Selling Green

by Tracy Reid, East Coast Design Center Manager, Shaw Industries

You learn at a tender age that yellow and blue make green.  The question then becomes how to make green by selling green?  The statistics are in and consumer research reveals that 78% of consumers make a conscious effort to recycle, and 88% are interested in learning about environmental products.  So, how do you close the sale on green products?

First things first, education is key. Make sure you are well-versed on all of the environmentally friendly offerings in your design center. You may be surprised that you were already green and didn’t even know it. Have your trade partners train you and your staff on all the green benefits that already exist in your line up.  Label these products as green so that all associates can easily identify them. You will then most likely add more green products, as this is not a passing trend.  Green is becoming a lifestyle, so learn the lingo (see our glossary below). Don’t let “green washing” in. Get the facts. You can rehearse your green product presentation in the mirror if that’s what it takes. Hey, don’t knock it ‘til you try it!   

Next, put your knowledge to work.  As you are interacting and getting to know your customer’s taste, lifestyle, and preferences, simply ask them, “do you recycle?”  If there is a twinkle in their eye as they answer yes, gently lead them into your green offerings.  Whether that be an energy saving appliance that will positively impact their utility bill, low V.O.C. (Volatile Organic Compounds) paints to improve indoor air quality, or sustainable carpet that never has to hit a landfill, you can find out where their passion lies. 

We are finding that future homebuyers are not upgrading products in their house simply because it is green. We are not quite there yet.  Green is an added benefit.  If the product they fall in love with fits their lifestyle needs and happens to be green, they’ll feel even better about their purchase.  This way you won’t see that buyer’s remorse, which rears its ugly head as the dreaded change order.  Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

At Shaw, we offer green flooring solutions in all price points from base grade to designer levels in our Epic hardwood, Anso® nylon, and N6 carpets.  We believe your homebuyers do not have to sacrifice style and design to go green.  They can have a beautiful home and contribute to a beautiful earth.  The key is affordability relative to their comfort level, lifestyle, and pocket book.  If you relate that the upgraded product is not only useful, beautiful, and budget-friendly, but that it will also benefit future generations, you will tug on their heart strings and open their purse strings.   

I will leave you with a Native American Proverb: “We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children.”  And really, isn’t that what it’s all about?  

Key Terms:

• Cradle-to-Grave: at the end of a product’s useful life it is disposed      
• Cradle-to-Cradle: at the end of a product’s useful life it is recycled back into itself       
• Green Washing: false or misleading green marketing claims     
• Recyclable: a product that is made of reusable materials  
• Sustainable: a product that can be collected and safely recycled into the same product