Go Green and Improve Results with Integrated Marketing
Tomorrow is Earth Day, a 40-year old celebration of greening our planet. Today, I read Earth Day 2010: Email Advances The Cause. Drawing readers back to the haunting 1970 Keep America Beautiful PSA, post author Neil Berman reminds us that we’ve come a long way since that PSA first ran. I think we could go a step further and say integrated marketing efforts advance the cause.
The post cites their research, which shows marketers save 60% to 80% by switching their paper-based marketing programs to email. Even better, Berman cites a study from the Direct Marketing Association, showing email also generates a return on investment greater than any other marketing channel. The DMA study shows email returns $43.62 for every dollar spent.
Berman includes a great list of ideas for marketers looking to green their efforts. It’s a great list – and I’ve used some of his points below (in bold) to elaborate other ways marketers could further integrate their green efforts, while improving engagement with their audiences.
Nonprofit organizations and associations can send newsletters and donor information via email and can stay in touch with members via email.
What about taking a newsletter or donor information a step further by creating an online center where donors and volunteers can interact as a community? The ASPCA does a great job of this on their own website – with many integrations of social media. Email newsletters work particularly well with an online hub where readers can continue engaging with your efforts.
Healthcare and insurance companies can send benefit information via email, and send appointment reminders and billing via email.
These are great green ideas, but electronic programs for healthcare and insurance companies don’t need to stop here. What about hosting your next educational class through a webinar? Even secure communications shouldn’t be considered out of reach. It may not make sense for a facility with many one-time patients, but consumers are hungry for online access to their medical records and test results. A 2008 Deloitte Study reported that 78% of consumers are interested in accessing these tools, yet only 6% have actually used them. Even more astonishing is that 25% would be willing to pay extra for the tools!
Financial services firms can send links to statements, annual reports, shareholder voting information and more via email.
What about a Twitter and/or Facebook account where customer service representatives can tackle issues without a trip to the branch? Same goes for secure communication here. If you’ve got a secure website, there are likely many other ways you can cut paper, trips to branches, electricity and more.
What other ways have you integrated your efforts to be green or improve results? @haugenbrian | bhaugen@priorityresults.com
