Creating Value for Green Buyers
Creating value should be the driving force behind every organization. It doesn't matter if your firm is a non-profit, multi-national or a mom & pop retail stand at the local flea market.
Creating true and lasting value means for all involved there is a specific function the organization serves that helps one party get what they want without sacrificing what any other party involved needs. Classic win-win.
It seems win-win is almost never about money. While the results of creating value often result in more sales and profits - having money be the chief aim is almost always a surefire way to to leave someone out of the value equation.
A perfect example of a true all-around win-win is Zappos.com. Amazon recently announced it will make a bid to purchase the online shoe retailer for $847,000,000!
Zappos started off as a homespun online storefront, just like thousands of other online companies. The difference is Zappos was built based on a clear set of values and principles. Sticking to these principles created huge value for everyone involved.
Take sometime to visit the Zappos website and view the about us page: http://about.zappos.com/
You'll quickly see, Zappos isn't focused on simply selling more shoes. They focus on creating the best online buying experience possible for their customers, the best work environment for their employees and the best vendor relationships with their suppliers.
The value chain they created is circular. If Zappos tried to squeeze dollars out of any one area of this value circle, I'm willing to bet they would not have been nearly as successful.
If they set out to provide the best customers service, but paid their employees as little as required and didn't provide a culture of teamwork and growth - this would translate into less than ideal customer service when employees interacted with customers.
This isn't a novel approach by any means. How many organizations have you come across that talk about giving the best service or quality, but fall far short when it comes time to deliver? I'm sure it won't take you long to think of a few examples.
Value means a lot of different things, depending on your industry and the needs of your customers. For "green marketers" value can be summed up as "Truth".
Eco-conscious consumers simply want the truth about where their products come from, how they are made and what 's actually in them.
Green buyers want to believe in your company and the claims it makes.
Buying eco-friendly products isn't simply a reflection of the quality of your product - it's a reflection of what that buyer values. Essentially a reflection of who they are.
When you say fair-trade, organic, recycled, all-natural or any other tag you can put on your product - just be able to back it up.
Provide this simple value and they will reward you with the value in sales and loyalty.
