| Transforming your business into a green one is no | | | | spent to environmental groups. It also calculates your |
| longer for the tofu-eating, dreadlock-wearing hippies. | | | | carbon emissions and attempts to neutralize them. |
| In fact leading giants like Wal-Mart are making | | | | For instance, if I buy a plane ticket the credit card |
| extreme efforts to reorganize their business around | | | | company will have an appropriate number of trees |
| using energy efficient buildings, working with other | | | | planted to offset the carbon emissions that my |
| green companies and using environmentally friendly | | | | travel produced. |
| products. | | | | 4. Ask people to opt-out! |
| Within the real estate industry companies like leading | | | | Make sure you are not using more paper then you |
| on-demand product provider, Xpressdocs has made | | | | need by mailing only to the ones who want to |
| strides toward a green business model. By recycling | | | | receive your mailings. If a client chooses to be taken |
| paper, planning for an energy efficient building and | | | | off your list offer them a chance to be contacted |
| allowing for new green ideas, Xpressdocs hopes to | | | | through the web. |
| lead by example. | | | | 5. Don't forget about your exceptional services |
| As companies within the industry make these | | | | As great as it is that you are green don't forget the |
| changes, the question then becomes "how can a real | | | | importance of appealing to the consumers on many |
| estate agent turn their business into a | | | | different levels. In other words, don't let your |
| green-conscious one?" | | | | 'greenness' overshadow the exceptional real estate |
| In a May survey, Landor Associates found that eight | | | | services that you offer. |
| out of ten consumers believe it's important to buy | | | | 6. Seek out green companies |
| from green companies and are willing to pay more to | | | | When you have a choice in service providers do |
| do so. If consumers are willing to pay more but an | | | | some research to find a company that is |
| agent's commission will stay the same, isn't it fair to | | | | eco-responsible. It's okay these days to ask |
| say that the average consumer will choose you as | | | | companies what they are doing to become green |
| their real estate professional over someone else who | | | | even if they aren't all the way there yet. |
| is less green? The following are just some of the | | | | 7. Keep up your direct mailings and flyer printing |
| ideas that every agent can adopt. | | | | You'll notice that even the environmental companies |
| 1. Specialize in green home listings | | | | are using direct mail as their primary focus to |
| Companies like EcoBroker allow agents to become | | | | generate income. After all, their mission is not to |
| EcoBroker certified while teaching innovative energy, | | | | eliminate all impact on the environment but to |
| environmental and green strategies. Additionally the | | | | decrease the negative effects. You still need to run |
| company will teach you how to your market yourself | | | | your business effectively and the public understands |
| as an EcoBroker, an asset in itself. | | | | that. |
| 2. Yell it on the hilltops | | | | 8. Start a green force |
| Create what is called a boilerplate; standard | | | | The nice thing about many of the real estate |
| information about your business that appears on | | | | companies today is that they are open to hear |
| each one of your marketing pieces. In it, describe the | | | | suggestions from the agents. Your company also has |
| practices that your business and company use to | | | | more resources then you do. Creating a task force |
| promote eco-responsibility. | | | | to begin implementing green ideas can be an |
| 3. Use the good plastic | | | | important first step for you and your company. |
| Carry an environment saving credit card with you at | | | | Once you have found your niche in this new green |
| all times. Bank of America is one of the latest to | | | | market, promote the heck out of it. Newspapers will |
| offer a green credit card. These programs offer a | | | | pick up on this story quickly as you will surely be on |
| chance to donate a percentage of what you have | | | | of the first in your community with this Blue Goose. |