Green to Save Green Tips 61 - 70

You don’t need to sacrifice profits to go green with your small business. In fact, going green might save your business some money! In this Green to Save Green series, I’m challenging readers to make 101 environmental changes over the next 1001 days.

Here are Tips 61 - 70 - all about promotion. For the rest of your challenge tips, head to this post. If you’re making any (or all!) of these changes with your small business, let me know by leaving a comment!

Tip #61: Choose slim business cards. I posted earlier this week about the awesome green business cards I got from BizCard.com, but even if you don’t like any from that company, look for a “slim” version or even a square version. They use less paper, and sometimes even cost less, especially with shipping since they are lighter.

Tip #62: Give away usable items. Every business needs promotional products, but when you’re choosing what to give away, go some something people can actually use. For example, pens are good. Pinwheels are bad.

Tip #63: Look for a business that is environmentally responsible. Sometimes you can’t necessarily afford the recycled products, but you can work with a company that is forward-thinking when it comes to the environment. Support a company that has green policies.

Tip #64: Print on both sides. If you’re going to hand out fliers or other promotion material, print information on both sides. You’ll save half of the paper, which will in turn save you money.

Tip #65: Choose “evergreen” products. Resist the urge to buy items with dates on them, because they’re only good for a limited time. Then, you’ll throw the rest away or stack them on a shelf until someone ten years from now throws them away. You’ll get more bang for your buck (and waste less) if you purchase promotional products that can be given out until they’re all gone, no matter if that is tomorrow or in five years.

Tip #66: Choose email newsletters instead of snail mail newsletters. There are actually a number of companies that can help you put together an email campaign. You can still mail copies to people who don’t have an email address, but when you’re promoting your business via email, you’re saving on paper, ink, and production costs.

Tip #67: Skip the billboard. They’re really ecologically unfriendly, waste a ton of energy to erect, and run up energy bills to be lighted at night. Instead (if you must), opt for smaller promotional signs in high-traffic areas near your location.

Tip #68: Network, Network, Network! Yes, there’s another reason to talk up your business to friends and family members - it is a green choice! Word of mouth costs nothing and isn’t bad for the environment. The less money you have to spend on energy-suckers like TV and radio ads, the better.

Tip #69: Recycle promotional material you get. You’re bound to get faxes, fliers, brochures, and more from other companies who can help you. Instead of keeping all of this paper paraphernalia, create a spreadsheet to track names and contact information, and then recycle the document. If it is printed on one side, you can use the other side to print non-important jobs or jot down phone messages. No matter what, though, make sure all paper products eventually end up in the paper recycling bin.

Tip #70: Buy recycled promotional products when you can. Before you automatically assume that recycled products aren’t of a high quality or are too expensive, take some time to compare prices. You might be surprised to find that what you need is just as inexpensive as the non-recycled version!

Come back tomorrow for a continuation of this list, or head to this post to read more! Don’t forget to leave a comment if you’re implementing any of these changes in your own life