Business and development require a different approach to how firms market products and services. This 21st Century Era of marketing has evolved to a more social/mobile marketing that focuses on intangibles and relationships. Today there is so much more to consider, such as how our consumption of goods and services affect the environment and the notion of a massive global economy. While still attempting to meet production goals and consumer needs.
To do business in regards to sustainability, Firms have to begin to do things differently. People have to change their behavior. Marketing Goals have to be more societal oriented; they have to be more sustainable in the approach to meeting demand and maintaining global balance.
Sustainability Marketing is the strategic business function that creates value by stimulating, fascinating and fulfilling customer demand. It does this by building brands, nurturing innovation, developing relationships, creating excellent customer service and communicating beliefs. By operating customer-centrically, marketing brings a positive return on investment, satisfy shareholders and stakeholders from business and community, and contributes positive behavior change and sustainable business future.
A New Approach to Marketing
The traditional marketing mix we all know as the 4 P’s (Product, Price, Place, and Promotion) has finally become outdated. This process still has some value to a more product, production, profit-oriented company. This matrix of marketing has to change to be more people and sustainable focused. It is time to embrace a new marketing mix called the Sustainability Marketing Mix – The Four C’s.
The Four C’s, a consumer-oriented approach to marketing products and services are Customer Solutions, Customer Cost, Convenience, and Communication. In this matrix, Sustainability Marketing focuses developing customer solutions to problems rather than just producing products. The implied consumer cost such as time, money, effort, or an old value that may be given up as opposed to price and profits. It changes the perspective of a place to one of convenience and engages dialogue with clients with a social communications channels rather than the promotion of the product or service. This marketing mix encourages a more solutions-based, consumer-based, a more relationship-based approach to marketing and business.
Sustainability Marketing for E.V.E.R.
The economy, the environment, and the consumer are changing and alarming rates, and we can’t continue to go our current trend of using up resources with suffering the implications of our actions. Business can play a role and so can marketing. To adopt a sustainability marketing mission try using the acronym EVER. Be sure your marketing is Ecologically Oriented, taking into account the ecological limits of the planet and seeking to satisfy our needs without compromising the health of the ecosystem and their ability to continue delivering ecosystem services. Viable, from a technical feasibility and economic competitiveness perspectives. Ethical in promoting greater social justice and equality or at the very least avoid making social injustices worse. And, Relationship-Based which moves away from viewing marketing regarding economic exchanges towards seeing it as the management of relationships between businesses, their customers, and key stakeholders.
Sustainability Marketing has a unique opportunity in that it can be a part of a global transformation. Social change as well the way products are consumed, used or produced, are all factors marketing can influence and help drive more business and innovations making sustainability as a business practice feasible.
