This past Wednesday, all over North America there were millions of people celebrating Earth Day 2020. I’ve often reflected in the past what this day really means to people personally. This year though, I’m curious as to what it means to you and your business. Especially, since many of small business are being directly impacted. Whether they have found an opportunity to be considered essential and remain open or if they’ve been shuttered. Earth day is about making changes that leave the earth a better, cleaner place for generations to come. In business, how are you embracing the same approach? Ensuring you are leaving your clients in a better place than before they’ve partnered for you?
For me, Earth Day is a day to reflect on the last year with regards to my customer service. How many people did I impact – officially and unofficially? Did I leave a positive footprint in their lives both personally and/or professionally? Did I reach out to support those in need even if they do not need my services? But out of kindness and compassion I still did. Earth Day is not just about the physical earth and conserving the natural resources. It is also about the emotional well-being and spiritual well-being of those that live here. Yes, that sounds a ‘out there’ or ‘too touchy-feely’ but remember, people’s buying, and spending habits begin with an emotion. Therefore, you need to be checking in with what emotional and soul touching work you are doing.
Let us connect the business side with the natural resource side of Earth Day – reduce, reuse, and recycle.
Reducing
The word “reducing” in normal Earth Day definitions is about decreasing what we are consuming and discarding. Reducing in your business can also embrace this meaning. How are reducing what your business consumes – saving on water consumption? Or electricity use? How are your reducing your time consumption? Are you conserving your energy from too many meetings, telephone calls, driving commitments? In business lingo this is known as the L.E.A.N. Process. For instance, companies have a serious of steps to ensure they are being the most effective with their time and resource management. Their goal is to reduce the time they are wasting. This year make a commitment to review your time use. Identify how best you can conserve your energy and reducing your time wasted.
Reusing
Reusing in business is much the same in your personal life. We normally will hear the word “leverage” – how are you reusing the same ‘tools’ or marketing efforts. Additionally, will one form of marketing transfer from social media to print or satellite radio? Or do you need to create all new marketing campaigns elements? Can your Facebook ads be used without adjustment on Twitter? Instagram? TikTok? Take time to review your business efforts from the perspective of what can be reused. Make sure the time invested doesn’t out weigh what you are trying save. Basically, how can you leverage what you already have?
Recycling
Recycling piggy backs onto the concept of reusing. What are you already using with clients that can be repurposed and used again? If you sell a product, can you recycle the product concept into another product. Again, the word leverage can be applied in this area. How can you leverage your products and services to create something new?
Embracing the idea of the 3 R’s in business encourages a creative corporate culture; while also modeling the importance of conservation. In business, time is money. The more you can save on time and energy the healthier your bottom line will be.
I personally love Earth Day. All it reminds us of and calls us all into action for. It is also a day to ask questions allowing us to create out of the box solutions. To challenge the business norm. How are you going challenge your business norm this year?