The month of August reminds me that summer is almost over. In the Midwest, our summers are shorter than in many other parts of the country, so they seem to fly by quickly…at least to me.

August is proving to be a busy month--I'll be traveling both domestically and internationally. I'll be conducting a speaking tour in Iowa. If you want me to come to your city to speak, just email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . and I'll see what we can do to book a speaking tour in your area. I target various areas of the country depending on where I'll be.

Later this month, I may be journeying to France for a wedding. My schedule is still up in the air, amazingly enough, based on a couple of projects with which I am working. My business definitely is busy, yet we are always willing to take up new adventures and projects. If you wonder how I can stay busy in a down economy, you may want to read my latest blog post, www.keyboard-culture-green-marketing.com.

Eco-labels are all the talk right now. Certification on products is definitely a growing trend. I've included additional thoughts on that in the Trends section below. What you do need to know is that there are other options besides spending the money on an environmentally friendly label. Sure, green certifications are useful, but if cost is a factor, consider testimonials that encourage customers to trust your product like others have. This is no different with green products. Trust is a key component to ensuring they buy your product. If you build a reputation on your good name and even coin your own green terminology, it can lend even more credibility. Remember, certifications are only as good as recognition the certification brings. USDA Organic, Energy Star, and FSC Certified are the most recognizable ones. Green Seal is growing in popularity as well.

Whichever path you choose, just make sure you back up any claims with total transparency. Customers need to know why your product is green or organic or fair trade certified. Be truthful about your ingredients. Transparency is what sells.

If you want to know if you are being transparent enough, sign up for one of our Green Marketing Assessments (click here). An assessment saves you time and money by helping you avoid marketing your green products and services the wrong way, alienating your customers and prospects and never fully gaining marketshare. We've been able to identify hidden opportunities and tell clients how many green customers they could expect based on where they are located in the country.

If you'd like to know more about the Green Competitive Analysis tool or the Green Marketing Assessment and how it can help your company and/or brand, please email me directly at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .. If you do need help positioning your brand, company or corporation to handle this recession, please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . One of our new green assessment tools can help you determine if you are well-positioned and in the right position.

Keep your head high and your brand even higher in the minds of the consumers who will buy it, even when the economy is down. Make green a part of the solution and you'll be surprised by just how much more successful you'll be. When you are, write me about it.

Here's to malady-free green and LOHAS marketing and communications success!

Colette Chandler
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Myths, Maladies & Medicine is a quarterly newsletter--a guide to help you get ahead and stay ahead in business that also addresses common green and LOHAS myths and misconceptions that can hinder your growth. Simply put, we'll tell you what not to do with your green and LOHAS marketing and communications program. Please note: If you would like to be removed from our mailing list, please email us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Please indicate the list from which you request removal. There are three different lists: LOHAS, teleseminars and the newsletter.

March 2009
Contents:

• Myths and Truths About Going Green
• As Quoted
• Products and Services to Help You Attract Bottom-Line Results in the Green and LOHAS Marketplace
• See and Hear Colette

Myths and Truths About Going Green

In this section, I like to take some time to dispel at least one myth (often more) about marketing, communicating and understanding the green and LOHAS consumers.

Myth: Once a corporation purchases a natural and green brand, it can continue running the brand as it once was and keep the customers satisfied.

Truth be told, when a natural and green brand changes hands to a more corporate entity, it can not conduct business as usual. It needs to create a specific strategy to transition the existing green consumers to this new ownership and reassure them every step of the way. The perception of the brand to these green and LOHAS consumers is that it has changed and will continue to change in ways that do not support their values and ideals. To keep these customers happy and loyal, you need to address this from the start and take some time to really connect with them and understand what drives them to stay loyal and keep purchasing.

If you'd like to have your question answered, please email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and I'll try to address it in my next newsletter.

As Quoted

In the As Quoted section, we'll periodically bring you pertinent information as we see fit to help you understand what is happening in the green and LOHAS arena. Because LOHAS consumers are some of the heaviest consumers of nutritional supplements and alternative health care therapies, I'll be incorporating more LOHAS-oriented wellness trends in my next newsletter so that you can understand the correlation. My blog, www.keyboard-culture-green-marketing, also includes many LOHAS-oriented trends as well as current information. I update it a couple of times a week, so check back often.

Here are some trends we're seeing:

Eco-labels growing in popularity
Eco-labels actually began in the '80s, and today they are really growing in popularity. There are 299 out there, and I am sure a new one has been added from the time I wrote this newsletter to the time you receive it. Why are there so many? It's because every group feels they need their own label. An environmentally friendly label certifies the green aspects of your product. It could be the entire life cycle, the way it is produced, or where it goes when it is disposed. Everyone from a trade association to a government entity has their own eco-label. I wouldn't be surprised to see more and more states create their own as well, certifying environmentally friendly products from their state. Remember, eco-labels certify both environmental and health-related attributes in many cases.

Upcycling trend growing across industries
Upcycling, often referred to as reusing, is a growing trend across industries. Not only is it a cost-saver, reusing fabrics and materials that would otherwise go to a landfill, it's a fully sustainable model. Manufacturers are turning to upcycling to reduce costs and waste such as the case of a dress that is repurposed into a handbag or a plastic bag into a reusable shopping bag. We're seeing this abound across industries as floral designers even turn to Mother Nature using fallen tree branches instead of purchasing new ones. We'll continue to see this trend grow as more companies look to cut costs and reduce waste.

If you are interested in research on the Ohio marketplace or the Midwest in general, email us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . We can let you know about our Midwest study. We'll also explain our new, upcoming study where you can have your questions addressed and gain valuable data and insight into the attitudes, behaviors and purchasing behavior of 1100 green and LOHAS consumers.

We are accepting sponsors for this new study in two major areas--Health and Travel. You can find out more information about this sponsorship at www.marketing-insider.com, and then click on Announcements on the left. You can also email us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it to discover how you can find out how receptive green and LOHAS consumers are to your message, brand, etc. We looked at these as well as 18 other consumer segments in regard to their attitude and behavior toward health, wellness and the environment.

In this economy, you need to KNOW, not guess, what works and how to make consumers more receptive, as well as where the barriers to entry are (for your products and services).

Products and Services to Help You Attract
Bottom-Line Results in the Green and LOHAS Marketplace

The Green Marketing Assessment tool and The Green Competitive Analysis tool.

These tools save you an enormous amount of time on the front end, by determining who your true competitors are and how you can gain an edge on them-and avoid the costly mistakes so many other companies make.

Both of these tools allow you to know, not guess, exactly what you can-and can't-legally say in your marketing literature. They help you identify the green market opportunities best for you-opportunities that might have been passing you by for years-and find out the marketing must-haves you need to be perceived as truly green.

If you'd like to know more about the Green Competitive Analysis tool or the Green Marketing Assessment and how it can help your company and/or brand, (click here). This product is not readily available on our website yet; we are making it available only to existing clients and prospects.

Creating Authentic Green Value© Webinar Series for your clients, customers and prospects that drive bottom-line results
Do you want to be one of the lucky few who empowers customers and clients with education on how to drive bottom-line profits from their green efforts? Consider a series of educational, green marketing seminars delivered live, via phone or web. We can customize a seminar series to help you demonstrate your commitment to being green and environmentally conscious while teaching your customers how to be authentic and at the same time drive bottom line sales for their (or your) green efforts in the midst of a recession. Email Colette directly at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for a free sample.

See and Hear Colette

You can often hear me speak at corporate and non-profit events where I share vital knowledge of consumer health and environmental (green) trends and the consumers driving them. I have quite a few tentative engagements that I will be adding to my schedule soon as well as a slew of monthly teleseminars. I speak throughout the country via seminars, workshops, keynotes, teleseminars, and webinars:

Here is a brief interview I did on NPR; I'm quoted toward the end of the interview:
www.wcpn.org

August 18-20
Speaking in Des Moines, Iowa
AAF of Des Moines - August 20th
HBA of Greater Des Moines - August20th
Others to be announced

October 2009
Speaking in Iowa - locations TBA

January 2010
National Retail Federation Big Retail Show, NY, NY

May 2010
Speaking in Virginia Beach - locations TBA

I'm always interested in speaking on various topics as they relate to green and health and wellness. For a list of topics, click here. If you'd like to secure a speaker for your next event, contact me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . I also conduct teleseminars and webinars for companies that want more in-depth exploration of these topics. Please email me if you are interested in conducting a green, educational marketing seminar for your audience.

Celebrity Speakers Associates presently represents me for any overseas speaking engagements, or you can contact me directly with your specific needs.

I'm looking to add future teleseminars to my schedule. If there are certain teleseminar topics related to green, LOHAS, health and wellness that you'd like to hear more about, please email me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Please note: If you would like to be removed from our mailing list, please email us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Please indicate the list from which you request removal. There are three different lists: LOHAS, teleseminars and the newsletter.