has spent the past seven years in marketing and graphic design. She also has an extensive background in dance.