Going, Going GreenADVOCAThere is a dual benefit forus. Some charity benefitslocally, but we also get alot of goodwill. I know thatwe opened accounts frompeople who are enthusiasticabout participating in <strong>the</strong>recycling and like <strong>the</strong> factthat we support localinitiatives.—Kevin GarveyGarvey’s Office ProductsCasting about for a marketing <strong>the</strong>me for 2008,Kevin Garvey hit up<strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> idea that it would be agood year to promote <strong>the</strong> greening of <strong>the</strong> officeenvir<strong>on</strong>ment. All of <strong>the</strong> factors seemed perfectlyaligned as green c<strong>on</strong>sumers were focused <strong>on</strong> envir<strong>on</strong>mentalc<strong>on</strong>cerns and looking for soluti<strong>on</strong>s.The timing couldn’t have been better. By late2007, it had be<strong>com</strong>e obvious to many that <strong>the</strong>green movement had gained <strong>com</strong>mercial tracti<strong>on</strong>and looked to be around for good.To start, Garvey’s Office Products, Niles, Ill.,menti<strong>on</strong>ed its green program in <strong>the</strong> marketingmaterials that were produced. The decisi<strong>on</strong> wasalso made to c<strong>on</strong>vert its annual customer showfrom a straight product show to a green show.Exhibitors were instructed to <strong>on</strong>ly bring greenproducts.The show featured a presentati<strong>on</strong> by Peter Frost<strong>on</strong> green products, which garnered c<strong>on</strong>siderableattenti<strong>on</strong>. And Garvey’s offered its home-grownpresentati<strong>on</strong> where it reviewed its green productofferings and detailed <strong>the</strong> changes it had made inits own business to be more envir<strong>on</strong>mentally sensitive.Those changes included making its HVACsystem more energy efficient and installing moti<strong>on</strong>sensitive lighting in its warehouse.Attendance at <strong>the</strong> show was actually downfrom previous years but that didn’t matter muchto Garvey. “Visitors were definitely excited about28 November/December 2009
Picking 2008as <strong>the</strong> year tolaunch a greenprogram was atimely decisi<strong>on</strong>TE<strong>com</strong>ing,” he says. “They were energized about seeing green productsand <strong>the</strong>n followed up with requests for changes to <strong>the</strong>ir ordering mixto incorporate <strong>the</strong> products we presented at <strong>the</strong> show.”The Green Product Show was held in May 2008; that marked <strong>the</strong>beginning of Garvey’s green program. “We had <strong>the</strong> stock presentati<strong>on</strong>that we did at <strong>the</strong> show and we told customers that we wouldlove to do a presentati<strong>on</strong> for <strong>the</strong>ir green <strong>com</strong>mittee,” says Garvey.“The Green Product Show gave us <strong>the</strong> opportunity to present greenproduct to a lot of people who might have been thinking about goinggreen,” he says. Those presentati<strong>on</strong>s stimulated interest in greenproducts and c<strong>on</strong>vinced many customers to change <strong>the</strong> mix ofproducts that <strong>the</strong>y purchased.More Green EffortsUsing its Green Show as a platform, Garvey’s kicked off threeadditi<strong>on</strong>al green initiatives. The <strong>com</strong>pany would offer recyclingservices for batteries, flattened cardboard, and used t<strong>on</strong>er cartridges.Garvey’s trucks were already stopping by <strong>on</strong> a regular basis; allcustomers had to do was set materials aside to be picked up.Only <strong>the</strong> batteries and cardboard were new, as Garvey’s had beenrecycling used t<strong>on</strong>er cartridges from customers for some time. Manyresellers offer a similar service, but Garvey’s added its own uniquefeature. Every quarter, it d<strong>on</strong>ated funds generated by <strong>the</strong> program toa local charity. Customers who participate in <strong>the</strong> t<strong>on</strong>er recycling programare encouraged to suggest charities to receive <strong>the</strong> c<strong>on</strong>tributi<strong>on</strong>.The <strong>com</strong>pany is already six quarters into <strong>the</strong> charity program andhas seen its c<strong>on</strong>tributi<strong>on</strong>s range from $2,500 to a high of $5,500. Onerecent recipient of <strong>the</strong> d<strong>on</strong>ati<strong>on</strong> was Jobs for Youth/Chicago, whichhelps young men and women from low-in<strong>com</strong>e families be<strong>com</strong>e apart of <strong>the</strong> ec<strong>on</strong>omic mainstream.The impact of its green program can’t be tracked precisely, butGarvey is certain that it has been positive. While he can’t say thatmore product was sold because of <strong>the</strong> program, he knows for surethat some customers changed <strong>the</strong> mix of products that <strong>the</strong>y purchased.“I d<strong>on</strong>’t know if that added up to additi<strong>on</strong>al dollars, but itmight have cost us business if we didn’t do it.”“What I absolutely can say without hesitati<strong>on</strong>,” says Garvey, “isthat we picked up customers based <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> goodwill we generatedfrom <strong>the</strong> charity program and <strong>the</strong> recycling initiatives. There is nodoubt about that, and some of <strong>the</strong>m have been very significant newaccounts.”A good porti<strong>on</strong> of <strong>the</strong> net gain that Garvey’s achieved came in <strong>the</strong>form of improved public relati<strong>on</strong>s. By showing its <strong>com</strong>mitment to allthings green, it was able to gain positive mindshare even with customerswho weren’t that interested in going green. “No <strong>on</strong>e is goingto punish you for your green efforts,” says Garvey. “But people whoare enthusiastic about it will absolutely migrate to you for dem<strong>on</strong>stratingthat you’re <strong>com</strong>mitted to it.”Garvey’s green program c<strong>on</strong>tinued through 2009. All of <strong>the</strong>recycling efforts are still active, although <strong>the</strong> ec<strong>on</strong>omic downturn hashad an impact <strong>on</strong> sales of green products as many customers arelooking at costs much harder and will sacrifice some green gainsin favor of less expensive opti<strong>on</strong>s.Still, <strong>the</strong> green marketplace offers growth opportunities, andGarvey’s has resp<strong>on</strong>ded by offering <strong>the</strong> United EasyFlip versi<strong>on</strong> ofits Green catalog <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> home page of its Web site. Online visitors<strong>com</strong>ing to <strong>the</strong> site see instantly <strong>the</strong> <strong>com</strong>mitment that Garvey’s hasmade to greening <strong>the</strong> envir<strong>on</strong>ment. O|LOFF CEL NE29
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