Taking Sustainability to the Consumer

Chris Ashworth

BSc (Hons) DipM FCIM Chartered Marketer

Promotional Working Group

Competitive Advantage

CIMCIG Organising Committee

Opportunities from Sustainability

• Opportunities• Green Deal• Communicating with

Consumers

Opportunities

• The Green Deal• Feed in Tariffs• Renewable Heat Incentive• BREEAM• Document L• Code for Sustainable Homes

The Green Deal

• Will it or wont it?

For• High profile Government policy• Construction industry needs it• Hints of promotion

The Green Deal

Against• Unlikely to be in place by October

– Financing, Assessors, Providers, Products• Lack of take-up by industry• Consumer ignorance

Energy Supplier

GD Assessor

GD Provider

GD Installer

Finance Provider

£Customer repayments

£Customer payments passed on

£Capital facility made available

Legal agreements with energy bill payers

£Customer payments passed on

Green Deal Money Flow

Green Deal Providers

• Ampere GDP• Anglian Home

Improvements• BritishEco, British Gas• CarbonLow Group• Carillion• Empower Community• Enact Energy• E.ON• Gentoo Group• Grafton Group• Insta Group

• Keepmoat• Kingfishe• Mark Group• ReEnergise Finance• SIG plc• SSE• Stroma• Toriga Energy• Willmott Dixon Energy

Services• Yorkshire Energy

Services

Green Deal Process

CPA: Green deal Opportunities for Industry

Maintenance

• Renewable equipment needs maintenance• Will this happen?• Who will help?

Trigger Points

• Moving House – EPC• Kitchen or Bathroom upgrade• Heating System Renewed• Loft Conversion or extension• Having children• Children leaving home• Retirement

Decision Making Process

AWARENESS

INTEREST

EVALUATION

TRIAL

ADOPTION

Evaluation

People tend to• Discount the Future• Social norms• Go with the flow

Additional information• Energy Performance Certificates• SMART meters

Barriers

• Lack of knowledge and trust• Cost

Barriers

• Disruption• Low confidence in supplier

– Break down call out– Infrequent contact– Complex issues

• Value Action Gap– Awareness of environmental problems– Concern that changing behaviour will have a negative

impact on lifestyle

Make benefits meaningful

Features• Increased insulation• Reduced thermal bridging• Triple glazing• Air tightness

Benefits• Lower Energy Bills• Fewer draughts• More comfortable

Benefits Providing Value

FUNCTIONAL BENEFITSMeets LegislationLimited disruption

Design adviceConvenient timing

GuaranteeCredit terms

Improved comfortIncrease home’s value

COST Reduced Energy BillsProduce extra income

EMOTIONAL BENEFITSWell known brand

Confidence in qualityReduce carbon footprint

Create own energyReduce waste

Generate renewable energyHelping the environment

Good for my imageFeel Good – part of something

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Segmentation

• To identify the best opportunities• Define segment personalities• Tailored communications

Get the language right

Avoid • Green or Eco• Low-carbon• Sustainability

“No – its not an eco house – that’s for those people who build it themselves – this is just a normal house”

Zero Carbon Hub: Marketing Tomorrow’s New Homes Raising Consumer Demand For Low & Zero Carbon Living

Communication

Clarity• Claims that are easy to understand

Credibility• Realistic, accessible and verifiable• Include third-party endorsements• Avoid small print

Comparability• Simple, meaningful, like-for-like

What can you Do?

• Testimonials• Encourage word of mouth• Become accredited• Understand Green Deal• Partnerships

http://www.cimcig.org/library.php?id=219

Taking Sustainability to the Consumer

Chris Ashworth

BSc (Hons) DipM FCIM Chartered Marketer

Competitive Advantage Consultancy Ltd.

@CompetitiveA

www.cadvantage.co.uk