The green market is exploding.  Isn’t it? Or is this a perfect example of a trend that may be pure gold for some businesses, but that will trap your business into a marketing disaster? You can spot the difference by answering two questions:

Question 1: Is this trend a value proposition to my audience right now?  

Question 2: If so, does my marketing zero in on a specific value proposition that differentiates me from everyone else on the trend bandwagon?

If both answers are yes, cash in on the trend!  If not, avoid the trap. Let’s use green marketing to see this approach in action.

For starters, do your homework – like noting a new survey (just cited in BrandWeek) from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business that shows while “going green may be the hype at the moment … marketers reported that their emphasis on campaigns that promote ‘benefits to society’ or ‘minimize the impact on the environment’ is weakening.”  Why?  Eco-friendly paybacks are long-term. Short-term, we’re feeling the economic pinch. So even an audience that values green products may not agree to pay more for them. (Just look at the sudden bi-partisan call for off-shore drilling – when money gets tight, priorities change!).

If “green” is in fact a motivator, where does it fall among other priorities? Suppose the value pyramid has lead generation at the peak, saving time and money in the middle, and going green at the bottom.  Structure your value proposition the same way and integrate ALL the value drivers: We help you generate better-qualified leads so they close faster – all without driving to sales calls or cutting down a forest for mailings, catalogs and collateral.

Worried about other possible trend traps out there right now?  Post a comment and let’s take a look …