Eco-quality

Entrepreneur, August, 2002 by Nichole L. Torres

If your product or service is environmentally friendly, should you market it as such? According to the August 2001 RoperASW's "Green Gauge" report, 41 percent of consumers say they don't buy such products for fear they don't work as well.

This negative perception came from bad experiences with green products in the past, says Jacquelyn A. Ottman, an environmental marketing expert and president of J. Ottman Consulting Inc. in New York City. Still, it's not the whole story.

A poor perception doesn't mean you should stop touting your environmentally friendly products or services. The key is to plug its quality first and its environmental benefits second. "[If your] product has a significant green benefit, don't focus on that in the advertising," says Ottman. "Consumers don't buy a box of environment--[they] buy a [product] to get clothes clean. Market [a product's] consumer benefit."

But don't forgo the green angle completely. According to the RoperASW report, 56 percent of consumers agree with the statement, "I would do more for the environment, but I don't know how." Consumers will buy energy-efficient light bulbs because they're long-lasting and save energy costs, for example, but, says Ottman, "they'll also feel good it's [environmentally sound]."