Sustainable Marketing 2011 and the Cassandra Syndrome

28/10/2010 by blog.

Gosh, it’s been a while since the last blog back in 2008 - the team have just been rushed off their feet!

We spent 2008 trying to warn everyone about the impending doom of the forthcoming recession.  Some clients thought we were barking mad and we felt like we were suffering from the Cassandra Syndrome.  We could see the recession coming like an express train down the track - fortunately, the wise clients jumped tracks quickly - those that didn’t were hit head on by the train!

Well, those organisations that took our advice on sustainable marketing certainly made a splash.  We were thrilled to help BASE go from strength to strength this year - after advising them to postpone in 2009.  2010 saw such a success with BASE - Business and a Sustainable Environment that the Mayor of London - Boris Johnson threw his weight behind the whole expo and even Michael Bloomberg, NYC Mayor was in support - see the YouTube Video for BASE 2010.  2011 will no doubt be even more exciting for BASE - if you’re serious about doing business with the blue chips and getting the lowdown direct from the politicians - you must attend BASE 2011.

2008 - 2010 saw a radical change for ECO1 in doing business.  We advised our clients to change their tack and this paid dividends.  We also practice what we preach, so we took some big steps in improving our performance to add greater value to our offering.  The result - we watched a number of our so-called competitors crash and burn, whilst we have been rushed off our feet for almost 2 years on new projects.

OK - so what are our predictions for sustainable marketing in 2011?  The market is changing folks - nature hates a void (no we’re not hippies, but we do understand the nature of economics) so all those companies that hit the wall have created a void - and someone needs to step in and fill-the-void.  So whether you’re selling eco-paint or renewable energy technologies - if you’re still in the game, then you are about to earn a larger slice of the cake if you do more sustainable marketing.

The market is going to be tempered by the government cuts without a doubt.  A larger labour pool is about to hit the market and this is not good news for the UK economy as a whole in the short-term - but life in business is always a double-edged sword.  Remember, for every business that was riding on the back of government spending - their loss could be your gain.  For many industries, the market is about to turn - with companies disappearing, for many industries it will be a “sellers” market again as demand outstrips supply.

I spoke to a young entrepreneur last night, a young chap still in his teens who was certainly very knowledgeable about his business but evidently understood little about economics or marketing.  The poor chap was convinced that “no one is advertising any more”.  I pointed out a few simple truths about sustainable marketing - “If television programs are funded by advertising and all the written press is funded by advertising - then according to his view of the world - shouldn’t the TV have gone off air by now and all the newspapers ceased to trade?”

Perhaps some people may berate me for saying this - but the economy up until 2008 was over-bloated and full of people jumping on the gravy train.  Houses were never worth the prices that they reached and too many people thought they could indulge in consumerism for eternity, thinking they were getting something for nothing. Well hello folks - there’s no such thing as a free lunch!  Too many people and too many organisations based their marketing on an un-sustainable economy.   Sustainable marketing isn’t just about recycling your coffee cups - it’s about offering true value in a market place.  For those companies in 2011 who have worked hard to toughen-up their offering and can make a genuine impact - it’s all about value for money.  To everyone who took our advice since 2008 - to sharpen up and improve performance - I salute you - you will be reaping the harvest of the Just in 2011.

If you’re a doom and gloom merchant and you’re looking for an easy ride - please don’t contact ECO1.  For anyone who’s just woken up to the new world of the 21st century and is prepared to go the extra mile - contact ECO1 to grow your business in 2011 - 020 8906 6730 info@eco1.biz.

The Green Sales Generator.

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