Long before orange became the “new black,” there was green. Going green has been in the popular interest for quite some time, and many corporations have taken to ‘going green’ themselves in an effort to boost corporate morale and to build a larger consumer base. Environmentalism has held a proud focus in American pop culture and activism for decades, and as more scientific studies continue to reveal the many concerns surrounding global warming and population growth across the world, focus on environmental issues continue to develop. If you pay attention to green services content marketing news, you will find that there is a definitive increase in the need for this subject genre of content. However, to be successful in this field you must have green services writing insights.
In recent years, especially since the onset of the age of the internet and the rise of associated technology, environmentalism has become an economical tool in addition to an activist mindset. Eco-nomics, as some call it, refers to opportunities for capitalizing off of investments that support environmental purposes. Marketing in this industry requires knowledge about the latest environmental incentives, but also in depth knowledge about the audience that the marketing projects will target.
There are exciting breakthroughs on the environmentalism front, with big projects happening in solar energy, electric vehicles, and even global awareness of climate issues, and clients will expect you to be aware of these ideas when they are looking to hire green services writers. However, when it comes down to it, the core of the environmentalist movement is very much the same as it ever was. The heart of the movement is still very focused on the small choices and behavioral patterns that each individual makes. Understanding the big picture alongside the behavioral trends is essential in understanding what it means to be green, and what green companies are looking for in their marketing services. While having a constant awareness of what is on the horizon will be helpful to intrigue those who are excited about inventions that may support a more environmentally sound world, at the end of the day, green services need to accommodate the day to day expectations of the average recycler.
Writing Green: Knowing your Audience
Knowing your audience is essential in any marketing field, but in the green industry, misinterpreting your audience could be the difference between a successful pitch and an offensive statement. It is rather difficult to find someone who will outright say that they aren’t interested in preserving the environment, but that doesn’t mean that everyone who thinks recycling is a good thing for the earth is a total environmentalist. Just like with any other global concern, there is a spectrum of interest and passion among those who care about the environment.
When you are writing in the green services field, you need to know how to accommodate anyone on that spectrum. This does not necessarily mean automatically shifting to the lowest common denominator by keeping your references incredibly basic, but it also means not getting too advanced or liberal with your environmental concerns. Instead, this means being strategic by paying close attention to green services writing tips and working with common industry topics to improve your pitch.
Here are the things that touch home best with the audience for green services:
- A message of “think global, act local.” Not everyone can do something about dirty water in India, but everyone can control water usage in their own backyard.
- Connect “waste prevention” with “money saving.” It is basic math, if you cut out waste you cut out wasteful spending. This means that going green can ‘save some green,’ which is an argument that hits home with a lot of the base audience.
- Emphasize the simplicity of going green. Point out the strategies that make doing the right thing for the environment a super easy thing to do.
These strategies are typically helpful because the audience will be automatically able to connect with the at-home simplicity of the behavioral techniques discussed. Keep in mind that most people who are shopping for green services are looking for a little bit of outside support to handle something that they may be able to do themselves. Housecleaning, yard maintenance, and painting are all common services that are frequently marketed to “green” communities. So, if it is possible to do this job yourself, then what are the primary factors that will encourage you to hire a professional? The answer comes down to pretty basic components: trustworthiness of the company, the belief that the professional will do a better job, and the realization that it may be more cost effective to have a professional handle the job rather than take time away from work and purchase materials yourself. So ultimately, it is the job of the green services writer to ensure that the reader is put in the state of mind that ultimately, hiring the green professional is the right thing to do. They are better at the task, they are more cost efficient, and they do good things for the environment so they must be good people, too.
Hot Trends make for Hot Topics: What’s New with Green Services Writing
There are a lot of big and exciting things going on in the green services field, and the biggest trends in environmentalism certainly make for great content for green services. Perhaps the biggest trend in the industry right now is solar power.
The devastating tragedy that happened to Puerto Rico after the Hurricanes in the fall of 2017 captured international attention. For months the entire island was essentially shut down. People across the island were without food, without water, without power, without roadways, and without communication. Entire power grids were wiped out. There wasn’t an issue of getting lines back up to connect to power because there was no longer power sources to hook the lines up to.
This caught the attention of TESLA, and Elon Musk actually spoke out about the opportunity of utilizing solar power to rebuild Puerto Rico on a scale that had never been achieved before. Typically the conversation around solar power is conversion. To make solar power work, the switch to solar power has to be so cost effective that it is a better option that what is currently installed. In the case of Puerto Rico, there is nothing installed—and building a nuclear plant or relying on coal requires planning and time, something that the island didn’t have. What the island did have was sunshine, and by utilizing the natural power that is already covering the island it would be possible to get Puerto Rico running at top speed again.
Think Green with Smart Connections
In the end, think global and talk local. Solar panels are exciting because they are new and sleek, and sunshine is something that anyone can relate to. Capitalizing off of these trends, many green services corporations are incorporating more solar power and other clean energy resources into their day to day routine.
Connecting the small corporations to these larger international trends is a strategic way of incorporating the latest trends in the green industry into the down-home focused content of the green services industry.
Jessica F‘s writing background is quite comprehensive. Currently, she works full time as a High School English teacher, but previously worked as a content strategist and SEO copywriter for an internet publishing agency that specializes in medical content. She writes blog style articles as well as authoritative web pages on a variety of medical conditions and procedures including bariatric surgery, medical weight loss, acid reflux and vein conditions. Jessica holds a Master of Arts degree in Composition and Rhetoric where she specializes in political discourse and feminist rhetoric.
