Green Leaf Report

I received an email tonight that I originally thought was spam; I skimmed it, and it was hilarious.  The email came from Cleantech.com, formerly Inside Greentech, and covered the common mistakes of green marketing and PR.  I really can’t improve on these examples; I’ve clipped some of the best parts of the email below:

- How nanotech is out-marketing cleantech

Marketers at cleantech companies could learn a thing or two from their nanotech brethren.
Trade show company TechConnect produced Cleantech 2007 in Santa Clara, California this summer, in parallel with its event called Nanotech 2007. As preregistered media, our contact info was shared with marketers from vendors at both shows.
The nanotech companies deluged us with invitations to meetings, press briefings, even advance interview offers. They followed up with voice calls and materials. Even continued to send information after the event until we cried “uncle”.
We received not one phone call, or email, from a cleantech-related company touting its wares. Not one. Before the show, or after. Reaching out to preregistered media at a show you’re investing in being at is basic block-and-tackle marketing. If you want the press to write about you, consider asking us to.
We eventually did find a few neat companies to write about, by walking
the floor.

- How companies are sabotaging their press coverage

Looking for better coverage of your company? Consider:
- Making your newsmaker quotes in press releases meaningful; simple platitudes put into the mouths of your speakers are unlikely to be picked up. But if you have them say something interesting, it’ll stand a good chance of getting used. Really!
- Having spokespeople available the day of your announcement; cleantech companies are missing out on juicy, feature articles when they issue news and then don’t have anyone available to go on the record. One company’s spokespeople were at a trade show. A university spokesperson was “out for the day” her news hit. No one at an ethanol company was available the day of a press release. And a solar glass developer CEO, identified as contact, wasn’t in, and investor relations was out for the next few days.
- When leaving your cell phone # in your outgoing voicemail message, speak slowly. Consider repeating it. We editor types are kinda slow.
- Making press contact information on your web site; it’s not always enough just to publish press releases on your site. Consider having the contact info of a human being we can call. Bonus points for publishing a cell #. A raspberry to VW, which doesn’t even have a press section on its web site.

Overall, that was one of the best emails I’ve received lately.  Thanks for the laugh!  And clean tech companies, take note- no matter what most engineers believe, great technology doesn’t sell itself.