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Tuesday
September 22, 2009

Sell This Product - Eco-Friendly

Filed under: Sell This Product

When it comes to an abundance of recycled products, understanding the product, material and cost needs of clients helps “up” your selling game.

Last January, Crown Products (asi/47700) launched its Ecologic product line in response to many inquiries for more environmentally friendly products. The line includes customizable, reusable and recyclable products made from recycled materials. It’s part of the company’s commitment to bring sustainable products to the marketplace, and to protect natural resources for future generations.

John Ratcliff, vice president of national accounts at Crown Products, says the company anticipated eco-friendly products entering the promotional products industry when the trend became popular in retail several years ago.

“Those earth-conscious customers have been loyal and not concerned about the slightly higher price they pay,” Ratcliff says. “Their eco-mindedness outweighs the price.”

Recycling, waste management, technology and Fortune 500 companies particularly have been asking for more eco-friendly products to demonstrate their corporate commitment to the environment. The biggest pitfall for distributors when telling their clients about eco-friendly product offerings is lack of knowledge of the market.

“Understand the product,” Ratcliff says. “This is a must. Jump on the bandwagon and know the eco lingo. Understand the content and know what the components are.”

Knowing what your client is looking for in terms of product, material and price point, as well as having nationwide trends and statistics to support your statements, makes you a more compelling salesman or saleswoman. Choosing to use recycled promotional products helps close the loop by creating demand for the material being collected by recycling programs.

FAST RECYCLING FACTS

  • The U.S. EPA estimates that 75% of our waste is recyclable.
  • Americans recycle four billion pounds of plastics a year. 
  • In 2007, 56% of the paper used in the U.S. was recovered for recycling, which means every person in the country recycled an average of 360 pounds each year.

CASE STUDIES

  • A green cleaning company’s customers went online to receive a discount coupon. Along with mailing the customer a coupon, they received the Ecopen as a free gift.
  • A university purchased the Recycled Drawstring back sak for their 2009 Green Initiative. Along with their logo they printed, “I used to be a soda bottle” on the bag. The university is taking on a huge green initiative and the bag will be stuffed with school recruiting information to be handed out at school fairs and shows. 
  • A property-management company purchased the Non-Woven Reusable Grocery tote as a new-tenant gift. They gave each tenant four totes to replace normal plastic grocery bags. This promotion provided a thoughtful gift for a new tenant to help promote eco-awareness and helped reduce waste at the property dumpsters, saving the management company money on trash collection.

From the 2009 Advantages September Supplement.

 

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