Top 5 questions to ask when deciding how to market your certification

Promoting your sustainability certification, verification or validation is one of the most important things to do after your achievement – after all, why get certified if you’re keeping it a secret?

But it’s not as simple as posting on social media and getting a press release out. The brands that are most successful at promoting their sustainability efforts, work to embed it in their brand identify. If you really want to reach your audience, you’ll need to connect with them and educate them on what you have done, why it is important and how it fits into your broader goals.

1.    What sales and marketing channels are already successful for your business?
Often, there is no need to recreate the wheel. With a sustainability campaign that utilizes the channels your audience is already used to, your certification messaging will be conveyed like a normal part of your brand, helping to embed sustainability into your brand identity. Do you communicate to your customers with email blasts, one-on-one meetings, text messages, at tradeshows, social media, videos, or other channels? Do what works for your business and use your existing channels to promote your achievement. 
 

2.    Are you trying to meet specific goals with your sustainability initiatives?
By publicly communicating your sustainability goals and your progress in achieving certification, you are helping to involve your stakeholders and making them feel like they’re a part of your journey. They can inspire, motivate, and help with holding you accountable.

3.    How knowledgeable is your audience about sustainability topics? 
Educating your customers is often a great way to connect with them. Sustainability issues are top of mind for consumers in many industries, yet the topic can be so complex. Taking the time and using credible resources to properly educate and communicate to your audience and will help bring clarity instead of confusion. It is a very powerful thing when your customers and stakeholders view you as a thought leader in the sustainability space.

4.    How can you equip your marketing and sales team and supply chain to communicate your certification claims properly?
Most times with certified companies, it’s the sustainability and/or technical staff that best knows what was achieved with certification. In order to get the most value out of certification, it’s important to inform your other stakeholders what you’ve achieved – they are your best assets. These are often the teams selling or promoting your products, services or your organization. If you want support with this, the SCS Client Marketing team excels at preparing and delivering trainings to sales teams and supply chains. We help to fill in those communication gaps with the proper claim language, key selling points, and turning technical certification language into messaging that your audience will understand.

5.    Is there a good season or time in your industry that you can wrap a sustainability campaign around?
Think about what’s going on at your company, any events that are happening, or what occasions your customers might be celebrating. Many people choose to align sustainability announcements with popular sustainability holidays, such as Earth Day, World Water Day, World Forestry Day, World Recycling Day, and more.

SCS can help turn any of your ideas into a reality. If you need any support with communicating your sustainability certifications, don’t hesitate to connect with our Client Marketing team.