Understanding Your Green Technology Customer PUBLISHED

Understanding Your Green Technology Customer

A Field Guide for Marketing Professionals

Copyright © 2014 simply Sustainable Communications

http://www.greenproductscopywriting.com

Daniel K. Davis, PE simplySustainable Communications

forward

Engineers are pragmatic…let’s face it. I think this old joke sums it

up;

“An optimist sees a partially filled glass

and says, “The glass is half full”. A

pessimist sees that same glass and says,

“The glass is half empty”.

An engineer takes a look and says, “Well,

for one thing, the glass is too big…”

I spent a lot of years as an engineer, and am therefore

predisposed to pragmatism; a trait that drove my desire to write

this eBook.

Simply put, I saw a need for something, and decided to offer a

solution based on what I knew.

The need? To understand how a typical green technology B2B

customer thinks and makes decisions. My solution? To offer a

glimpse into their world…because I have been the customer; a

decision-maker in the green technology world.

In my engineering travels, I’ve read countless marketing

documents that were technically accurate, yet grammatically

challenging; they were just too tough to read. Sadly, much of

this material showed a lack of understanding on the part of the

writer; a misunderstanding as to whom their target audience

really was. That’s quite understandable; it can be tough to talk to

someone when you don’t know their specific language.

I wanted to change that. I wanted to offer a first-hand glimpse

into the world of the people who buy--or select--green

technology products. Furthermore, I wanted to do so in a clear,

informative and conversational way.

Bear in mind, this is in no way an attempt to delve into green

technology or B2B marketing in exhaustive detail. Trying to

cover every green technology topic, every aspect of the

business-to-business world, or all the methods and techniques

of contemporary copywriting would be impossible.

Instead, this is merely a concise, to-the-point overview of the

green technology world, the people who select green

technology products, and some methods of getting their

attention.

I hope you find this information enlightening and genuinely

useful in your marketing pursuits.

Enjoy!

Understanding Your Green Technology Customer | i

What This Book is About…

This eBook or “Field Guide” exists for two reasons;

To help you understand who selects green technology products

To shed some light on how to market your green technology product or

service to them in the most effective manner.

To make this happen, I’ve broken down this guide into three parts;

Part I - The Players

Green Technology

What exactly IS green technology? It’s a fashionable term, but what is it? Perhaps of greater

importance is the question, “What is it going to take to keep green technology alive in our world?” I’ll

answer this.

The Business-to-Business World

Marketing material intended for the business environment is quite different than its consumer-based

cousin. Why are they different? How is marketing material structured to accommodate these

differences? Answering these questions is a cornerstone of truly effective copywriting.

Understanding Your Green Technology Customer | ii

…and that’s the point to all of this…

Part II - The Stage

Where Green Technology and Business-to-Business Meet

The products of green technology are generally attached to something. For example; solar arrays and

wind turbines exist somewhere because they’re producing power for someone.

How do they get there? Who decides to use a particular product? What factors are at play when

influencers/decision makers ultimately make a product choice?

To answer these questions, I’ll shed some light on the “inner workings” of the green and sustainable

arena with respect to the people who will be reading your product material, and--ultimately--selecting

a product.

Ideally yours…

Part III - The Script

The Major Marketing Players

Here, I’ll introduce the more common vehicles for getting your message across. While the “materials in

use” list is virtually endless--and growing by the minute--these are some of the primary marketing

materials and/or channels in use today.

We’ll explore the main players in the B2B marketing game, their use, and the main points to successfully

creating and using them effectively in the B2B/green technology world.

Understanding the different marketing channels/vehicles/products (as applicable) typically used--and

where they can best be employed--goes a very long way in successfully engaging your audience.

Understanding Your Green Technology Customer | 1

PART I - The Players Green Technology & Business-to-Business

Setting the Record Straight

From the start, let’s wrap a bow around a couple of fundamental concepts,

namely; what green technology really is, and what business-to-business

marketing entails. These two topics may appear to be largely unrelated,

when--in fact--they share an inexorable link.

Quantifying them and identifying the link will lay the

groundwork for the rest of the book.


What is Green Technology?

The term “green technology” is very fashionable in today’s world. But…what exactly is it? The “technology” part of the term is somewhat

straightforward. For example, one common dictionary definition of “technology” is:

That’s a pretty good mouthful, even for hipster-geek engineer-types like me. Put another way, the term “technology” simply refers to “the

application of knowledge for practical purposes.”

Now…what about the “green” part?

To answer this, it’s best to first identify where “green technology” is applied:

Energy

Easily the hot button in the green world, energy is possibly the most urgent issue for green

technology--and the leading driver for green technology products. Of primary concern is the

development of alternative fuels (fuel cells, biomass and the like), establishing/furthering means

of generating energy (PV, wind, hydro, etc.), and fostering increased energy

efficiency/transport/utilization.

Energy storage strategies and power transformation (batteries, inverters etc.) are proving to be

increasingly prevalent as balance-of-system (BoS) components assume a larger percentage of

alternative power system overall costs.

tech•nol•o•gy

—noun

The branch of knowledge that deals with the creation and use of technical means and their

interrelation with life, society, and the environment, drawing upon such subjects as

industrial arts, engineering, applied science, and pure science.


Building Design and Construction (BD + C)

This is a pretty “broad brush” concept encompassing an increasingly large arena; from building

materials to building location, orientation, etc. Two of the primary players in BD+C are:

Building Materials – Environmentally friendly products and their applications. Re-

use/recycling of materials is showing an increasing trend in the BD+C sector.

Building Design – Establishing and implementing green technology through

environmentally conscious architecture. Some examples include daylighting, fenestration

products, thermal massing, intelligent lighting control—the list is virtually endless…

Chemistry

Creating chemical products and processes that are environmentally friendly,

thereby eliminating or significantly reducing the creation and use of chemicals and

processes that have proven to be environmentally harmful.

Nanotechnology

Really a subset of green chemistry, nanotechnology is—basically—messing with

materials on a VERY small scale (one billionth of a meter…hence, the “nano” part).

Many scientists believe that mastering nanotechnology will drive an entirely new

manufacturing paradigm.

While by no means complete, these are the biggest slices of the green technology pie. Close this eBook and count to ten. Chances are,

there’s going to be another green product, another innovative technology unveiled, or another fascinating use of an existing green

product in that time. That’s the miracle of this brave new world.

Now, green technology in and of itself is a wonderful concept. Concepts are great things to toss around at dinner parties…

but…


What are the Goals--The End Game--of Green Technology?

Here’s a short-list of primary objectives/challenges facing green technology today:

Sustainability

The primary idea here is to provide a world that doesn’t involve eventual depletion

of finite natural resources. Simply—perhaps crudely—put, green technology

endeavors to leave little or no mess for successive generations to clean up.

”Cradle-to-cradle” design

A close relative of sustainability, the cradle-to-cradle design concept centers on

creating products that can be fully reclaimed/recycled/re-used, as opposed to

the “cradle-to-landfill” mindset of contemporary product manufacturing.

Source Reduction

One significant goal of green technology is to shift production and consumption habits, thereby reducing waste, pollution, and

manufacturing “fall-out”.

Innovation

“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” is a commonly held belief that—unfortunately—breeds inertia; existing products and technologies

continue to be used despite their harmful environmental impact. Green technology—through innovation—strives to develop

better, cleaner, and genuinely attractive alternatives to the status quo.

Financial Viability

Regardless of the benefits, if—at the end of the day—the ledger doesn’t balance, green

technology is not going to be used. A crucial requirement—and therefore goal—of green

technology is to be economically viable.

Creating a center of economic activity around green technologies and products—making them

“sensible” economically is paramount for green technology.


The Three Principles of Survival for Green Technology

For the purposes of this book, the financial viability of green technology is the biggest motivator. Warehouses get quite full without

someone to buy sustainable products. This is without question a key element in the overall picture. The economic success of green

technology is based on three driving principles:

Asymptotic manufacturing costs, economies of scale, mass production strategies or material-

to-manufacturing cost analyses etc. are outside the scope of this book. There are ample

resources available for those specific topics.

Simply put, the more a given “thing” is produced, the cheaper it is to make that “thing” on a

per-unit basis. History supports this, and large scale green technology utilization will certainly

follow suit.

Wars, political strife, and dramatic social revolution aside, long-term, major changes in the

world are--and will continue to be--affected on most levels through the business vehicle. In

order for Principle #1 to be achieved, businesses must see a need to invest in green

technology.

At the risk of being controversial, I will therefore assert that the business world is the primary

influencer in how green technology is accepted--and utilized--worldwide.

Principle #1

To be economically viable, green technology must be utilized on a large scale

Principle #2

For green technology to be utilized on a large scale, it must be embraced by key influencers


Businesses must understand that green technology is in their best interests. While the winds of

change are upon us, there is still--to a large degree--a lack of acceptance of green technology

on many levels. This is not just due to the inherently cryptic, technical or “scientific” nature of

green technology, but the misplaced belief that green technology is simply an unwise choice.

Many issues underwrite this mindset. Some prevailing notions are;

Green technology--in the energy context--has a poor Return On Investment

Green technology--as a whole--is largely unproven

Green technology has not proven itself to be a significant improvement; a “game

changer” to existing methods and technologies

These beliefs must be mitigated; this mindset assuaged. Understanding the concepts and physical systems inherent in green technology

will happen organically through education. However, education purely for the sake of knowledge is not enough.

Influencers must come to understand that green technology is not only a viable option, but a profitable one.

For green technology to be financially viable therefore, its benefits must be understood--and subsequently embraced--by the business

world. The greatest chance; the most prominent vehicle for achieving this is through relevant, useful and targeted business-to-business

marketing.

In these principles lie the primary challenges for the green technology world.

In Principle #3 lies the motivation for this eBook.

Principle #3

To be embraced, the economic viability of green technology must be understood


What is “Business-to-Business Marketing”?

For the most part, it boils down to this:

In a very basic sense, business-to-business—or B2B—marketing

is all about businesses meeting the needs of other businesses.

These needs, in turn, are ultimately driven by the consumer

market.

It’s that simple.

Business-to-consumer—or B2C—markets could be defined as

the more “conventional”, much better understood environment

than its B2B kin, and won’t be addressed here. Before digging

into the B2B market, it’s a good idea to introduce something

called the “marketing chain”…

The B2B marketing chain—more of a web, actually—is a very

complex interlinked dance involving a multitude of players. To

be brief, it can be described by…say, manufacturing a pencil…

A tree (timber) gets cut down, and mill “A” turns it into smaller

bits of wood, called lumber. (Yes, there really is a difference

between “timber” and “lumber”).

Now, mill “A” wants to sell its lumber to pencil maker “B”. Well,

so do lots of other mills. So, mill “A” markets to pencil maker “B”

to sell their wares; to “get known” to pencil maker “B”. A deal is

struck, and now mill “A” needs to ship the lumber. Enter a whole

bunch of shipping companies that want to move the lumber.

Each of these companies—in turn—market their services to mill

“A” in the hopes of getting the shipping contract.

Meanwhile…

Graphite manufacturer “C” wants to sell pencil “lead” to pencil

maker “B”, and markets accordingly in the hopes of getting the

“pencil lead” contract with pencil maker “B”. Finally, pencil

manufacturer “B” wants to get their pencils in stores. So, they

market to businesses that sell pencils.

And so on…and so on…and so on…

That’s a business-to-business marketing chain/web in its most

primordial sense. Put another way, the B2B market encompasses

a complex web of sub-component manufacturers, suppliers,

distributors, etc.—all representing links in the complex journey a

product takes to your door.

Because the primary focus here at greenTech copywriters is the

green/sustainable/renewable products and technologies arena,

the following discussion is geared in that direction. That being

said, the principle still holds true regardless of the particular

niche market. And--as was stated earlier--the concept of B2B

marketing is simple.

But it’s also unique…


How are B2B and B2C markets different?

In recent years, B2B marketing has emerged as a discipline in its own right. During this

time, the differences between the B2C and B2B markets—and their divergent marketing

strategies—have been accentuated. In short, the techniques used to explore the B2B

market are often quite distinct from the techniques used in B2C marketing. Here are

some primary factors that differentiate B2B from B2C markets:

Decision Making in B2B Markets is More Complex

In a typical consumer environment—a household for example—decisions are made on a

small scale; generally on a personal and/or immediate family level. In contrast, a B2B

purchasing decision is multi-tiered, with each level having a different goal.

For instance, a product buyer seeks a good financial deal. Production managers want

high throughput. Health and safety executives want low risk. CEO’s and influencers want

a successful, positive outcome in terms of company standing.

The list goes on…

Keep in mind, each participant in this decision-making process brings their own unique

psychological and cultural factors to the table. This can introduce some interesting elements to

the final selection of products and suppliers. An effective B2B copywriter must be well-versed in

this distinction.

A green technology product--in the B2B context--is generally considered a high-value purchase. It

represents the largest distinction from consumer purchases--and therefore--marketing approach.

With few exceptions, a large number of senior decision-makers are involved, evaluating a large

range of purchase criteria. It can be expected that a CFO, R&D Director, Production Director, Head

of Legal, CEO and any number of upper-management department heads will be involved.

Typically, a B2B buyer has some prior knowledge of a product or service prior to

purchase/decision-making. Chances are, they’ll enlist experts, consultants, etc. to broaden their

knowledge base. They’re simply not going to be swayed by a flashy brochure.

Marketing Note:

An effective green products B2B

copywriter must understand the

multifaceted and knowledgeable

nature of his/her audience, and

demonstrate a high level of expertise

when interacting with this target

reader.

This involves not only product

knowledge, but the ability to

“negotiate”—to assuage the fears—of

all the decision-makers; financial,

technical, production, managerial, etc.


B2B Buyers Are More Rational

This description is controversial, but I believe it to be accurate to a large degree.

While it’s certainly true people don’t leave their emotions at home when they go to

the office, there’s no question they keep them reined in very closely when in sight of

their colleagues.

When purchasing products or services for personal use, we all inherently take greater risks in the

purchase; the only potential loser in the transaction is ourselves. Here, personal wants and desires

often take precedence over a more informed, more accountable decision.

In contrast, an individual representing a company will apply much tighter purchasing controls.

In a business environment, the buyer has a different set of motivating factors; ROI (Return On

Investment), product reliability and support, etc. These larger, “non-personal” issues tend to

drive a more rational decision-making paradigm, supporting the assertion that business-to-

business buyers are inherently rational.

But not entirely…

It would be myopic to suggest that business-to-business buyers are entirely rational. The

reason for this is found on a deeper level; trust, security, ego, etc. No B2B green products

buyer wants to risk his/her livelihood or reputation buying or specifying an unreliable product.

This makes emotional issues such as trust, security, and/or professional standing significant.


B2B Products Are Often More Complex

Generally speaking, the purchase of a typical consumer product requires little expertise;

often nothing more than a whim. Even relatively complex consumer products tend to be

chosen on fairly simple criteria.

In contrast, B2B products are—to a large extent—complex entities. A typical

green/sustainable B2B product frequently requires input from a qualified expert. Contrary

to standardized “run-of-the-mill” consumer products, green and sustainable products are

often quite unique and require high levels of manipulation.

In addition, green technology products frequently have to be integrated into wider

systems. A solar power array is a perfect example; to be useful, the derived solar energy

must be integrated into a larger power system (say, 480/277V, 3-phase, 60 Hz) for it to be

useful. As a result, such products generally conform to very specific requirements and

need qualified, expert examination and integration.

B2B Purchases Are Long-Term

Homes and automobiles aside, the majority of consumer purchases are relatively short-

term. Long-term purchases--or purchases expected to be repeated over a long period of

time--are more common in business-to-business markets. Here, capital machinery,

component acquisition, consumables, depreciation, etc. are prevalent factors.

In general, business customers tend to be regarded as long-term customers—more so

than consumers.

The bottom line? There are fewer business customers, and the ones that do exist

represent a greater revenue base, as discussed below.

Marketing Note:

The fundamental requirements of

a B2B copywriter/content

marketer is to be fully informed

with respect to the product being

sold, and to frame their material

around the notion that the target

customer has a pretty good idea

of the nuts and bolts of the

product you are showing them.

Critical to a copywriters

understanding is the fact that a

B2B sale is often technical;

meaning that buyers in the green

B2B market are often extremely

experienced and originate from a

technical discipline within their

organization.

The success—or failure—of an

entire product line can be largely

dependent on how well a small

copywriting /marketing team is

able to speak to these people.


There Are Fewer Large Sale B2B Customers

Most revenue generated in business-to-business markets follows the Pareto

Principle, or 80:20 rule. Put another way, a small number (roughly 20%)

generates the large majority (approximately 80%) of sales. In short, most of the

money comes from a few big clients.

The ramifications of this are truly significant; it is not unusual--even in the

largest business-to-business companies--to have 100 or fewer customers

representing the bulk of sales.

It’s a Matter of Scale…

In consumer markets there’s a limit to the amount that a single person can buy and use of any given product. Most buyers of consumer

products fit into a relatively narrow “typical spend per month” category, with a few heavy spenders--and a few light ones--filling in the

extremes of the curve. In other words, the difference between the light user and the heavy user in consumer markets is relatively small.

Conversely, the range of spend between

the largest and smallest buyer in the

business-to-business universe is generally

much, much larger. The presence of a few

key accounts--representing a small

number of customers of widely different

sizes--is a major distinguishing

characteristic of business-to-business

markets.

As such, it requires a completely different

marketing approach to that required for

consumer markets.

Marketing Note:

Because such small numbers of customers dominate the lives of businesses, we

must make them happy. This involves not only providing them with relevant,

quality content that meets their informational needs, but truly understanding what

those needs are.

We need to get to know our customer well; who they are, and what motivates

them in their path to success. Knowing where they want to go is paramount to

helping them get there.

The limited number of units sold in business-to-business markets, coupled with

the narrow band of “big spenders” presents both an opportunity and an

expectation; the biggest spenders want dedicated value-added services from us

that reflect their importance. If we don’t satisfy this expectation, someone else will.


Wrapping up the Business Buyer

Simply put, business-to-business buyers are more demanding…

They have a responsibility to make the right decision when

purchasing on behalf of their companies. They don’t have

the luxury afforded with personal risk. Their jobs; their very

livelihood depends on making the right choice.

They take greater financial risks and therefore need quality of

the highest caliber.

They have the expertise to recognize a less-than-superior

product when they see one.

They are used to getting what they want.

They are often paying more than they would as a consumer

and therefore expect more in return.

They are more likely to find themselves interacting with a

green product, rather than playing the role of passive

recipient.

Pareto Was An Interesting Guy…

While the “Pareto Principle” is considered to be the mathematical

axiom for how business revenue is generated, it really didn’t start

out that way…

The creator, Vilfredo Federico Damaso Pareto started his multi-

faceted career as a civil engineer, working several years for the

state-owned Italian Railway Company. He climbed the ranks of

industry, becoming the general manager of Italian Iron Works.

Pareto seems to have gone through the equivalent of a 19th-

century “mid-life crisis”; in his mid-forties he quit his job, became a

fiery liberal, and married his Russian sweetheart (who

subsequently left him for a young servant). His pursuit of

economics actually didn’t occur until this period in his life.

While acting as the chair of Political Economy at the University of

Lausanne in Switzerland, the now-famous “Pareto Principle” was

born…but from a slightly different angle.

Pareto made the observation that twenty percent of the

population owned eighty percent of the property. It wasn’t until

years later that Joseph M. Juran generalized Pareto’s observation

into the “Pareto Principle” regarding the distribution of wealth.

In effect, this principle argued that in all countries and times, the

distribution of income and wealth is highly skewed, with a few

holding most of the wealth.

Over the years, Pareto’s premise has proved remarkably close to

observed data.


What Every Copywriter Needs to Know

For the green products copywriter/content marketer, the implications are clear. It is our job to meet the target audience’s needs. The

material we create must show a clear, complete understanding of a given product and all of its nuances; not just a technically accurate

regurgitation of engineering data and project features or attributes. Finally, we must convey this knowledge in the “language” of the

reader.

I can’t overemphasize this last point…

At any given time, your material may cross the desk of company CEO’s, VP’s, CFO’s; the people who

ultimately write the checks. There’s quite a bit more to the “check writing” decision-making process than this,

and I’ll get to that shortly. For now, keep uppermost in your mind…

These influencers are busy.

They want to know--in a clear, concise manner--your proposed solution (your product) is going to solve their

problem. They need to know that your product will improve their overall business posture…that it benefits

their company; their very own creation. Frame your copy to meet this need.

At other times in the marketing cycle, your material may end up being read by the “techies”…the people

who devote their professional lives to the very specific, technical aspects of a business.

To effectively speak to this audience, the copywriter must have a complete command of a given product. A

lack of understanding--and conveyance--of the technical details of a product can invoke the ire of

“gunners”; the nitpicking types who will tear apart your document if you missed anything, or…heaven

forbid…used an acronym incorrectly. “The devil is in the details” in their world. Accommodate them by

meeting their needs for technical accuracy. Give them peace of mind by getting the numbers right.

These two examples might appear to be a paradox, but not really. Effective copy will speak to both readers.

Striving to meet these two opposing needs is a sincere challenge for copywriters. Succeeding is a great

reward.


To add to this mix of potential readers, copywriters must understand that lead maintenance

personnel will invariably be instrumental in the decision making process; often on an unseen level.

As said before, the CEO’s, VP’s, CFO’s, etc. will ultimately write the checks...

…but they’re going to cozy up to the maintenance folks and

get their views on your product before actually signing on

the bottom line.

There’s a good reason for this;

The maintenance group will normally be the most intimate partners with your product. As such, their

thoughts and opinions carry great weight in product selection.

Keep in mind, however, their concerns are entirely different than a CEO, CFO, etc. They’ll want to

know your product is reliable. They’ll want to know it’s not going to require a massive training or re-fitting cycle. Will your product

improve their day-to-day dealings in their organization? Will it prove to be a headache? Is your product going to make their job--and

their life--easier? These are the types of questions they will have, and effective copy will provide the answers.

These are just a few examples; a sampling of the various flavors your marketing copy will ultimately speak to. Any given product decision

will involve some, most or all of these players; often more. Irrespective of the decision-making team, make sure that your marketing

copy--regardless of web or print--meets all of their needs.

And always…ALWAYS…keep uppermost in your mind…

Business-to-business decision makers are people too…


PART II - The Stage B2B Marketing in the Green Technology World

The previous discussion notwithstanding, there is great value in

focusing on green technology--with respect to effective B2B

marketing--through the eyes of a primary project decision

maker; the “consulting, specifying engineer”.

There’s a good reason for this;

While the aforementioned players (CEO’s, tech, maintenance,

etc.) are strategically significant in the overall selection process,

they will generally “hand off” much of the actual product

decision-making to someone else.

This “someone” is almost always a member of a design team.

Their role is to take the influencers “vision” and turn it into

something tangible.

More often than not, this vision involves providing power for

something, or providing it more efficiently. Before moving

ahead therefore, I’ll readdress a fundamental player in green

technology, namely energy.

Following the energy “soap box” speech, I’ll look at how a

typical green construction project comes to fruition. I’ll also

shed some light on effective use of marketing materials during

the various stages of design.

So…walk this way…


Energy is King

As pointed out earlier, a large part of green technology endeavors to provide energy, store it,

or find ways to keep from losing it. This can be seen in items ranging from solar handheld

calculators and cellphone chargers to satellites. From wind and micro-hydro equipped small

homes to utility scale solar arrays and wind farms meeting the energy needs of towns,

communities, cities; entire geographic areas.

The contribution of green technology in meeting global power needs is irrefutable, and the use

of alternative energy sources worldwide is increasing at a remarkable rate. It is without question

that the energy captured from sustainable sources will be greater tomorrow than it is this very

moment.

It is certain that a measurable increase in clean energy production will have

occurred by the time you finish reading this eBook.

However...

Harvested power, be it wind, solar, hydro…whatever…serves little to no purpose if it isn’t connected to an

energy consumer. In other words, it doesn’t do much good unless it’s powering something. For example, an

array of PV modules on a sunny day--or a wind turbine on a blustery one--are of no use to consumers unless

the harvested power is made available to them in the form they need, and delivered at a useful location.

To accomplish this, the “raw” (or source) energy must be transformed

into something useful. It must be aggregated or “gathered” for

efficient delivery. This power must be delivered to the intended point

of use. In many cases, this power will be integrated with utility

systems.

Accomplishing these goals requires a lot of components; parts and pieces. These individual parts

and pieces have to be integrated, sized, optimized, and coordinated as a complete “power

package”.


This takes design and--finally--construction. Someone has to be the

“conductor” in this grand event; in this great green technology orchestra.

In short, someone has to gather up all the elements--the individual sub-

components that comprise a “Source-to-User” alternative power system--

and turn them into a coordinated, functioning entity.

This is the domain of the architects, engineers and designers.


Green Building Design and Construction – The Bastion of Green Technology

Big Projects Need to Be Designed

In the green Building Design and Construction (BD+C) world, projects

are–more often than not–pretty substantial critters.

Rarely are projects undertaken that require…say, only one or two PV

modules, or merely involve a quick trip to a local hardware store

to “pick up some goodies and bolt down a new windmill thing”.

A hefty chunk of green projects are very large in scale.

The magnitude of a typical green technology project will inevitably

require the participation of many different groups; leaders and

planners, financial types, legal, maintenance folks, architects,

engineers, and so on.

Put another way, green projects aren’t “knocked together over a

weekend”. A large project will follow a series of progressive

design steps prior to even thinking about construction.

I’ll shed some light on that here…

Properly utilized, marketing material can effectively follow this project journey


The Green Project Design Lifecycle

From the first, tentative “We want something built

here…” ideas, to final project/facility commissioning

and owner acceptance, a typical large green project

is broken into several manageable sections.

Each of these sections--in turn--involves a greater

refinement of the design toward the intended

project outcome(s).

There’s a couple of reasons for doing it this way:

It breaks an enormous undertaking into a

series of identifiable, relatively discreet steps.

It allows for progressive “stopping points”;

milestones from which project team

members can ask for partial payment.

Each phase is subject to review, allowing the

clients (read: municipality, developer,

government organization, etc.) to take a look

at how the project is progressing, and make

any desired changes before things get too

far along.

This series of steps-to-completion is generally called

the “Project Design Lifecycle”, and looks something

like this:


Predesign (PD)

Normally, not much happens here from an engineering standpoint.

This is where owners, municipalities, etc. decide they want

something, and start talking to people “in the know”–architects,

planners, etc. about getting a project going.

If an owner wants an alternative power source, it’s usually decided

here. That’s a good thing for green technology, but at the PD stage,

it’s simply defined as “something”; no one really knows exactly

what that “something” is at this stage.

Schematic Design (SD)

Here, the general scope of the project is defined. While conceptual in

character, overall project metrics are generally established (project

size, general electrical and mechanical loads, utility sources; water,

power, etc.). Ideally, by the end of SD, everyone on the design team

has a pretty good idea of where the project is going, and how big

their respective “pieces” need to be.

Marketing Note:

In the Predesign stage, a lot of movers and shakers are

trying to figure out which direction to go to solve their

problem.

For example; a group of city council members might

know that their constituents are screaming for more

alternative power in their communities. As such, they will

establish a mandate that the project must include

alternative power.

But what type? Solar? Wind? Something else?

The PD stage is a wonderful place for problem/solution

white papers. The council members already know they

have a problem; they need more alternative power.

A problem/solution white paper--properly positioned--

serves as an excellent vehicle for steering said council

members toward a given solution. Ideally, it’s your white

paper--and your product--that meets their needs.

Likewise, case studies are very effective here. A case

study offers the reader a real-world solution in use

right now with positive results.

Case studies offer a more personal view of solutions

available. This view holds great weight in the eyes of

decision makers.


But WAIT…there’s MORE…

Design Development (DD)

This can be thought of as the “meat” of project design. It is largely a

further refinement of the SD project model. Owner-requested

changes are made, disciplines wrestle for equipment space, and

construction documents are prepared for submittal to the

permitting/approving agencies (The AHJ’s or “Authorities Having

Jurisdiction” in engineer-speak).

Construction Documents (CD)

For all intents and purposes, the CD phase is getting the

project ready for bid. Think of it as a “crossing all the ‘t’s” and

“dotting all of ‘i’s” of the project.

Ideally (yet rarely), everything is properly sized, positioned

and coordinated with other disciplines. In a perfect world, all

of the “to-do’s” on the task lists are checked off. At the end of

the CD phase, a project has a nice bow wrapped around it.

Marketing Note:

At the CD stage, product candidates have been

essentially short-listed…the designer or engineer has a

pretty good bead on what products are going to be

used in the design. While “second half” changes are

certainly made, the project generally has too much

inertia to make any drastic changes in the overall

design.

Now is the time to help the engineer justify their decision…

Backgrounder white papers in particular serve to support

product selection, and allow the offering of more technical

details to further “shore up” their design choice(s).

Marketing Note:

Schematic Design and Design Development are the typical

stages where the design team members start assembling

initial product literature; building out their respective project

files with potential products to be used in the final design.

Again, problem/solution white papers and case studies carry

weight at this point. The engineer is most likely still “on the

fence” regarding a lot of things, and is surely a “top” or, at

times “middle of funnel” prospect.


Construction Administration (CA)

After the design is complete, it’s time to break out the tools and build

something. In engineer-speak, this is generally called the

“Construction Administration”, or CA phase of the project.

In a pristine, orderly, perfectly executed world, everything works.

Nobody encounters construction problems, and errors and/or

omissions are nonexistent. In this fantasy, the project proceeds

beautifully.

This world is a rare one indeed.

It’s tempting to think that--after design--the engineers, architects,

designers, etc. put all the marketing material away and merely watch

the builders go to work.

This isn’t necessarily the case…

Rarely do projects go exactly according to plan (pun intended) as

noted above. Throughout the course of any construction endeavor,

changes are made; it’s the nature of the beast. Sometimes the owner

will opt for something different. Often, dimensional or volumetric

constraints make a given product unsuitable for the task at hand.

Sometimes, stuff just doesn’t work, or was simply forgotten.

That being said, I’ll argue that design never really stops during the

course of construction; it merely changes form.

Marketing Note:

This is an excellent opportunity to

show off--or reiterate--your product

potential to a prospective client.

Here, product marketing material

geared toward solving a problem is

very effective. The reason? The owner,

architect or developer has a problem;

something doesn’t work as planned,

the clock is ticking, and budget is

more of an issue than ever.

They need a solution yesterday.

Marketing material highlighting a

product’s ease of installation, quick

turnaround time, and cost-effective

integration into existing (or partially

completed) projects will cause

prospective customers to turn a very

interested ear to what you have to say.

Something to think about…


What This All Means to Marketers

It’s extremely important to understand that in the green BD+C world, the decision to use a given product is normally made by a

design/engineering professional. This holds true for any flavor of project. Contractually--and legally--the CEO, company president,

project facilitator etc. entrusts them with choosing the best product(s) for a given application within the overall design.

Put another way, the CEO may write the check, but the

engineer decides what they’re writing the check for…

A wise copywriter will recognize this and strive to understand the challenge facing the decision maker in their journey through the

design--and product selection--cycle. Let me shed some light on this challenge, and how to get the attention of the right people:

To Specify, or NOT to Specify…

The end-game of all the project meetings, design charrettes, phone calls, calculations and sketches

produced during the aforementioned project lifecycle is to produce a set of documents, officially

called Contract Documents (the “deliverables” part of the “Construction Documents” phase

described above).

These documents are the very heart of a construction project. They

are the single most important elements used to bid, and ultimately

build the project envisioned from the outset by the owners.

Contract Documents are generally comprised of two mutually

supportive parts; the Project Drawings and the Project

Specifications; “Plans and Specs” as they are more commonly called.

Now, a large part of the design process involves putting a lot of “things” on the project drawings. These

“things” are what most people envision when they think of “floor plans”; all those pictures, symbols, lines

and cryptic notes that make engineers look smart. This is the quantitative part of a design package; “how

many, how big, how long, and where to put it.”


Equally–arguably–more important is making sure that these “things” meet certain requirements. Every symbol, every line–every element

on a drawing–has a qualitative value; a detailed, very specific description defining what it is. These values are generally defined in the

project specifications.

Now here’s where engineers grow old and weary real fast…

For any given “thing” in a drawing package, there are a multitude of products that potentially

qualify. For example, the “thing” could be a solar panel, wind turbine, micro-hydro

component…anything. Well any number of manufacturers may fit the bill…some good,

some very good, and some not so good.

Herein lies the specifying problem…

The Engineering Challenge – Specifying the Right Product

Specify a good or very good product in a design package, and the engineer is a hero. Specify a not so good one, and they’ve got a world

of hurt in their professional life for a long time…

Aesthetic, financial, health and safety, or environmental issues aside, a product ultimately gets picked when

the consulting engineer “signs off” on it, and includes it in the “Acceptable Manufacturers” specifications

section.

In other words, regardless of how much the owner or project lead wants something; no matter how much the

architect wishes for something to be used, it is the engineer’s responsibility to ensure that said product:

1) Meets the requirements of the project

2) Is acceptable to them from a professional/liability/reputational standpoint.


They have to. It’s their job, their professional standing, and their legal hide if they don’t. The old consulting engineering adage holds

true…

“Get all the pieces on the drawings, and--for goodness sake–make

sure you don’t blow the whole deal with bad specifications!”

That being said, a great deal of time is spent by engineers, designers--anyone charged with

selecting a product–in reviewing, judging, and ultimately making a product choice. In fact,

one of the greatest challenges an engineer or any sustainable design professional

faces is deciding which products to specify in their design.

Now it’s true, engineers love the technical stuff, but sometimes, it’s just too

much. Trying to weed through pages of material to find that “nugget” of

information that sets a product apart can be a daunting task.

So, a “tough to read” product packet inevitably gets tossed,

if only for the fact that the reader has more to do than hunt

down information they are specifically looking for while the

clock is ticking…

And the clock is always ticking during design…

A product might be exactly what the engineer needs.

But if the marketing material before them does not

give them the confidence to approve it, it won’t make

the cut.

And if a product isn’t approved in the specifications,

it’s not going to be used…


Your Marketing Material Must Get the Engineer’s Attention…

Now, let’s say you have a new, innovative, top-notch green product. You’re

excited to get it out and shown; you want your new product to be visible,

and successful.

Well, so does everyone else who manufacturers that product...

So…

How do you get your product in front of–and ultimately chosen by–the people who can make this

happen? How do you set your green product apart in the buyer’s eyes? It’s no secret you want your

product to stand out, and you want it to be selected by your prospect.

Period…

Your marketing content is the key.

If your marketing content is useful, informative, and conveys the

product benefits to your prospective client in a way that they want to

see it, then they will continue reading.

If not, your marketing material will be shelved in favor of your

competitor. Give your prospect the information they need…in a way

that gives them confidence in your product…then their decision is

essentially made.

In a nutshell, if your product is presented in such a way that your

client sees the benefits they want; in such a manner that it

makes them a hero…

…then they will take a second look…


PART III - The Script Marketing Vehicles

You’re proud of your product. You know it has the

potential to change the green technology world--or drive

it down a more efficient, cost-effective road. All who’ve

seen the fruits of your labor agree; it’s simply got to be

brought to market.

Now what?

Remember the old adage, “If a tree falls in the forest and

no one’s there to hear it…does it make a sound?” Well, the

tree is your product; it only makes a sound if there’s

someone (your potential client) to hear it.

Green technology and the business-to-business world

have been covered. Key issues regarding the B2B reader

have been illuminated, and effective measures for

appealing to their sensibilities--from a marketing

standpoint--have been addressed.

Now the question is, “What sort of material is my

prospective reader likely to respond to?” “How does my

potential client hear my tree falling in the forest?”

Your reader will respond most effectively to relevant,

useful and consistent content…


What is Content?

“Content is the vehicle by which a company tells its story…”

One could fill a large container ship with all of the definitions found for “content marketing” and its intended outcomes in the business-

to-business environment. In a truly basic and general sense however, content, and--for our purposes--content marketing can be

summarized as this;

“Content marketing is creating and sharing relevant and useful information about “something” (a

product type, service or industry) to potential customers with a vested interest in that

“something”.

In turn, this interest can be nurtured into customer confidence, brand familiarity, and--ultimately-

-selection of that “something” for their use through additional content marketing vehicles.”

Put another way, content marketing is helping a customer through the buying process gently by providing them with useful information

structured to lead them to your door. While the ultimate goal is to generate customer sale of a specific product or service, the underlying

strategy is to pull--not push--a potential customer in by educating them; not by selling to them.

Doug Kessler, content marketing guru and co-founder of the London-based B2B content marketing agency Velocity sums it up quite

nicely;

“Traditional marketing talks at people. Content marketing talks with them.”

Here lies the strategic heart of content marketing…


Who Uses Content Marketing?

In short, virtually everyone. Why do they use it? Because it works, and marketing

professionals know this.

But…

Why does it work so well?

Content Marketing Is Memorable

Content marketing is perfect for making your business more memorable.

But…

The key is to use it effectively. You can’t create “run-of-the-mill” generic content and

expect to see results. It will never grab your audience’s attention or be memorable. You must create content that is unique.

To do this, follow these general guidelines:

Capitalize on the Power of Repetition

Strangers aren’t memorable to us, but we do remember people we have met and liked. You

want your business to become something that consumers know, like, and trust.

The way to do this as a business is the same way you do this as a person: You need to keep in

touch with people you want to be remembered by.

Content allows you to keep in regular touch with your prospects and customers. Repetition is a

strong memory tool, so it’s essential that you frequently and consistently place your content in

front of your prospects and customers.

2013/2014 B2B Content Marketing Trends

93% of B2B companies use content marketing.

78% of B2B small businesses have someone in

place to oversee content marketing strategy.

75% of B2B small business marketers are

producing more content than they were a year

ago.

58% of B2B companies plan to increase

content budgets.


Harness the Power of Descriptions

Our minds are adept at remembering things we can picture — this includes images, of course,

but it also pertains to words that are highly descriptive. For this reason, it’s key that you use

descriptions in your content; even if you are trying to present analytic or other data-rich

information.

Descriptive words help your prospects “see” and understand what you’re talking about. This

means you will want to use analogies, adjectives, and any other comparisons in your content as

much as possible, so your readers will be able to better lock it into their memories.

Utilize the Human Gift of Imagination

Our minds are adept at remembering things in terms of spatial relationships. Similarly, content

marketing can leverage the power of imagination to form memorable bonds between

businesses and customers.

In other words, you want to create content that will encourage your prospects to imagine what

it is like to do business with you — to use your products or services and to experience the

positive results this relationship will bring. By doing this, customers can, in a sense, experience

your business in relation to their needs, which will enable them to remember you on a deeper

level.

Exploit the Style of Your Voice

Use your own, unique voice. The general idea behind all memory techniques is to change

something “boring” into something that’s different. By framing your content in a way that’s

“fresh” to your client, they can’t possibly forget your message; your product.

When writing content, it is to our significant advantage to fully grasp a core idea; one of the most overlooked business marketing

problems is one of memory, not customer interest. We must further recognize a natural human trait; that our minds rarely remember

abstract words and numbers. These notions are key to successful marketing efforts.


Content Marketing Vehicles

There are a vast number of ways that content marketing material can be presented, in a variety of formats. The list is almost endless, and

there’s just not enough space to list it all here…I won’t even try. For our purposes, I’ll simplify and sub-define content marketing into two

broad fields;

Print (hard copy) media

Online (web)-based content

Some types of content lend themselves quite well to both worlds. White papers, special reports and case studies for example, lend

themselves to both print and online channels. Social media not so much. That’s for the digital domain. But, the world is changing…I may

be proven wrong on social media! With such a transition towards a digital world however, I’ll broach the subject with an emphasis on

web-based content. For our purposes, it serves as a marketing “common ground”.

What Exactly IS Web Content?

Web content is the reason people come to your web pages

When a person goes to a website seeking a product or service--especially in the B2B world--they want to know a LOT of things about a

company;

Who they are

What they do

What is their mission or professional stance?

Are they credible?

What makes them stand apart from their competitors?

Are they leaders in their field?

In the business-to-business world, potential customers come to your website to learn about your company. They want more than a listing

of products and features. They want to assure themselves that you are credible and trustworthy. They want to see that you are a leader in


your field, and worthy of their time and money. They learn these things--and form an opinion about who you are--from your content.

Ideally, you earn their trust--and business--based on what they see on your website.

Types of Web Content

There are essentially two types of web content; text and multimedia. Text is…well…the written material on a webpage. However; it’s more

than just an online marketing pamphlet, and it’s more than just a list of bullet points addressing a certain topic. I’ll get to that in a minute.

Multimedia content is pretty much anything that isn’t text. Some examples are;

Images

Sound

Video

Animation

The multimedia world is growing daily. There

will certainly be more multimedia vehicles

tomorrow than there are today. The role--and

significance--of multimedia in website

presentation is irrefutable.

However…


Text vs. Multimedia Content

In the digital world search engines, crawlers, spiders, etc. “see” content differently than our eyes do. For example, digital images of

hamsters will not be recognized as “hamsters” by search engines. Additional information is needed to define the image. Meta tags,

sitemaps, or all the associated SEO topics notwithstanding, text is simply treated differently than digital images.

Note:

This book does not attempt to embark on a lengthy discussion concerning Search Engine Optimization (SEO).

There’s a wealth of information on that topic, and countless resources addressing SEO are readily available

from excellent sources.

The focus here is on text content as an SEO vehicle, because--as stated in countless marketing guides--“Content is King”. To support

this notion, I’ll simply refer to some published recommendations from Google and Bing; two worldwide search engine leaders:

Google recommends--in part--these steps to

get better search engine rankings:

“Make pages primarily for users, not for search engines. Don't deceive

your users or present different content to search engines than you

display to users, which is commonly referred to as cloaking. Make a site

with a clear hierarchy and text links. Every page should be reachable

from at least one static text link.”

“Create a useful, information-rich site, and write pages that clearly and

accurately describe your content.”


The “Google Search Engine Optimization

Starter Guide” further states, in part;

Bing engineers recommend the following to get better

rankings in their search engine:

It goes without saying that if major players in the search engine

sandbox make these recommendations, they’re worthy of note.

“Creating compelling and useful content will likely influence your website

more than any (of the) other factors…”

“Ensure a clean, keyword rich URL structure is in place”

“Make sure content is not buried inside rich media (Adobe Flash Player,

JavaScript, Ajax) and verify that rich media doesn't hide links from crawlers.”

“Create keyword-rich content based on research to match what users are

searching for. Produce fresh content regularly.”

“Don’t put the text that you want indexed inside images. For example, if

you want your company name or address to be indexed, make sure it is

not displayed inside a company logo.”


Summing Up Web Content

Web content must be relevant and applicable to what you are trying to

say.

It needs to say something about you, your company, your company’s

views and direction. Web designers and developers sometimes lose sight

of this and rush to publish a “pretty page” with lots of graphics. This

certainly makes for a graphically pleasing page, but--more often than not-

-doesn’t really influence or inform the customer.

Pictures are nice, but they rarely tell the whole story. That’s the role of text

in web content.


The Major Content Players

Now that it’s been established that content is vital to

marketing, what form does this content take? What does

it look like? What are some guidelines for making it

effective in the green technology marketing world?

Here’s a VERY brief look at a couple of heavy-hitters…


White Papers

In general, a white paper--as used in the B2B context--can be described as;

“An authoritative report or guide to help readers understand an

issue, solve a problem, or make a decision.”

White papers are the multi-faced workhorse of the business-to-business marketing world. As a marketing tool, white papers;

Use selected facts and logical arguments to build a case favorable to the originating

company.

Are often used to generate sales leads, establish an individual or firm as an authority

in a specialized field, or inform and persuade prospective customers, journalists,

analysts, or investors.

May present research findings, list a set of questions or tips about a certain business

issue, or highlight a particular product or service provided by a company.

Can argue that one particular technology, product or method is superior for solving a

specific business problem. This “point of view” approach provides the opportunity to

differentiate your company in the eyes of your readers.

White papers have been around for a very long time; their effectiveness is irrefutable. The white paper will continue to be a front line

participant in content, irrespective of current--and often ephemeral--marketing practices.

Here’s why…

White Papers Have Staying Power

Statistically, marketing material is not retained by the reader. White papers, however, have been shown to foil the statisticians. Simply

put, white papers get read by more people, and the information they contain is retained. The reason? The best white papers will:

Contain rich, substantive content that educates, not sells

Offer new ideas that prompt and provoke innovative thinking

Forward a clearly communicated point of view on issues that are highly relevant and timely

Rely on statistically sound data and well-researched findings


White Papers Can Serve as Launching Pads

A well-crafted white paper can serve as a source for many other vehicles, feeding a range of entry points to reach your audience in

different formats including; blogs, videos, briefings, or any number of related deliverables.

White papers establish your perspective on a topic and define the storyline. Furthermore, they serve as an excellent starting point from

which to;

Build a range of accompanying content pieces

Expand on key themes

Highlight experts

Uncover research nuggets

Drive--or initiate--different conversations

Types of White Papers

There are essentially three main types of white papers:

Problem/Solution

A problem/solution white paper recommends a new, improved solution to a persistent problem. This

type is best used to generate leads at the top of the sales funnel, to build mind share (the development

of consumer awareness or popularity), or inform and persuade stakeholders.

Backgrounder

The "Backgrounder" white paper describes the technical and/or business benefits of a certain product,

service, or methodology. This type of white paper is best used to supplement a product launch, argue a

business case, or support a technical evaluation near the middle or bottom of the sales funnel.

Backgrounders are commonly used by companies already established in their respective areas.


Numbered List

A "Numbered List" white paper presents a set of tips, questions, or points about a certain business issue.

This type is best used to generate attention with new or provocative views, or suggest criticism of

competitors, especially by using FUD (or "fear, uncertainty, and doubt" in marketing terminology)

Which Type of White Paper is Right for You?

Well, that depends...

A Problem/Solution white paper is an effective tool for presenting a way to fix

something. Problem/Solution white papers are ideal vehicles to bring your new product--

your innovative design or approach--in front of an initial audience.

Conversely, a Backgrounder white paper is advantageous farther down the sales funnel. It

has the advantage of allowing for detailed product information--supporting content for the

interested prospect--in a more "technically focused" manner.

The Numbered List is useful as an adjunct to either of the above...it serves both masters

well;

In the Problem/Solution white paper, incorporating FUD generally

supports the "problem" portion of the paper. Likewise, the use of tips,

questions, or points about a product advantage generally supports the

"solution" aspect of the piece.

For use in a Backgrounder white paper, the Numbered List is a time-

honored, universally effective way of presenting supporting material

throughout the entire paper.

Marketing Note:

The author of your white paper--

regardless of which form it takes--

must be cognizant of the primary intent

of the paper; its intended use in the

overall sales process.

This demands a thorough

understanding of all the contributing

factors--technical, analytical, business

and emotional--when crafting a truly

successful white paper.


Special Reports

For the most part, special reports (or--as they are often called--"information marketing special reports") are used to show that the

subject--you or your company let's say--are an expert in a particular, very specific area, or that you possess particular--and useful--

knowledge on a certain topic. Special Reports can be thought of as a "subset"...so to speak...of the white paper genre.

A special report is a targeted, very specific report that ranges from seven to 10 pages in length. They are tools to attract people into your

sales funnel; a "top-of-funnel" (or TOFU) marketing device. In effect, special reports serve as a spark to ignite the flame of customer

interest.

As an aside, special reports are almost exclusive to the digital world. While formats can--and do--vary, it is generally considered the norm

to deliver them in .pdf format.

Special Report Guidelines

Here are some general guidelines to follow when crafting your special report:

A special report should be very specific; off-topic segues should be avoided.

In general, make your special report oriented towards how to do something. Alternately, frame it around ways to fix something.

Here's a typical, somewhat vanilla example...

Let's say that you--a green products manufacturer--are fishing for a topic for a special report. Instead of framing

it around "My Product Is Great", make it action-oriented; "Seven Simple Steps (for using your product) To Make

(your potential client's) Life Great" See the difference? Remember, you're talking to your potential customer from

the top of the sales funnel.

Allow people to get in touch with you.

Include places where the potential client can find additional information and resources. Provide links to relevant

sites, supporting documents, etc. Use these additional sources judiciously and carefully to draw your potential

client further in.


Let's assume that your potential client has "opted-in" to your special report as a click-thru from your website.

They may read it and potentially leave. So...be sure to include simple--and obvious--ways for your potential client

to contact you.

Keep it short. It's very easy to ramble...I know...

Use the "10 pages max" rule as a leash to reign in off-topic,

unrelated material, or material that doesn't promote specificity.

Marketing Note:

When choosing a special report

copywriter, choose someone who knows

the report "rules"...the specific elements,

goals, and motivation behind the

intended audience.

Keep this in mind; a special report

may be your first introduction to your

potential client...your initial "Hey, how

are ya...." when you walk into their

dinner party. First impressions

are...well...you know...

Make sure you choose a copywriter who

knows the host...


Case Studies

In general, a case study is a two-to-four page document addressing a specific issue--a problem--that was solved by something; your

product or service.

More specifically, case studies are stories. These stories are a powerful tool that we--as marketers--can leverage; our minds are

intrinsically wired to remember them. Case studies don’t just present prospects with words and numbers they won’t remember — they

tell stories that flesh out words and numbers to describe your business, and give it context. This isn’t just a much more powerful way to

convey information, it a much more memorable way, too.

While composition can--and certainly does--vary depending on specific requirements, case studies are generally comprised of four

sections following this format:

The Situation

This opening section describes the reasons behind the case study. This may include your company's

background, its current market position, and your company area of expertise.

The Problem

Here, the paper states the main problem needing resolution.

The Solution

The solution is the core of the case study. Here lies a detailed discussion of how the solution was

implemented, the impact on those involved, specific methodologies, and--as required--any

additional factors that were instrumental in bringing about the solution. Frequently, charts,

graphs, sidebars, and other visual content are found here.

The Evaluation

Case studies normally conclude with an evaluation of the solution's positive impact. Lessons

learned, and successive steps are also typically addressed.


How Does a Case Study Benefit You?

In the B2B marketing world, case studies rank second only to white papers in advancing the benefits of your product or service. As an

aside, they are read almost exclusively by executives and other top brass in the business decision-making process.

Why Would You Need a Case Study?

Much like white papers, case studies are beneficial to your company for several reasons. A case study serves to elevate your company

profile following product release. It also positions you as a credible solutions provider...it is an excellent medium to highlight your

expertise and industry-specific knowledge. A less obvious benefit of the case study is that it initiates media attention by showing the

world how your product provided a superior solution.

Case studies are wonderful for building product confidence through the "satisfied customer endorsement" vehicle. As case studies are

centered on a specific problem/solution, the "customer satisfaction" aspect holds great value.

What makes a Case Study effective?

Case studies are "soft-sell" documents. The primary purpose of the paper is to highlight

your product in the best possible light...but gently. The best written case studies catch the

reader's attention--your potential client--without resorting to "market-speak" and sales

pitches.

To be successful, the case study must be built entirely around your argument. It must be

created with strict attention to how the solution resolved one very specific issue. This is

an essential--and often overlooked--aspect of this type of document. Case studies that

try to do too much...that propose to "solve every problem for everyone"...simply aren't

read or taken seriously. No one believes such claims.

Marketing Note:

As copywriters, we must be able to

filter out extraneous material and

concentrate on the problem presented

in the case study. Then, we must

articulate the solution in such a way

that the intent of the document is

met...to bring attention to your

product, and to further your product's

benefits and advantages in their eyes.


Social Media

Without question, social media has become a major player in online

communications. Less understood--yet increasingly significant--is the use

of social media as a business/marketing vehicle. The advent of social media

marketing has dramatically shifted the way that companies do business...

...and this shift is accelerating...

Social media marketing refers to the process of gaining traffic or attention

through social media sites (LinkedIn, Twitter, Google+ etc). Social media

marketing programs usually center on efforts to create content that

attracts attention about a given company, product or service.

Marketing in the social media realm offers significant advantages to your

business, because information about your product or service can be

repeated through "tweets" or "posts" countless times. Think of it as

electronic "Word-of-Mouth" (or eWoM as it is often called). By using

eWoM via social media marketing, your company can leverage "earned

media", or media that carries an implied endorsement from a source

trusted by the reader.

Because the information about your product is being seen and

subsequently repeated, substantial traffic is brought to your company or

product.

2014 Social Media Marketing Trends

In B2B marketing, LinkedIn continues to be a

primary network, surpassing all other

networks; Facebook and Twitter

notwithstanding. Studies have shown that 77%

of B2Bs plan on increasing their investment in

the LinkedIn network.

According to the Harvard Business Review, 79%

of companies in the U.S. are either using or

planning to use social media as part of their

marketing mix.

Socialmediaexaminer.com reported in the

"Social Media Marketing Industry Report -

2014" that 92% of business owners indicated

social media is important to their business (up

from 86% in 2013)

Furthermore, the report found that 61% of

businesses are planning on increasing their

Google+ activities this year. Google+ is clearly

still on the minds of marketers.


Top Companies Are Using Social Media

It is clear that leading businesses have recognized--and embraced--social media, and are capitalizing on its multiple benefits. To

illustrate, here is a brief snapshot of some of the business leaders' activities in social media:

Building brand awareness

Coca-Cola has over 87 million friends on Facebook

Supporting the B2B sales process

With almost 300,000 followers, Salesforce.com uses LinkedIn as a content

platform to influence buyers and move them toward a buying decision.

Engaging with customers

Airbnb created its first commercial by reaching out to its followers on

Twitter. Thousands of fans submitted six-second Vine videos, which were

then edited to create the final commercial. Airbnb used social media to not

only engage with their fans, but to collaborate with them.

Customer service

Blackberry uses Twitter. With almost 1.5 million followers, they've built a

support network that answers questions 24/7. They have separate accounts

in different languages for different countries around the world.

Driving sales

L.L. Bean is a superstar on Pinterest with 5.5 million followers. By clicking on

a product image, you're taken directly to the sales page on the L.L. Bean site.

Engagement to the sale in a single click...


Laws of Social Media Marketing

Leveraging the power of social media marketing can help elevate your audience and customer base in a dramatic way.

However...

It is vital to understand the social media marketing fundamentals. Abiding by these laws will help build a foundation that will serve your

customers, your brand and--perhaps most importantly--your bottom line.

The Law of Listening

Success with social media requires more listening and less talking. Read your

audience's online content and join discussions to learn what's important to

them.

The Law of Focus

It is better to specialize than to be a jack-of-all-trades. A highly-focused

social media marketing strategy intended to build a strong brand has a

better chance for success than a broad strategy that attempts to be all things

to all people.

The Law of Quality

Quality trumps quantity every time.

The Law of Patience

Social media marketing success doesn't happen overnight. To achieve

results, commit to a long haul marketing approach.

The Law of Compounding

Publishing quality content and working to populate your online presence

with quality followers will promote subsequent eWoM propagation through

the social media channels.


The Law of Influence

Invest time finding the online influencers in your market. Connect with them,

and work to build relationships with them. The potential for putting your

business in front of a vast new audience is significant.

The Law of Value

People will stop listening to you if you spend all of your time promoting your

products or services. Add value to the conversation. Focus less on

conversions and more on creating quality content when developing

relationships.

Over time, these relationships will become powerful catalysts for eWoM

marketing of your business.

The Law of Accessibility

Don't publish your content and then disappear. Be available to your

audience. This means that you need to consistently publish content and

participate in conversations. Followers online can be fickle; they won't

hesitate to replace you if you disappear for weeks or months.


the big picture…

The products of green technology may prove to be the greatest achievements of

our time. Their collective use may save our world from many ills--perhaps even

thwart extinction by our own hands. Nevertheless, there are many challenges

ahead for green technology; the path is fragile indeed.

One of the greatest obstacles is convincing people that green technology has

value. Irrespective of the benefits that green and sustainable technologies may

offer, they are of little use if people don’t grasp their true potential and put them

to widespread use.

For this to occur, people must be educated.

As marketers, we stand on the forefront of something wonderful. We are

uniquely positioned to educate; to persuade the very people who can leverage

green technology in making the world a better place. Through our work, we

speak to these decision-makers; a responsibility not to be taken lightly. If our

efforts are successful, people will come to understand the viability of this brave

new sustainable world.

To persuade; to educate them however, we must speak to them in their

language.

I hope this Field Guide gives you a glimpse of your potential reader; a sense of

the challenges, mindset, and motivation behind their buying decision. It is my

sincere wish that you find your own voice in their language, and speak to them

on behalf of us all.

about the author

Dan Davis is the owner of simply Sustainable Communications; a company committed to

copywriting/ content marketing for the B2B green products and technologies marketplace.

He brings over two decades of consulting engineering/design, writing and AEC experience

to this field--much of this in the green/sustainable arena. As a licensed Professional

Engineer, Dan has been influential in the creation of many flagship LEED-compliant facilities

in existence today.

His combined engineering and writing experiences give him a very unique ability to

integrate both technical and non-technical, “human” elements into his work; bridging the

gap between technically-focused innovators and real world end-users. With substantial

experience under his ever-expanding belt, Dan knows what does and doesn't work when

promoting and marketing green and sustainable products.

He's seen both…

Dan lives in the shadow of Mt. Shasta; nestled in the forests of Northern California. A lifelong

aviation enthusiast and commercial pilot, he spends his spare time flying, punctuated with

periods of mountain biking, backpacking and generally enjoying life.

For further information, please visit the simply Sustainable website, or e-mail: [email protected]

http://www.greenproductscopywriting.com/