Going Green                                                     March/April 2008

In this Issue
 

Welcome

In this month that gives us St. Patrick’s Day and the official return of spring, green (and the lure of it) holds hope for many of us in the northern hemisphere. However, in the last several years, the word “green” conjures up much more than the image of a shamrock or a fledgling blade of grass – its definition has grown to represent many matters related to our environment. This issue of Momentum takes a look at several aspects of the green movement from a business perspective and beyond. So go grab a quick cup of green tea…and read on!

THE SPOTLIGHT: Think green to save green

Want to save some money and be kind to mother Earth in the meantime? With just a little extra marketing deliberation, you can do both.

Think about your past plans and projects and how small missteps have cost you money and also made an impact on the environment. For example, you printed twice as many brochures as you really needed because the cost per piece went way down (who can resist a bargain?). Then you never used them—wasting paper, ink, storage space and more—while increasing your total cost to boot.

You can do better, even if you start on a very small scale. Just avoid some common mistakes that add up to wasted money, time, and natural resources. Here are some tips to help:

• Use the right list for your mailings. Be as specific as you can. Your final audience may well be smaller than you think when first reviewing your list, requiring a lower print run, reducing list costs, and ultimately generating better qualified leads.

• Print only what you’ll use. Don’t let brochures sit in your stockroom – use them before they are obsolete.

• Choose the right strategies and tactics. Maybe you do need to hand out umpteen hard copies of your catalog. But maybe an online version would be satisfactory to 90% of your target audience. Find out…before you call the printer or pay the post office.

• Consider recycled paper (it often doesn’t cost more) and ask your printer about their processes. The Forest Stewardship Council now provides a certification to printers who meet their standards.

• Recycle in your office or even within your department. Donate the proceeds of your aluminum cans to a worthy cause or buy a tree to plant on your grounds for Arbor Day. Give empty ink cartridges to a local school for their fundraising efforts.

• Promote your ecologically savvy ways if you choose to get involved. More and more consumers pay attention to the environmental impact of their suppliers.

If you want to look at your marketing plans from a greener perspective, don’t get jaded —talk to M45. We can help you develop a fresh approach that may open up colorful opportunities for your business—approaches that can save you money and make you more appealing to certain demographic segments.

New acquisition makes March lucky for M45

New capabilities, new employees, and new growth are the result of a recent acquisition by M45 Marketing Services. Cratty and Company, a premier integrated marketing services agency from Rockford, Illinois, now joins our organization. We are thrilled to welcome the pros from Cratty and Company to our team!

The acquisition gives M45 more high-end design and brand development capabilities, as well as in-house photography and videography skills. “We are delighted to expand our offerings to clients with the addition of these capabilities,” said Marilyn Smit, M45 Marketing Services co-owner. “In all, it’s going to be a win-win situation for both our sets of clients.”

M45 Marketing Services now has operations in Rockford and Marengo, IL; St. Petersburg, FL; Fort Washington, PA; and Bloomington, IL. Headquarters for all M45 locations are at 524 West Stephenson St., Freeport, IL.

For more complete information about the acquisition, click here.
 

DOWN-TO-EARTH SOLUTIONS:

Green...with no glacier

When the Driftless Area Initiative (DAI) needed a printed piece to explain the group’s purpose and highlight its benefits, they came to M45 with high expectations, being referred by another business associate who was also an M45 client. Though we were “green” about the DAI at the start of the project, several of our staff members went to work learning about the organization’s conservation efforts within the 24,000 square-mile driftless area – a large section of the Upper Mississippi River Basin, where glaciers never flattened the topography.

The client needed an attention-getting format coupled with a straightforward approach to help simplify a somewhat complex message. M45’s communications specialists, writers, and designers set out to visually and contextually tell the group’s story and invite readers to get involved. The end result? A green message with great benefits to offer the four-state “driftless” area.

M45 appreciates its “green customers”

M45 is pleased to support the green movement in general and alternative energy specifically–not only through our choices for communications medium but also with the clients we serve. We count an ethanol plant and a wind/biofuels company among our clients…and are very proud to be able to work with them!
 

STELLAR STATS:

Green on the business scene

Some businesses recycle as part of a corporate initiative. Others do so because one enthusiastic employee leads the charge. No matter what your business setting, waste adds up. Take a look at these interesting statistics:

• Printing documents and tossing them out almost immediately is a common ritual in the workplace–one that's not environmentally friendly. According to a recent study by Xerox, as much as 40 percent of what's printed in an office is thrown away or into the recycling bin on a daily basis. Source: c/net

• The most commonly recycled material at businesses is corrugated cardboard. Source: RRSI

• Businesses recycle much more than paper and cardboard. Materials like metal shavings from machining operations or leftover product from manufacturing are often recycled because they have a lot of value. Source: RRSI

• Research indicates that nationwide, offices with fewer than 50 employees generate nearly 40% of discarded printing and writing paper. About 30% of small businesses currently have printing and writing paper collection programs. Source: State of Connecticut

• Every year in the USA alone, about 106 billion throwaway pens have to be disposed of in landfill sites, making reusable fountain or cartridge pens a more attractive alternative. Source: Recycle Bits

• Recovered paper accounted for 36.9 percent of the U.S. paper industry’s fiber needs in 2006. Source: paperrecycles.org

STARLITE:
Twice as creative and at least a third less serious than your average newsletter copy

What does green mean?
The word green indicates more than a color – it is often used to describe a variety of conditions or moods, most of them unrelated. You can be green with envy, green when you know little about a subject or activity, or get a green light on a project. You can live a green lifestyle by being environmentally conscious, or relax in a green room before appearing on stage.

Color experts agree that green symbolizes life, nature, fertility, and well being. It is the color of nature and the most restful color. Most people recognize many shades of green, including olive, Kelly, forest, lime, hunter, jade and spring. Can you think of more?

Are you keen on green? Take a quiz.
Is green your favorite color? Or do you prefer blue or brown? Take a color quiz to find out some fun “facts” about your personality.
 

“We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors,
we borrow it from our children.

~Native American Proverb