It’s being called the gold rush of our times – and now’s the time to stake your claim.
The sustainability and renewables industry in Australia is currently experiencing an unprecedented surge thanks to an increasing public desire to ‘go green’ and the government’s commitment to renewable energy targets.
The Australian Government has set a goal of 23.5 per cent of the country’s electricity generation to be from renewable sources by 2020, and it is supporting this target with incentives and support.
This means greater opportunities for companies operating in the sustainability and renewables space.
It’s a big pie, and there’s a lot of competition. But renewable energy and sustainability companies need to understand the importance of marketing activity to stand out in a crowded space.
Here’s how the right marketing can help your business cut through the noise and reach the customers you intend to.
Educate your consumers
While there is an increased interest, much of the public still lacks knowledge about sustainability and renewables, and especially about rapidly developing technologies.
Your customers want the information; they just don’t know what it is.
Only when they are educated can customers assess the actual value of your product and make a buying decision.
A well-populated and functioning website, regular activity on social media channels and a strategic digital marketing campaign to share knowledge offers a perceived benefit to the customer and establishes your business as an industry leader.
Use pressure pieces to drive policy
With so much government support for the renewables sector right now, you’re in a perfect position to drive sustainability policy through your marketing activities.
Use your social media marketing, blog posts on your website and also traditional methods, such as opinion pieces in print media, to push your agenda.
Develop a strong case for policy change that supports your business and push it out there.
Experiment with audiences
Chances are you’re most comfortable marketing to the audience you have always targeted, but you can broaden your consumer base by marketing to different segments of the wider community.
Digital marketing makes it easy to test marketing strategies to new audiences, because of the ability to split test.
Basically, that means trying out different marketing techniques and see which ones hit the spot with specific audience groups.
You might find that industry responds best to FAQ sheets emailed directly or available via your website, while you might gain more attention from the general public using social media posts that are light on text but big on bright images. Test them and see.
Identify clear product benefits
The very first thing you need to do when marketing within the sustainability and renewables sector is to be clear about what you are offering and why people should purchase it.
Sure, you might manufacture and install solar power systems for commercial buildings but that’s not the whole story.
Businesses may buy solar systems because they offer a sustainable power source and save on energy bills; they become eligible for rebates; and implementing power-saving measures can be rolled into their own marketing strategy.
Once you’re clear about why people should purchase the product you manufacture, take it one step further and think about why people should purchase this product from you.
What is your unique selling proposition?
Ask yourself: what sets my product apart from the competition? How will this difference better help the consumer solve their particular issue?
Then make this the centrepiece of your entire marketing strategy.
Need help marketing your renewables and sustainability business?
At Assemblo, we have extensive experience marketing companies in the renewables and sustainability sector.
We’ve worked with Australia’s largest mercury recycler CMA Ecocycle, environment publication The Switch Report, and solar system installation company Sunstainable.
To find out how we can help your business, give us a call on (03) 9079 2555 or send us a note via the contact form below.