Making your offline marketing more eco-friendly

Although the pandemic has set many industries back, a slight positive is that the pandemic positively affected the natural environment around us for a few short months. So much so that global carbon dioxide emissions fell by 6.4% (or 2.3 billion tonnes) in 2020. 

And there are more positives to come out of COVID. Due to social distancing, more commuters bought bikes to skip the close quarters of public transport — off the back of which, the UK government has invested £2 billion in a revamped cycle and walking campaign, widening pavements, and introducing pop-up cycle lanes.

These are all positive steps towards a more eco-conscious future. So how can you make your offline marketing campaigns more eco-friendly? 

Look to offset campaign carbon emissions

We should all be working towards reducing our carbon footprint, even if it’s taking small steps at a time — as long as we’re consciously making an effort. But how can you offset carbon emissions? 

First, you need to calculate your emissions using an emissions calculator — head over to carbonfootprint.com to figure that out. Then it’s a case of making small changes in your business environment, such as discouraging single-use plastic in the workplace, perhaps consider purchasing reusable bottles for all employees etc. To make large changes, why not consider supporting one of these international carbon reduction projects?

Don’t forget to spread the word to your audience about your journey to carbon offsetting — a study found that 81% of people prefer to buy from brands that are sustainable. So you can become more eco-friendly and basque in increased audience interest at the same time!

Reduce travel when distributing your flyers 

If you’ve ever booked a food shop delivery, you might have noticed that you can usually choose a ‘greener’ delivery option. This means the supermarket delivery van is already in the area making other food deliveries. These are small steps towards reducing the carbon footprint of your deliveries. 

Think of your flyer distribution campaign in a similar way. By explicitly targeting one geographical area in your campaign, you’re minimising the need to travel extensively just to hand out your flyers.

This forces you to think creatively; how will you make the most out of your targeted campaign? Perhaps you could use this opportunity to develop hyper-personalised flyering campaigns to really speak with that one geographical area.

Consider using more eco-friendly paper

You might not take into consideration the eco-friendliness of the paper you’re using for your offline marketing campaigns; it might just be whichever is cheapest. But if you’re making conscious decisions about reducing the carbon footprint of your business, you could consider using a more environmentally friendly paper.

Did you know that there’s a paper out there called ‘plantable paper’? So instead of the customer throwing the paper away, they can use it to grow wildflowers or herbs at home. Not only does this boost your eco credentials, but it also makes your campaign more memorable, achieving a lasting impression with your customers.
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