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Part two of a four-part series.
The end of this decade is hosting an overall movement toward going green among consumers. Savvy marketers understand that reaching them with offers that match their levels of interest, attitudes and behaviors as they relate to being eco-conscious is the first step in increasing ROI. But beyond that, reaching green-minded consumers through preferred channels, with messages that resonate with them, will go a long way in building loyalty and customers for life.
Consumers can be divided into four groups as they relate to eco-consciousness: Behavioral Greens, Think Greens, Potential Greens and True Browns. While each consumer segment has different characteristics and preferences, there is a commonality within the segments when it comes to connecting with them—know your audience, understand its preferences and tailor your messages accordingly. Last week I discussed the behaviors, attitudes and traits of the Behavioral Greens consumer group—the people furthest along in the Green movement—and provided tips for marketers who want to reach them (read Part One).
Who Are Think Greens?
Think Greens do exactly that—they think green but do not necessarily act green. They are typically married, own their own homes and live in the Pacific and West Central areas of the country.
Home and family are important to Think Greens. They often spend time remodeling and decorating. Now that their children are grown, they have more free time to pursue interests, including travel and continued learning. They take an active role in their health by trying to eat healthy and stay active through bicycling, bird watching, golf and gardening. Other interests include antique shopping and woodworking.
As far as their attitudes and beliefs about being green, Think Greens are motivated by their own feelings of obligation to be environmentally responsible. They feel their actions directly affect the environment, and they are concerned about the future of their world.
They feel strongly that eco-friendly products should have practical value and companies should help consumers become more environmentally responsible. They agree that packaging for products should be recycled and people have a duty to recycle. However, they differ from the Behavioral Greens as they are less likely to purchase a product that uses recycled paper and are less likely to pay more for products that are environmentally friendly than the rest of the population. Their perception is that environmentally friendly products cost more.
What Are Their Thoughts on Media?
The majority of Think Greens agree that media and advertisements play an important role in making people environmentally aware but feel that brands used in television shows and movies are not better, and such product placements do not motivate them to purchase. This group tends to be more receptive to traditional advertising.
Think Greens read newspapers and listen to the radio every day. They resist buying magazines and do not enjoy the ads within, and typically watch only basic television as they feel they do not need cable. They use the Internet to shop, work and fulfill their desire to learn and seek information, but they do not use it to socialize.
How Do You Reach Think Greens?
When trying to connect with Think Green consumers, marketers would be best served by a strategy that includes a strong education component. Providing information to this group while it is still early in the decision-making process is more likely to yield brand loyalty once it's moved to the purchase phase of the buying cycle. Educational messages via the Internet, as well as traditional media outlets, will fulfill a Think Green's desire to learn.
Reaching Think Greens with messages that are health-related will speak directly to their desire to make healthy decisions as they relate to lifestyle. Including messages that reflect Think Greens' obligation to be environmentally conscious, paired with a simplistic approach to being green, will pique their interest and desire to learn more about your company—a key step in building a customer for life.
Next week, we'll take an in-depth look at Potential Greens and offer suggestions on ways you can reach them to build a long-term relationship as they begin to adopt behaviors that are more green-friendly.
Denise Hopkins provides customer-centric data solutions to marketers. She is the vice president of marketing and product development for Experian Marketing Services and can be reached at denise2@experian.com.
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