Here are some tips to get you on the right track:
1. Keep your customers in mind with every business decision
Are you opting for a new recyclable raw material? Want to offer a leasing option alongside sales? Switching to ecodesignEcodesign allows a product design to be adapted in view of its repair or a full or partial repurposing of its components at the end of its useful life.? First, ask yourself whether your customers are interested. If not, you don’t have to abandon your idea immediately but you can look for other target groups that might be. However, be sure not to jump in blindly. Preliminary market research, such as a customer survey, provides valuable insights.
Ease of use, quality, and price must be balanced. Don’t do business solely from an ideological standpoint; align your offer with market demand.
2. Be transparent and concrete
Make circularityCircularity describes the quantity of materials managed in a closed loop. tangible. Explaining in an accessible way how your business practices contribute to a better world makes it easier for your customers to get on board. For example, use graphics to visually represent your product’s life cycle. If your circular efforts impact the price and/or quality of your product, explain why this is the case and point out what the consumer gains in return.
Are there hurdles you can’t yet overcome? Say so openly. The more honest your communication, the more sympathy you will earn.
3. Use storytelling
Want your story to resonate? Use storytelling. Embedding the facts and figures you want to communicate into a clear narrative helps consumers better understand your approach. For example, highlight the opportunities you create for local (social) employment, the impact on biodiversity, or your contribution to a cleaner world.
4. Monitor and communicate progress
Concrete numbers showing that your approach makes a genuine difference are invaluable. Nothing motivates you and your customers more than tangible progress, so keep track of the changes your efforts achieve and highlight the role your customers play in this success.
“Together we reduced our climate impact by 10%”, “Thanks to your smart choices, we produced 15% less waste this year” … We all like to read such messages, don’t we? Be careful, however, not to fall into the trap of greenwashing.
5. Build a community
People are inherently group-oriented. The feeling of belonging to a community of like-minded individuals resonates with consumers. Meeting both online and in person fosters that dynamic and creates a strong bond between you and your customers, as well as among customers themselves. A workshop with repairRepair is making a faulty product work again, allowing its use to be extended without the user parting with it, or with a view to reuseReuse designates all operations by which substances, materials or products that are not waste are used again in an identical way to their originally intended purpose. (donation, second-hand sale). tips, a webinar for questions and idea-sharing, a talk with an expert in your industry… all contribute to greater connection.
In short, actively involving your customers and communicating openly helps build a sustainable relationship. The best results are achieved when you feel you are working together towards a shared circular goal.
