Now, get outside and create.

I've said it before and I'll say it again - Segmentation Matters

This was one of the take away at a recent Green Launching Pad's Business Development Seminar attended by over forty green and innovative entrepreneurs at the Idea GreenHouse in Durham, New Hampshire.

Steve Casey, President of Rain Consulting spoke to the group about marketing and his six recommendations. Here are my take-away notes on his recommendation on marketing a green product or service.

1. Segment your markets and determine your key phrases.

2. Have website wireframes and a clear next step for visitors whether its to download a white paper, register for a newsletter, download a case study or video.

3. Build communities and lists over time. Don't take short cuts buying lists.

4. Be consistent with inbound marketing.

5. Analytics - do it and pay attention

6. Keep it all manageable.

I'd say Steve's outline six good recommendations and remember the emphasis is to focus on market segments.

It's all in the details whether it's reading financial statements, a blueprint, developing software or growing garlic or launching a green product or service. Detail's matter and that was the take away at today's Green Launching Pad's Business Development Seminar this morning.

Patrick Mansfield, Executive VP of Enertrac shared his lessons on marketing a green product. He described three types of customers, each which require different marketing strategies. Here are my take-away notes from his presentation on how to market to:

1. Early Adopters - Hang out where they do on green forums & social networks.

2. Small Business Buyers - Have a website that speaks to them, offer early adopter pricing, give them careful attention and build references.

3. The Big Dogs - Have solid financials, solid product/service performance, perfect references, scaled pricing and continuous development.

In each case, the details matter.

During the weeks of the exploratory research the customer went back and forth with establishing a product priority. Considering the struggle they were having with some of the necessary decision-making required I determined it was time to flow-chart the production process.

A Greater Understanding

Some of you may be reading this thinking "why would a marketing consultant be talking to a client about flowcharting a production process?" New product development requires a greater understanding, a 30,000-foot view and a hands-on view. Having someone who can bring the product from concept to completion and understand inputs and outputs along the way is critical a successful launch. New product development is more than a slick out bound or in bound marketing launch.

Flowing charting is a valuable marketers tool to capture the process, equipment needs, human inputs and outputs, downtime, raw materials, etc. Working with the customer we used the tool for each product the customer was evaluating. The resulting diagrams gave the customer a picture of all that was involved and options they could take with each product.

In the end they were able to put together a strategy that will give them greater long-term profitability of the new products and prioritize the product launches.

Decision-Making Tips

1. Gather all your new product market research data

2. Analyze, review and analyze again

3. Step away from the data

4. Flowchart the process

By following these tips the customer gained a greater insight into the human inputs required for each product, additional needs they had not thought about previously and gave them options that eased their decision-making.

When developing new products what have you done to help with decision-making during the process?

Thanks for reading.

As George Parmenter, Director of Corporate Responsibility, put it "business needs society, society needs business." Some of the key programs in motion for a few years now are:

1) Guiding Stars (registered trademark) - First in the nation storewide nutrition system

2) LEED Store - Cony Street store in Augusta Maine

3) Close to Home (registered trademark) - commitment to local communities and businesses with over 200 plus suppliers.

Hannaford is owned by Belguim-based Delhaize Group operating over 170 stores in NH, VT, ME, MA, and NY. The Just-in-Time processes allow for some of the freshest produce and fish in the market place. The organization has won the National Business Group on Health Award for 3 years in a row. They have contributed more than $1.4 million in helping schools purchase needed equipment.

Other initiatives underway at Hannaford are Responsible Sourcing, LEED stores, Energy Conservation, Sustainable Packaging, and Recycling and Composting. Joe Riley heads up the Composting initiative with 54 stores currently working with local compost firms in New England and New York region. Brick End Farm in Massachusetts handles some of the stores food scraps from stores in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. And, the plastic recycling get compacted and sent to a hub spot in Maine then on to a plastic recycling firm.

The design for the LEED certified store in Augusta incorporates a series of integrated sustainable and environmental elements that ultimately results in a 56% reduction over a comparable standard store. Some of the elements include:

a. Motion sensitive LED lighting in frozen food cases

c. Low water flow sinks

e. Engineered counter tops made from sunflowers

g. Recycled glass

i. Night shades on produce cases

k. Engineered skylights & window placement allowing for more natural light

l. GEO Thermal & solar panels

m. Iceless fish cases

n. Green roof using sedum & chives plantings

o. Closed in meat cases

p. 50% less refrigerant resulting in a big impact on greenhouse gas reduction

q. No VOC paints

Water efficiency is becoming more of a critical factor in green design and the LEED store is using 35% less water. Other efforts are improved indoor air quality and using green cleaning products in the store.

While some may say obtaining LEED certification is just part of the marketing expenditures, George Parmenter stated the stores associates are "Jazzed up about working there." This may be a benefit the leaders at Hannaford didn't initially see in their vision of a LEED certified building. The effects on employee morale and productivity in green buildings is still new and several studies are underway. One 2009 collaborative study by the University of San Diego, University of Baltimore, University of British Columbia and CB Richard Ellis states:

"Healthier buildings reduce sick time and increase productivity, making it easier to recruit and retain employees."

"Green" and "socially responsibility" has moved far away from marketing buzzwords and towards the way it must be. Unfortunately, there will always be the polluters and Gordon Gekko's in the world. We all can choose to walk the path with a lighter footprint and a stronger heart beat in our business and our life.

Do you agree? Do you patron businesses you know are environmentally and socially responsible or does that not factor into your decision? Leave a comment below.

Thanks to all the folks at Hannaford - George Parmenter, Joe Riley, Molly Tarleton and Brian Hayes and to Molly Hodgson-Smith and Kate Luczko of NHBSR.

Thank you for reading.

Was I hearing that correctly?

I mean, I know I suffer from tinnitus, but that hadn't effected my hearing that much I thought. It lead me to think that perhaps I should post a paper here that I wrote in 2007. It is also available on my website for FREE in downloadable format.

Can the plan if you want a dark tan and no fans. (sorry I just couldn't resist : ) )

Give this a read & share it with others.

Note: Image by baking_in_pearls via Flikr