April 28, 2008
prnewsonline.com Issue 17 Vol. 64
Green PR Marketing
Lean, Green PR Machine: Developing
Inside-Out Sustainability Strategies
It may or may not come as
much of a shock that many
Americans (48%, to be exact)
erroneously believe that “green”
products and services have
a positive/beneficial impact
on the environment when, in
fact, “green” more accurately
describes products with a less
( DID YOU KNOW? )
Seven Things You Will
Learn in This Week’s
Issue of PR News
1. When dealing with an image
crisis such as that of China and
the upcoming Olympics, PR
execs should shift messaging
away from politics. (p. 2)
2. To empower employees to
go green, align incentives with
the organization’s desired green
outcomes. (p. 6)
3. When trying to be transferred
to an overseas job, market
yourself by focusing on your key
competencies. (p. 8)
4. Pregnant women and new
moms engage in one-third more
WOM conversations per day
than the total public. (p. 3)
5. 62% of surveyed execs
believe professional networking
sites like LinkedIn will be most
useful in recruiting efforts in the
next three years. (p. 3)
6. There are five steps to selling
search: anticipate, diagnose, inte-
grate, measure and extend. (p. 7)
7. When measuring messages’
impact, focus on storytelling and
the impact of specific words on
audiences. (p. 4)
©2008 Access Intelligence LLC. Federal copyright law prohibits unauthorized reproduction by any means and imposes fines of up to $100,000 for violations.
▶ Contents
Sustainability
negative impact than compet-
ing versions (Source: 2008
Green Gap Survey, conducted
by Cone and the Boston
College Center for Corporate
Citizenship). It’s a clear discon-
nect, especially considering the
growing obsession with “green-
ifying” our lifestyles to prevent
(or at least postpone) inevitable
planetary combustion.
Add a few more stats into the
mix—47% of Americans trust
companies to tell the truth in
environmental messaging, 45%
believe companies are accurately
SEO/SEM Measurement
A Match Made in Cyberspace: Integrating
SEO & SEM Into Every PR Strategy
Recently, PR News provided you
with a crash course in all things
SEO (see PRN 04-14-08); now
it’s time for the master’s class. As
the past article suggested, search
engine optimization (SEO)
and its kissing cousin, search
engine marketing (SEM), are
the tools that make the world go
’round—as least as far as PR is
concerned.
“Search is the connective
tissue that links everyone and
everything on the Internet,”
says Doug Winfield, VP, digital
strategy, Waggener Edstrom
Worldwide. “It’s not a revolu-
tion as much as a period of
accelerated evolution.”
Revolution or evolution, PR
pros must now think beyond
simple Google searches; the
▶How To Handle An Olympic Image Crisis 2
▶Quick Study Moms & WOM; Recruiting Online
▶Case Study Measuring Message Effectiveness
▶Tip Sheet Creating Job Opportunities Overseas 8
communicating information
about their environmental
impact and 61% say they under-
stand the environmental terms
companies use in their advertis-
ing—and you will realize why,
on April 30, the FTC will have
a public hearing on government
regulation of environmental
marketing messages.
What does this mean for
communicators? As the pub-
lic and now the government
increasingly scrutinize green
marketing, accuracy, credibil-
ity and deliverables are all the
Digital PR
strongest, most apt to survive
integrate these platforms into
every communications effort, be
it blogging, social media press
releases, video or measurement.
After all, for every communica-
tions subfunction, there is a dif-
ferent type of search: algorith-
mic, sponsored, vertical, local,
mobile, paid and organic (just
to name a few). However, it’s the
latter two that are most relevant
to PR execs. Here’s a simple
breakdown:
• Paid search: These are the
results whose position is
based on market-driven
price and relevance. There
are two categories of paid
search: pay-per-click (PPC),
in which advertisers just
3
4
more important. Thus, initia-
tives must be aligned with an
organization’s mission—not to
mention connected to its bot-
tom-line goals—to have last-
ing impact. Here’s how to get
started.
INSIDE OUT: LIVE THE
GREEN
Green marketing plans have
to start somewhere—that is,
internally with a sustainable
business strategy. According
to Glen Franklin, SVP of
Page  ▶
pay when a user clicks on
the ad (these appear in the
right-hand column of results
pages), and paid inclu-
sion, where search engines
charge fees for Web sites to
be included in their search
indexes. The benefits of paid
search? Immediate, measur-
able results and control over
content and placement. The
downside? You have to pay.
• Organic search: These
results appear based on algo-
rithms that determine the
prominence of their place-
ment. The previously men-
tioned PR News article cited
specific tactics that PR execs
can implement to boost their
Page  ▶
Green Marketing Plans
▶ Page 1

product strategy, Citi Card, policy. Best gives the example ities. Organizations like Citi and information to ensure they
and Courtney Zwart, VP of of Jones Lang LaSalle’s ACT: A General Electric have extremely [audiences] understand,
product strategy, Citi Card, “in Cleaner Tomorrow program, successful green marketing believe, care and act.
most cases, internal activity whose team exists in layers, campaigns primarily because • Don’t pigeonhole your-
does not need to line up with from a Global Environmental they are being executed from self into solely discussing
a position in the market or a Sustainability Board to regional the inside out, via cross-busi- environmental benefits;
specific cause; [for example], boards, to internal environ- ness collaboration that’s facili- also think in terms of eco-
Whole Foods does not need to mental initiatives. tated by environmental affairs nomic or health advantages.
certify the eating habits of their at Citi and the franchise-wide “Depoliticize marketing,”
employees to credibly deliver ▶ Determine where you can Ecomagination program led by they say. “Inspire the audi-
on their positioning. It’s differ- make an impact, and integrate GE VP Lorraine Bolsinger. Jones ence to take part.”
ent with green. To credibly sell practices into your day-to-day Lang LaSalle goes so far as to • Reference relevant, credible
a green product or service, you operations. Best says these train employees to execute its third parties, including the
must act green.” impacts can be made in a sustainability goals. Environmental Protection
John Friedman, board mem- number of areas, from energy Agency, The Nature
ber of the Sustainable Business conservation to waste manage- ▶ Develop an overview of Conservancy and the World
Network of Washington, iden- ment. When linked to your action items and how they will Wildlife Fund.
tifies more tangible benefits of organization’s sustainability be implemented. Referring to
conducting business in green/ policy, you begin to see specific, the ACT program, Best cites ▶ Disseminate the message
sustainable ways: measurable results; for example, specific initiatives that his thoughtfully. When choos-
Staples saved $6 million in organization undertook, from ing communications channels,
• License to operate (speed to two years by using centralized eliminating Styrofoam cups in make sure they are congru-
market) lighting controls, Best says, and office kitchens and conference ent with the green message;
• Cost reduction/avoidance FedEx Kinkos retrofitted more rooms to setting thermostats for example, if you are talking
• Market opportunity/advan- than 95% of its branches with one degree higher/lower in about recycling, don’t send
tage. “Brand reputation is energy-efficient lighting and the summer/winter to become out reams of paper. Instead,
arguably the most important motion sensors. greener internally and, in turn, use digital platforms or, when
asset a company has over the Friedman expands on this have something positive to printed material is required,
long term,” he says. step with these tactical tips: communicate externally. make sure the paper is recycled
• Employee engagement This, of course, is the and the ink is soy-based.
• Access to investment capital • Move from a vision to a cul- embodiment of the overarching Banking is just one example
ture by communicating the communications plan: Identify of an industry that’s success-
So, the reasons to go green sustainable, green business goals, develop strategies, imple- fully using greener commu-
internally are there; now it’s just strategy. ment via tactics, measure success nications channels, as many
a matter of making it happen. • Identify and build on “quick and communicate it accordingly. companies are moving from
hit” benefits. paper bills to electronic state-
▶ Align the program with • Reduce costs: tax advantages/ OUTSIDE IN: CREATING ments. Citi Card’s paperless
your core business model. incentives and risk manage- A GREEN MARKETING statement initiative, tagged
“Successful businesses must be ment, for example. CAMPAIGN “Make a statement with your
adept at determining market • Increase opportunities via Once your organization has a statement,” offers customers
changes, trends and expecta- social marketing and co- green program worth sharing, a simple, tangible action item
tions,” Friedman says. “They branding. it’s time to shape communica- (“Enroll in Paperless Statements
cannot be in such a rush to • Identify longer-term benefits, tions campaigns. today”); provides context by
embrace the ‘new’ trend that including a stronger reputa- explaining what Citi will do
they abandon their fundamen- tion and image. ▶ Craft the message. Franklin when they enroll (donate a
tal and core purposes.” • Align incentives with desired and Zwart offer these tips that tree to the National Arbor
In terms of said core pur- outcomes to empower can apply to all message-cre- Day Foundation); and gives
poses, Robert Best, SVP of employees. ation sessions: a “what’s in it for me” expla-
commercial real estate services nation chock-full of added
firm Jones Lang LaSalle, rec- The last point is absolutely • Know your target audience benefits (e-mail notifications,
ommends establishing an envi- essential, as any external com- and understand what’s in it instant access, etc.). PRN
ronmental sustainability policy munication of green business for them.
by defining the business objec- practices will come across as gre- • Personalize and localize the
tives, the sustainability strategy enwashing if said practices aren’t message by putting it in con- CONTACTS:
and goals and key senior spon- being championed by senior text for the target audience. John Friedman, johnf@sbnow.
sorship. Then, create a team to management and imbedded into • Keep the messaging simple org; Robert Best, bob.best@
communicate and enforce this employees’ everyday responsibil- and tangible with just enough am.jll.com

 PR News | 4.28.08