What Is Your Mean Green Machine?

Xpressdocs has announced its aggressive green initiative, making it one of the first real estate partners to do so. As real estate’s leading print on-demand technology company it understands the importance of creating a business environment that is both energy efficient and eco-friendly. While the plan incorporates recycled papers and environmentally friendly inks, it is inspecting every aspect of its business—from energy use to roof coatings—so it will remain on the leading edge of environmentally responsible business.



Transforming your real estate business into a green one is no longer for the tofu-eating, dreadlock-wearing hippies. In fact leading giants like Wal-Mart are making extreme efforts to reorganize their business around using energy efficient buildings, working with other green companies and using environmentally friendly products.



As companies within the industry make green changes, the question then becomes “how can a real estate agent turn their business into a eco-conscious one?”

In a May survey, Landor Associates found that eight out of ten consumers believe it’s important to buy from green companies and are willing to pay more to do so. If consumers are willing to pay more but an agent’s commission will stay the same, isn’t it fair to say that the average consumer will choose you as their real estate professional over someone else who is less green? The following are just some of the ideas that every agent can adopt.

1. Specialize in green home listings
Companies like EcoBroker allow agents to become EcoBroker certified while teaching innovative energy, environmental and green strategies. Additionally the company will teach you how to your market yourself as an EcoBroker, an asset in itself.

2. Yell it on the hilltops
Create what is called a boilerplate; standard information about your business that appears on each one of your marketing pieces. In it, describe the practices that your business and company use to promote eco-responsibility.

3. Use the good plastic
Carry an environment saving credit card with you at all times. Bank of America is one of the latest to offer a green credit card. These programs offer a chance to donate a percentage of what you have spent to environmental groups. It also calculates your carbon emissions and attempts to neutralize them. For instance, if I buy a plane ticket the credit card company will have an appropriate number of trees planted to offset the carbon emissions that my travel produced.

4. Ask people to opt-out!
Make sure you are not using more paper then you need by mailing only to the ones who want to receive your mailings. If a client chooses to be taken off your list offer them a chance to be contacted through the web.

5. Don’t forget about your exceptional services
As great as it is that you are green don’t forget the importance of appealing to the consumers on many different levels. In other words, don’t let your ‘greenness’ overshadow the exceptional real estate services that you offer.

6. Seek out green companies
When you have a choice in service providers do some research to find a company that is eco-responsible. It’s okay these days to ask companies what they are doing to become green even if they aren’t all the way there yet.

7. Keep up your direct mailings and flyer printing
You’ll notice that even the environmental companies are using direct mail as their primary focus to generate income. After all, their mission is not to eliminate all impact on the environment but to decrease the negative effects. You still need to run your business effectively and the public understands that.

8. Start a green force
The nice thing about many of the real estate companies today is that they are open to hear suggestions from the agents. Your company also has more resources then you do. Creating a task force to begin implementing green ideas can be an important first step for you and your company.

Matthew S. Gosselin is the author of My Blue Goose, Exploiting The Wow Factor In Real Estate Marketing. The book can be purchased on MyBlueGoose.com or Amazon