You’ve conducted a Life Cycle Assessment and now you want to legitimize your findings further by hanging them on a benchmark standard.  Which ones do you pay attention to, the ones that are getting the most press because their marketing campaign budget is a winner or the ones that are credible for their science and their multi-stakeholder formation, i.e. the ones with global legs?

If you’re smart, you’ll dump any standard that doesn’t REQUIRE an ISO LCA or LCIS (Life Cycle Impact Statement) or has an EPD (Environmental Product Declaration). You’ll also dump any that don’t REQUIRE a third party auditor who can de-certify non-compliant products after the original certification. Anyone can look good for the first year, it’s being consistent over many years and around the globe that will create public trust in the standard label.

In Standard-land there are “single attribute standards” such as Energy Star (low energy consumption) and single industry standards such as FSC (Forest Stewardship Council – forest management) and then there are multi-industry and attribute standards such as SMaRT or SCS.

Some argue that multi-attribute and industrial standards are too broad, that they can’t really focus in on the issues pertaining to a single sector such as food or textiles. Or the other side of that argument is poor buyer who has to figure out which standard out of 300 or so is worth considering. How does the SMaRT Platinum rated office chair compare to BIFMA’s rating compared to C2C’s rating?

For the above reason the Sustainability Consortium is trying to sort it out letting science tell the tale as to which standard is the most comprehensive and best for the world to follow.

Meanwhile, the cost of waiting for the top dog standard to emerge distracts from your market position. What do you say when your buyer asks you why you aren’t certified to XYZ Standard that she just read about in the NY Times?

Your sales force will have that answer without flinching if:

1. Educate them on what Sustainable Standards are and are not, m ake them fluent in “attributes” and how standards are created and know the difference between a Type I and Type II certification.

2. Determine which standards are the top contenders in your sector and do your own cross-comparison using the List found on Green Building Pages, Green Format or the ASTM E2129-05. Do three comparison’s at a minimum. If you have the due diligence done to show your buyer, they won’t have to do it and you just took a big step forward.

3. Using your Life Cycle Assessment information, show how you stack up if you were benchmarked on any of the standards. Don’t fudge, address ALL the questions. This isn’t about advertising your best assets, it’s about being transparent in your all practices throughout your supply chain.

Lastly – don’t overwhelm your buyer with your new-found knowledge. If you give them a checklist spread sheet (just like what you see on the back of a software package) it will help them make a decision in under 30 seconds. If you ask them to read pages of collateral you will send down a rabbit hole of confusion vs. closer to closing.

]]> http://www.ecolutionaryselling.com/2010/02/21/testing-standards-and-certifications/feed/ 0 http://www.ecolutionaryselling.com/2010/02/01/whats-on-your-production-inputoutput-list/ http://www.ecolutionaryselling.com/2010/02/01/whats-on-your-production-inputoutput-list/#comments Mon, 01 Feb 2010 13:48:37 +0000 admin http://www.ecolutionaryselling.com/?p=252 Part 5 of 16 Things for a Green Sales Edge.

If someone asked you for your Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS), you probably could send them one, but do you know what’s on it? More accurately, do you know what’s IN your product’s production?

More and more buyers have a redline list – things that they ask their buyers to watch for in products. If they learn that these chemicals are present, then they are encouraged not to buy that product.

When was the last time you looked at your MSDS sheet or had a sales training class on it? Can you make a solid statement that there are no POPs in your product (Pervasive Organic Pollutants).

Go HERE for the original POP “Dirty Dozen” followed by nine more added recently. How well would your sales staff do on a “POP” quiz?

If you were selling into the LACCD, the following have been redlined with exceptions found here.

Arsenic

Cadmium

CFCs

Cholorinated Polyethylene &

Chlorosulfonated Polyethlene (except HDPE and LDPE)

Chrome

Creosote

Formaldehyde

Halogenated Flame Retardants (PBDE, TBBA, HBCD, Deca-BDE, TCPP, TCEP, Decholorane Plus, Bromine or Chlorine

HCFCs

Lead

Mercury

Neoprene (chloroprene)

Phthalates

Polyurethane

PVC

They will also want to know if steps have been taken to reduce the use of toxic materials in the production process, and are there any outputs from the manufacturing process of this product on any of the following toxic materials lists?

EPA’s Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) List

Office of the Environmental Health Hazard Assessment List of Chemicals know to cause      Cancer and Birth Defects.

DOE BNL Carcinogens Table

Next time you hold a sales training, be sure to include a good game of  ”Toxin Bingo” .

]]> http://www.ecolutionaryselling.com/2010/02/01/whats-on-your-production-inputoutput-list/feed/ 9 http://www.ecolutionaryselling.com/2010/01/29/whats-your-life-cycle-assessment-for-sales/ http://www.ecolutionaryselling.com/2010/01/29/whats-your-life-cycle-assessment-for-sales/#comments Fri, 29 Jan 2010 15:46:33 +0000 admin http://www.ecolutionaryselling.com/?p=240 Part 4 of 16 Things for a Green Sales Edge.

• Can you send your client to the public posting of your product’s Life Cycle Assessment?
• Do you know which LCA you used as the base format?
• Do you know which LCA facts to use when talking to different sell team members – in the most transparent way?

LCA’s are the backbone of everything you claim in your collateral or apply in a standard’s certification. LCAs are somewhat like accounting of money except your accounting for your environmental and social impacts.  In LCA land what facts you gather and how you weigh the facts later is determined by which LCA you use. And just like accounting for money, a good “CPA” of LCAs will be needed to get you through the extensive list of questions. LCA specialists are ready to help you.

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The ISO LCA is garnering global endorsements to become THE matrix to use, but conduct a due diligence of latest softwares and solutions before you venture in. This is important to know as different LCA structures provide different results. Don’t be blindsided by a question that deserves a two word answer that can distract you from closing.

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What the high C’s team wants to know:

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For CEOs / Cover their assets proof. Your LCA provides proof for the facts seen on the collateral that nothing will come back to bite the CEO’s company. For example, your paint has no VOCs that could bother their clients or was made by children in Brazil.

For CMOs / Mission matches. Find the facts that line up the most with the company’s mission and use them to anchor your conversations. If they strive to save energy, show how your processes save energy at your manufacturing facilities and (if applicable) will save them energy in using or disposing of the product.

For CSO (Sustainability Officers) / Be fluent in Eco-language. You wouldn’t leave your tech person behind if you were presenting software, don’t leave your SO behind even if they are so-so. At least you have one and that’s a step ahead of others.

For CFOs / Save money and reduce risk. LCA’s generally flag where you an cut back and save money by doing things differently or avoiding long-term risk. Talk to the CFO about how this product will also help them avoid long-term risk and liability and therefore lower insurance rates or clean up issues.

We’ve gone from green to sustainable to “prove it” in just a few years. Now the final question is “whose proof are you going to use”? Today, while you’re waiting for a dominate standard to take the lead, get your LCA done and be ready to answer all questions your prospect team will have. (free LCA software here)

It almost goes without saying, if your product is green, shouldn’t your packaging enhance that statement?

• How have you cut back on packaging? One inventive company uses PODS to ship their building supplies directly to the site. How far can you cut back and still protect your goods? Once a product is “sold” do you really need to retell the story on each shipment or just get the product on site?
• Is the packaging you have left recyclable? Is the cardboard of 100% FSC wood or recycled paper? Is the ink, soy-based ink? Have you eliminated polystyrene? Are you packing peanuts made of cellulose.
• Will you take back packaging? Imagine opening 200 boxes of flooring material and now being left with piles of boxes. If you don’t take it back, do you know who takes the material locally that you could refer the buyer to?

Recycling should be part of every buyer’s consideration. How are you making it easier for your client to get over this disposal issue?

For more information on green packaging go to the 2009 winner http://www.greenpackaginginc.com/

Pop quiz – you’re sitting in front of your client and they ask, “What’s your environmental policy”? Can you:

A) Quote them the mission statement?

B) Point them to the website that has it and more published?

C) Be so well versed that you’re able to talk about in terms of manufacturing, installation and use of the product, what happens at the end of the product’s life and what your company’s social profile?

The sales force at Forbo Flooring can do all of the above, their Marmoleum flooring is the poster product for sustainable floors. I’ve been tracking “Marmoleum” on Google alerts for about a year to see what people are willing to write about it. Almost every one is praising the product and they often mention a sustainable attribute along with the color they selected. That’s great sales at work, AFTER the sale.

Go here to download Forbo’s Sustain brochure. (top left corner) Then use it as a base to develop  your own environmental policy statement and brochure.

These days you’re looking for that little defining difference that will your buyer like you more than the other guy. Help can be found inside your OSHA documents; that’s where you’ll find out how well your company supports the triple bottom line of planet, people and profits (people being the social equity part.)

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Does your facility meet or exceed OSHA standards? Do your supplier’s facilities meet or exceed OSHA standards regardless if they reside outside of the US? If you looked at the paperwork, what nuggets of information could you use in a sales presentation?What could you truthfully say that would not only make you look good, but also help the image of the company you are selling to?

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Are your diverse worker’s being treated fairly? Are they breathing better air because of your manufacturing processes? Working in safer conditions?  Using non-carcinogenic substances? Do the answers have documented proof via OHSA or a Life Cycle Assessment?

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Having a great place to work is worth sharing, because  your story can become “their” story if they buy your product.

NEXT: Where’s Your Environmental Policy?

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A few weeks back, Jill Konrath of Selling to Big Companies posted the question, “What is your prediction for sales in the coming year”? Since Jill’s popular site gathers the best in sales leadership, I was very interested in learning what top gurus would say. They offered many valuable ideas, but I was surprised that no one mentioned GREEN VALUE , sustainable attributes or Life Cycle Assessments in their predictions. Where was the need to know how to speak green to big companies, campuses or municipalities?

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In the next 16 posts I’ll provide what we look for at the Los Angeles Community College District (where I consult) and how you can add green value to your sales process. First let’s get everyone up to speed on where the green market is now and why it’s critical to be seen as a ‘10′ at the beginning of this eco-market decade.

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1. It’s already past the tipping point…

In the Business to Consumer world, Wal Mart is asking their vendors to be fluent in GREEN. Because Wal Mart cares, the Sustainability Consortium came about to help develop a global program to benchmark Sustainable Standards based on science, not a great marketing program.

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In the Business to Business world, the USGBC has been on top of the green game for years via their LEED certification process for creating green buildings. LEED provides the framework for tallying credits that can be substantiated; for example putting a bike rack in front of your building will earn you credit for encouraging lower carbon footprints in transportation. What it doesn’t do is ask, “What’s the carbon footprint of that bike rack while it was being manufactured across its entire manufacturing supply chain”?

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The Los Angeles Community College District, is asking its vendors to provide green value statements with their product bids even though the LACCD is required by the state of California to buy via the lowest cost. It’s an awkward position to be in as the LACCD wants to walk the talk, but it is hindered by state requirements. These green value statements are a first-step-bridge to “green talking points” that the LACCD can quote from later should a product be selected. In other words… it’s a competitive edge.

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As for cost…. today, providing a green product does add dollars, but those dollars are now getting in line with the traditional options. At the same time, bid requirements are raising the green bar for what is acceptable and what isn’t; for example, the LACCD has a list of banned chemicals. (we’ll talk about it in an upcoming post).

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In a couple of years, I predict that only products that can meet sustainable standards will be part of the bid process regardless of the institution. The winning standard will be made under consensus, be LCA based, and require third party audits. At some point everyone will have to walk the talk all the way down to the products they use. It isn’t enough that buildings may be energy neutral, water efficient and toxin free if the manufacturing processes to provide the products used, aren’t.

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2. Academics are leading the way and setting students on a new course

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The LACCD is comprised of 10 campuses serving over 225,000 students. It is deploying over $6 billion in bond money to make all 10 campuses as sustainable as possible. That’s a lot of influence and getting a Master Agreement Contract would make a nice commission check for anyone. In Wal Mart terms, it’s a gorilla of B2B market influence. Getting your products embedded with green market leaders like the LACCD may lock in your green market position for this entire decade. That’s worth knowing how to speak green.

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3. Companies, municipalities and governments are under extreme pressure to bring down energy, water cost while lowering employees exposure to toxins, they need decision-making help.

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There are over 300 sustainable standards all vying to be THE pro-active benchmark that everyone follows. At the moment, with no clear market winner, no one knows which standard to certify to that will provide the most market clout. What you can do is start the LCA process which will substantiate the claims you make on a later standard and back up any sales and collateral material. Meanwhile read up on what the ASTM E2129 standard requires. You can also go to Green Building Pages and see how many questions you can answer of the 160 asked. GBP covers the ASTM 2120E questions. Don’t be put off if your product isn’t a “building” product. The questions pertain to both the B2C and B2B worlds.

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Clearly the next 10 years will be revolutionary times. The next 16 posts will help position your sales staff to the group leading the Ecolution.

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NEXT: Finding Green Marketing Safety in OSHA

]]> http://www.ecolutionaryselling.com/2010/01/10/16-things-for-a-green-sales-edge/feed/ 15 http://www.ecolutionaryselling.com/2009/11/15/when-selling-your-soul-is-good-for-a-sale/ http://www.ecolutionaryselling.com/2009/11/15/when-selling-your-soul-is-good-for-a-sale/#comments Mon, 16 Nov 2009 02:16:35 +0000 admin http://www.ecolutionaryselling.com/?p=144 When is selling your soul for the sake of a sale ok? Generally that’s considered a bad thing to do, but this weekend I witness the results of what happens when your soul becomes your brand and your brand is so inspiring, so motivating that others will pay to be a part of it.

After three non-stop days of meetings and trade floor displays at Greenbuild (the USGBA’s annual conference last week in Phoenix) I needed to clear my head. I drove north and covered about 65 miles of  wide open desert before spotting the ethereal place that has captured the imagination of students for decades – Arcosanti.

Arcosanti

I first heard of Arcosanti in 1970 while taking design courses at Eastern Michigan University. As you see it off in the distance, it looks like the back set for a SyFi movie. As you get closer, it takes on the essence of a reverse “dig” – only instead of uncovering a lost civilization it’s uncovering the sustainable ideals that can save this one.

Arcosanti is the sweat and inspiration of Paolo Solari, now 90 and still visiting once a week to lecture. His vision was to create a city for 5000 on only 15 acres of land. The final vision wouldn’t be a sky scraper, but an undulating system of structures where material, space and energy are minimized and spirit, delight and engagement are maximized. So far he has succeeded even though only 100 people live and work there now after four decades of construction.

This is where the soul comes in…

How many people would come visit your product’s birthplace and want to pay you for the experience of being part of the expanded creative moment?

Paolo Solari

Over 100,000 come to visit Arcosanti and 6000 can claim Arcosanti on their resume of on-site work experience.

In comparison, 30,000 people attended the Greenbuild conference which is the modern day manifestation of Paolo’s ideals.

How about it? How is the soul of your work selling?

Linked In is the first place professionals go to check each other out. They want to get a better feeling of who they just met at lunch or is calling on them to make a sale.

Before you fill out the Linked in form, however, stop and do a 360 assessment of yourself first. Linked in may look like a resume-type page, but it’s isn’t. Resumes stick to the what-have-you-done lately facts. They can be tailored to fit a specific job offering. Linked in is about letting your choices tell the story about your personality. Consequently it’s really hard to write a Linked In profile if you’ve been around the sales circuit for a while.

Here’s why.

Imagine that you’re just starting out in business, your professional dance card doesn’t have one company name or product on it. From a Google search point-of-view, you have nothing to worry about as nothing is attached to your name. What people see when you walk in the door is what they get.

Now imagine that you’ve been in sales for a couple of decades and have represented numerous product lines and services. If they all are listed on  your Linked In profile they’ll say one of two things, A) you are focused and have great experience or B) you’re going from opportunity to opportunity without any planning. Consequently, what your prospect reads before you walk in the door, is what they’ll be matching you up to when you arrive.

Now layer the green factor  on top. Do your personal and professional directions line up? (notice I say line up, not add up)  Are you an expert in your topic because it’s been your field a long time? Or are you new to the green world, yet passionate about the possibilities?

Your buyers are going to be looking for people who can help them navigate the emerging world of sustainable products and services, someone who can provide context to all the facts that may or may not be valid. Does your Linked In profile provide that reassurance?

If you’re in sales, then you must have a Linked In profile. Write and edit it wisely to closely reflect who YOU are first; then let what you’ve done magnify those personality traits.

You never know who will be reading your profile and what their interests are. Jobs and opportunities will come and go over the years, but your personality will always be the same. Don’t be afraid to show your green side.

What we have now is a mixture of sports playing on the same field and the game is who can shout the loudest and point fingers at the foibles in their competitor’s products. That’s not fun to watch and it does nothing to advance the game in a way in which companies, investors or consumers can understand.

Sustainable standards are a game changer. In many cases, how green you are comes down to how transparent you are. Just how “clear” do you need to be? When you’re trying to convey those differences during a sales moment, do you have a convincing answer or do you hesitate?

What are the top sustainable standards  in your industry? How does your product compare?  Are you trying to sell a retail product? Then at the very least you need to be able to answer Wal Mart’s 15 questions.

If you’ve read this far and have no idea what I’m talking about, go HERE and answer these questions. When you’re done with that self-assessment, you’ve made your first big step towards transparency.