Green Education Critical to Green Action
Excitement was brewing at ACCION USA when clients participated in focus groups to test components of our new Green Loan Program. Participants felt that ACCION USA’s Green Loan Program is “going to become so important” to business owners as they innovate in the face of a struggling economy. While participants entered the focus group skeptical about their ability to green their businesses – stating that “going green is too costly,” attitudes shifted after learning about the benefits, proving the necessity for education.
The focus groups taught us a lot about our clients’ motivations and challenges. At the end of the night, it was clear that our work was cut out for us. The participants raised the following questions:
- How should ACCION USA educate clients on the benefits of greening their businesses and being more energy efficient (i.e., tax credits, energy savings, new client base)?
- How should ACCION USA market the green loan to the average small business owner concerned with the bottom line?
- How can ACCION USA reach clients who run less traditional businesses that don’t have a storefront or an office?
- How can ACCION USA implement and teach clients about the benefits of an energy audit, an important aspect of the green loan program?
- What measures can ACCION USA take to offer clients networking opportunities to share best practices and learn from other green borrowers?
Answers to these questions and more will be presented on Earth Day, when we’ll unveil all the details of ACCION USA’s Green Loan Program!
by Emily Cunningham
March 28th, 2010 at 10:59 am
Here are some thoughts:
1-educating clients: promotional content + one-day training sessions prior to the disbursal of the loan
2-marketing to small business owner: by highlighting short-term financial gains of going green in incremental steps
3-reaching remote clients: using cellphone technology, as well as other information communication technology