Blue Collar, White Collar, No-Collar and...Green Collar?

By Philip Wocken

Traditionally, workers have fallen into one of three categories: blue collar, white collar, and no-collar. But today, there is a new shirt in the closet: and it comes with a green collar. With (very) aggressive backing from the U.S. Government and a trend-hungry society, green industries are looking at very bright and profitable futures. Regardless of your political views, it is obvious that green is “in.” Homeowners eagerly rush out to buy the latest “environmentally friendly” products and companies unabashedly promote their energy conservation efforts. Five years ago, the general population had no clue what “LEED Certification” meant. Now, LEED Certification has become a marketable competitive advantage.

This obsession with green reminds me of a key marketing principle: perception is reality. Consumers and companies have fully jumped on the environmental bandwagon. It doesn’t really matter why car drivers feel that they need to drive a Prius, what matters is that they feel that they need to drive a Prius. As marketers and entrepreneurs, this “need” is the key. The next ten years will provide substantial growth for those who are willing to take risks and capitalize on the environmental movement.

America was built by entrepreneurs. When colonists wanted to settle the Wild West, someone needed to build the covered wagons; someone needed to provide supplies and medication; someone needed to lead the expeditions. Those who capitalized on those opportunities were dutifully rewarded. America is still growing because of entrepreneurs. With the dawn of the “environmental revolution” already upon us, some innovators are already reaping the benefits. So how can we grab a piece of the pie while it’s still fresh out of the oven? How about inventing a new product that will cater to a green-specific niche? How about crafting a green marketing strategy that differentiates the company from the competition? How about rebranding your agency as a company that specializes in green marketing strategies? There are plenty of entrepreneurs and companies looking to stand out from their competition by launching into the green movement. We, too, need to stand out from our own competition. Why not target the “green-trepreneurs?”

New industries, new companies, new brands, new opportunities, new niches, new needs. Someone has to take the shirt out of the closet; it might as well be you. Besides, everyone wears green well.


Philip Wocken is an inventive marketing manager specializing in Online Marketing techniques. He can be reached at http://BuzzBrains.Biz and he can be followed on Twitter @BuzzBrains.