The Clean and Green Club

By Shel Horowitz

How many companies did their first environmental impact report in 1953?

That’s when the well-known office furniture company Herman Miller began reporting its environmental progress. The 100-year-old company came to my attention through an article by CEO Brian C. Walker in Harvard Business Review, on Greening the Supply Chain. And this is remarkable in itself; while most companies are just beginning to grapple with sustainable measures within their own confines, Herman Miller has not only made a huge effort to get its vendors –both domestic and international–in line, but is teaching other companies.

Going to the company’s website, I see good links on the home page:
What we believe (with eight subsections, some of which have another layer as well)
The environment (11 subsections, including Green buildings, cradle-to-cradle and LEED certification, and even a recommended reading list!), and diversity, among others.

The environmental section notes,

Our values are the basis for Herman Miller’s corporate community. One of the nine things that matter most to us is called “A Better World.” For us, contributing to a better world takes many forms–environmental advocacy, volunteering time and contributing to nonprofit groups, acting as a good corporate citizen.

It also lists nine separate corporate teams involved in Herman Miller’s environmental responsibility activities.

In his follow-up comments (same URL), Walker points out that he and several competitors have joined forces with the Michigan Department of Corrections to train inmates in a furniture component recycling pilot program, and is looking at technology to better monitor chemical content, and to replace more toxic materials like PVC with more environmentally friendly alternatives.

For more business ethics and sustainability success stories, please see Shels award-winning book, Principled Profit: Marketing That Puts People First

Growing Local Value: How to Build Business Partnerships that Strengthen Your Community, by Laury Hammel and Gun Denhart
Reviewed by Shel Horowitz (Berrett-Koehler, 2007)

Another wonderful title in Berrett-Koehler’s Social Venture Network series, Growing Local Value profiles a number of successful companies who see themselves as partners witht heir communities–and shows how these businesses can market successfully by distinguishing themselves from faceless corporate competition. Examples: An independent bookseller in Utah who says, “the real pleasure in bookselling comes in pairing the right book with the right person”…a San Francisco chain of boutique hotels, restaurants and day spas where each unit provides a completely different experience, and where a “hotel matchmaker” channels guests into the facility that best matches their tastes: concerning itself with “creating wonderful dreams” rather than providing a mere place to sleep…a large bakery that provides jobs to people formerly seen as unemployable (and got the contract to supply Ben & Jerry’s, probably as a direct result of this social commitment), and does so in such a way that the company is protected, and the employees can get away from the poverty, prison, and drug problems of their pasts…a garden supply company that helped revitalize the blighted neighborhood it called home.

All of these, and most of the other numerous examples in the book, were good for the community AND highly profitable.

Different chapters look at

• Putting the customer and community first
• Financing without compromising values
• Making employees into partners
• Partnering with other local businesses, government entities, and nonprofits (separate chapters)
• My favorite chapter, on turning sustainable principles into competitive advantages (which I also talk about in my own award-winning book, Principled Profit: Marketing that Puts People First)

Shel Horowitz’s Monthly Frugal Marketing Tip, March, 2008
Vol. 11, #10

It’s kind of funny, but it took me quite a while to begin actually marketing on social networking sites. I’ve been on LinkedIn for probably five years, MySpace for maybe a year, and several others (Ning, Ryze, Eons, probably more I’m forgetting). But it was only when I joined Facebook in October, and then shortly thereafter found my way to Plaxo and CollectiveX that I finally started using them to really do some business.

It’s kind of odd that it took me so long because I’ve been marketing very effectively on their predecessors–email discussion groups or web-based forums and bulletin boards–for over a decade, and I first wrote about the idea of marketing online via many-to-many groups way back in 1991, when I wrote Marketing Without Megabucks.

And I freely admit there are bugs to be worked out. Some of the interfaces are confusing. I find that I see a screen and find two or three things I want to follow, and then after I’ve followed one I can’t always get back easily to the next one. The e-mail notifications seem to be very erratic; sometimes I’ll sign on and find a dozen posts I should have been notified about.

Yet in the few months that I’ve been participating actively, I’ve found that there’s a lot of good to be had. A few examples:
* I get notices from a Facebook group called “If I can help out a reporter, I will”–Peter Shankman, a well-known NYC PR, guy posts notices from journalists looking for sources. There’s a lot less competition from other responders compared to some of the other media services, and the price is right (zero). Very few of the leads are relevant to me, but if I get covered in even one major publication, that’s well worth participating.
* The owner of a large marketing agency on the West Coast had a long talk with me about the possibility of opening up an East Coast division for him. This is in the formative stages, but should it materialize, it would be a major step forward in my business. I met him on Plaxo.
* This same person connected me with a like-minded gentleman only an hour away from me. I’m scheduled to meet him in person later this month when he attends my speech. And all three of us have a number of ways we can co-market.
* Facebook allows me to post my blog into my profile, potentially exposing it to many, many more readers.
* When I post something to my blog that I think will be relevant to some of my social networking communities, I can post the link and a comment. I can also do this for links I didn’t write, but which others will find useful, and this boosts my standing in these communities.
* The France-based founder of two of the communities I participate on through CollectiveX had a long phone call with me, and will be looking for chances to bring me to Europe to speak at his conferences. And if that happens, I can finally bill myself as an international speaker (a goal of mine for several years).
* Industry experts who no longer respond to e-mail can often be reached through social network sites.

Next month: Specific strategies to use on social network sites

Mark Joyner’s Best-Seller Contest

Coming to you early this month so you have time to enter Mark Joyner of Simpleology’s be-the-next-bestselling author contest. (He’s been a #1 best selling author at least three times, including not only Amazon but the New York Times and Wall Street Journal lists.) All you have to do is submit a quick little video, by February 26. He’s got quite a package for the person who wins. First, go and read Mark’s new (no-cost) e-book, “The Rise of the Author”–any trend-watcher will benefit from reading this, as it puts a context around many of the changes in publishing over the last couple of decades. Then submit your video (click on :”contest”). If you’re serious about reaching the next level, attend Joyner’s Bestseller Prep School telephone call on February 26.

On to this month’s tip: a no-lose way to get your book to everyone attending your speech

We all know that speaking is a great way to sell books–but that means you’ve got two sales to make: on to the meeting planner, and then again to the members of your audience.

I’ve experimented with some different options on the second sale. I’ve had a meeting planner buy enough copies to give a book to everyone, and another who bought a few cases to use as early-registration bonuses.

But speaker James Malinchak has an even better idea, if you can get into the planning early enough (before the attendance fee is set). This is so cool–he tells meeting planners, “how’d you like to provide every attender with a copy of my book, without paying anything extra?” Of course, the meeting planner is going to say yes–it’s a no-brainer, after all. Then Malinchak tells the planner to simply add the buy-in-bulk discounted cost of the book (including shipping) to the seminar fee! The event planner can even offer autographed copies.

Brilliant. It’s no big deal to go from, say, $79 to $85, considerable extra money in the author’s pocket, considerable added value for the meeting planner and attenders.

Web 2.0 is a lot more than social networking sites. Here’s a great example: LaborFair.com uses Amazon-like Web 2.0 features to build a database of service providers based on reputation. Founder Jenna Raby started the service as a kind of domestic arm of the fair trade movement, with a specific stated goal of helping people in the lowest economic strata pull themselves up out of poverty.

Her site plays matchmaker between consumers and often-underpaid workers such as housekeepers and gardeners (as well as much higher paid specialists such as web designers and event planers).

Hiring through LaborFair, a consumer pays a living wage, directly to the service provider–a much greater wage than typically paid by an agency, although less than the consumer would have paid that agency.

So…the consumer saves money, the service provider gets paid more, and the choice is made on the basis of trust-building features like reports back from actual consumers about the quality of service.

LaborFair supports itself by charging the service provider a small fee: either $5 per job accepted or $25 per month for unlimited matches.

Fairly well established in the Bay Area, the service has just begun expanding into Las Angeles, Presumably, it will spread organically to other parts of the country.

(My thanks to my friend Kare Anderson for steering me to Jenna)

Another Recommended Book: Ally Relationships: The Key to Sustained Success for Your Service Business, by Anthony O. Putman (Burns Park Publishers, 2007)

Those of you who’ve read my award-winning sixth book Principled Profit know that I’m a big fan of marketing through relationships–and of marketing approaches that move your offering out of the realm of commodity, and into the realm of value.

Anthony Putman is very much in alignment with this approach, pointing out that any service business’s biggest asset is the willingness of the customer to buy from you–and that building strong relationships is a very good way to protect that asset. “You cannot differentiate a service…but you <i>can</i> differentiate a relationship,” he says.

I’m not convinced that services can’t be differentiated. At least some of them can be; that’s the whole concept of the unique selling proposition. However, it’s always going to be much easier to highlight the strengths of your offer when you do in fact differentiate the relationship.

In Putman’s view, a business relationship will have one of three levels:
* Service source–a vendor, pure and simple
* Solution provider, there to solve your client’s problems
* Ally: a strategic partner who is <i>thoroughly committed to your clients’ growth and success</i>, and who is always thinking about ways to grow the relationship by being more helpful

It’s not about selling–but about being seen as the go-to person for trusted advice, and thus products. Allies, of course, make themselves indispensable–and thus not only recession-proof, but also protected against clients jumping ship or price-shopping because they may be satisfied, but they’re not inspired.

One way to be seen as an ally is to decline business that isn’t right for you, and couple that with a referral to someone who specializes in that need. There are many other paths as well, which involve your ability to refrain from traditional selling, think about your clients’ needs instead of your own, and ask the questions that make the client understand how to grow (rather than those that lead toward a one-shot sale).

While it may be easier to build ally relationships with new clients, Putman also includes specific steps to push you up the ladder with existing clients, one person at a time–and with often-dramatic results as clients subconsciously but happily accept the “free upgrade” in their status.

One final point: this approach is rooted in high ethical standards. As Putman says, there is “no place for deceit or spin.” In short, this is an excellent complement to my own award-winning book Principled Profit, especially if you’re in sales.

Click to order ALLY RELATIONSHIPS from Amazon

Shel Horowitz’s Monthly Frugal Marketing Tip, February 2008

Sometimes, you have to eat some crow. Over the years, I’ve built a number of relationships with reporters who have interviewed me or used me as a source.

One of these reporters was looking for sources on a story, and I responded. He came back with a no, thank you–and I asked why.

When he responded, I made an almost fatal mistake, and made a remark that he interpreted as pushing too hard. He found my remark patronizing, thought his judgment was being attacked, and basically told me never to darken his door again.

Ooops! Time to mend fences.

I’ve learned from my friend Bob Burg, author of Winning Without Intimidation, that antagonistic interactions are almost always less effective than being nice. And I hadn’t even meant to antagonize this man to begin with!

So I let it set overnight so as not to do anything even more rash, and then wrote a note with a one-word subject line: “Apology”:

I am so sorry. I totally respect your decision and wasn’t trying to badger you to change it–but rereading what I wrote, I can see how it came across. I’m a morning person. I should just not do email late at night when I don’t always say what I mean. I actually thought you’d be amused by the irony, as I was.

Mea culpa.

Happy holiday to you and yours.

The apology was effective. I got back a note that began, “Thanks for the apology – I can understand a tone going awry.” he then outlined a bit more about what the was actually looking for, and I responded with a few suggestions that didn’t have anything to do with what I’d been pitching and didn’t benefit me personally. In fact, I even cited one book that “I just tried to find it for you on Amazon but it seems to be out of print.”

He wrote back a very friendly note.

The lesson here is that it was worth the time and effort to redeem a relationship that had turned sour–and not just because he’s someone with the power to help me by writing abut me, but because my life is better for not carrying around the negative baggage of building an unnecessary wall of hostility.

I had the advantage that the reporter actually communicated his frustration with me, giving me the chance to respond. Sometimes you have to actually figure out what’s really going on, because the other person hasn’t told you. This was brought home to me many years ago, when a relative expressed concern that he felt a lot of distance from me. That gave me the opening to explain (rather loudly) exactly why I was furious with him. He hadn’t had a clue what was going on inside me and why, but to his eternal credit, he acknowledged his contribution to the problem, changed the behavior, and rebuilt the relationship he had lost. And we’re both very glad of this, more than 30 years later.

As I write this at the end of January, you might be thinking about Valentine’s Day. And daily newspaper journalists, TV and radio broadcasters, and Internet media are also thinking about Valentine’s stories.

But…at a large monthly magazine, the assignment editor is already thinking about events way in the future: summer vacation stories, back to school, or even Halloween! If you pitch a story a month or two ahead to one of these publications, they’ll just laugh as they hit the delete button. They work six to eight months ahead.

And that means when you pitch these publications, you’ve got to be working seven to nine months out–and then come back to similar pitches for weekly newspapers and magazines perhaps one month to six weeks ahead, and then the short-deadline media outlets maybe two or three weeks ahead, sometimes even less.

It’s a schizophrenic existence, but it means more media coverage for you.

Bonus tips: 1. Your book (nonfiction as well as fiction) may be of seasonal interest even if it doesn’t mention the specific holiday. Any love story has a Valentine tie-in, any that takes place in the summer could be tied to summer stories–as could a book about treating sports injuries.

2. Having trouble finding those tie-ins? Use the same resources that media do: Chase’s Calendar of Events and Celebrate Today

Positive Power Spotlight: Chelsea Green Publishing

Today, I had a reason to get very angry with a large New York publisher–and it got me thinking about how lucky I was to work with Chelsea Green for my fifth book, Grassroots Marketing: Getting Noticed in a Noisy World.

There are of course many highly ethical publishers, but I’m profiling Chelsea because I have personal experience. Maybe I’ll profile others in the future.

Some of what I like:
* Every book they publish tries to make the world a better place. Their line emphasizes environmental sustainability, social change, viability of small agriculture, and eating well
*  They’re not afraid to take on very controversial topics and aren’t intimidated by the political climate of the day
* They are nimble enough to scale up quickly, as they did with George Lakoff’s bestselling Don’t Think of an Elephant in 2004
* It’s easy for an author to reach senior executives, even the publisher–and that stayed true even when the publisher who’d bought my book stepped down and was replaced
* Contract negotiation was remarkably painless, despite my requests for some very nontraditional clauses–and even the original contract draft (before my changes) was among the most author-friendly I’ve ever seen
* As an author, my input was valued at every step, and the company was very open to suggestions such as awards to enter
* The design and editorial staff worked very collaboratively with each other and with me, and gave me their best work even though I was far from a superstar (something that did not happen with other publishers I’ve dealt with)
* Chelsea keeps the book in print almost eight years after publication and has become my only US publisher to pay me royalties beyond the initial advance
* Every single person I’ve ever met, phoned, or e-mailed, including people staffing a book table at a conference where I wasn’t even speaking, has been gracious, friendly, and helpful

Ah, if only all publishers were like this! If I ever publish the work of others, I’ll use Chelsea as my model.

Another Recommended Book: Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die, by Chip Heath and Dan Heath (Random House, 2007)

If I wanted to follow one particular principle in this book, I’d put my last line first–but for this article, I’m following a different one. See if you can guess the one I followed and the one I didn’t. [Quiz answer is below the review, in brackets]

I’ve long been fascinated by the study of influence: what changes an individual’s mind? What changes the direction of a whole society?

This is something I look at in my own organizing and writing, and when a book discusses what makes ideas last–or “stick,” in the authors’ parlance–I want to take a look.

It wouldn’t be the first book I’d recommend on the topic, but there’s some great stuff here, all built around a formula spelled SUCCES (just one s at the end), each with its own extended chapter:
Simplicity
Unexpectedness
Concreteness
Credibility
Emotions
Stories

Oh, and to increase the stickiness of their own messages, the authors end with a sound bite/bullet point recap of the whole book in outline form. I may try that on my next business book.

For me, the two most compelling chapters by far were Unexpectedness (which includes creating insatiable curiosity) and Emotions–and Stories create a path to those other attributes. Some key insights from the former:
* The best “‘aha’ moments” may be preceded by “‘Huh?’ moments”
* When creating a message, don’t think about what you need to convey–instead, think about what questions you want your audience to ask
* Keep things simple–don’t do brain dumps but focus on your key point, and make sure the core message is in front
* Big ideas are audacious–but not insurmountable (Like President Kennedy setting a goal of a man walking the moon within ten years; a manned mission to Mercury would have been too difficult)

And from the Emotions chapter:
* Concepts lose value when they become clichés through overuse–but concepts can also be made fresh–as in the algebra teacher who told his students that algebra was like weight training for the mind–it wasn’t about needing the math skill but about exercising and challenging the brain to keep it in shape
* Talk to people where they can hear you, as the creators of “Don’t Mess With Texas” did: a macho anti-littering campaign designed to appeal to Texas rednecks–but don’t insult them, as did researchers who tried to bribe firefighters into considering a safety program not by appealing to the desire to save lives, but by offering popcorn poppers
* The Abraham Maslow hierarchy of needs isn’t a ladder; we pursue all of them at once–so don’t let your ideas get stuck in the basement–don’t be afraid to tap into human desires for greatness
* Making benefits (or problems) tangible and personal is more successful than making them big
* My favorite of all: *Principles can trump self-interest*

QUIZZ ANSWER: [Did you guess? I buried the lead at the bottom, but I at least hope I created curiosity}