4 Sustainable Techniques For Driving Customer Loyalty

Julie Starr • April 26, 2022



Sustainability sells, and businesses, especially retailers, can drive customer loyalty by finding ways to make their products and services more sustainable. Some reports found that
87% of buyers will opt for products simply because their manufacturers advocate for issues they care about. By showcasing your commitment to saving the environment, you can reach out to a potential customer on an emotional level. This emotional connection would have customers loyal to your brand, product, or service. So, if you’re looking to increase customer loyalty in your business, here’s how sustainability strategies can help you reach that goal. 

  • Drive brand sustainability awareness

One of the effective ways to attract the loyalty you need from your customers is to drive awareness of your sustainability efforts. It’s not enough to simply make sustainable changes or shifts and expect your target customer to know about it. You need to implement strategies that would show your customers your sustainability to increase trust and, in turn, loyalty.

You can use strategies like product sampling , content marketing, influencer marketing, referral programs, video content, etc., to drive your brand’s awareness.

  • Turn customers into brand ambassadors 

Good old word-of-mouth advertising is still a powerful marketing force and plays a crucial role in attracting and keeping customers loyal. Turning your current customers into brand ambassadors is a clever way to attract their loyalty while simultaneously reaching out to potential clients. As mentioned earlier, an awareness strategy like referral programs can drive customer loyalty. It involves turning your current customers into brand advocates, making them big proponents for customer loyalty. According to some studies, prospects referred to your brand through friend recommendations have a 16% higher lifetime value. Such referrals also come with conversion rates three to five times higher than other marketing strategies. 

Aside from customers, business owners can also use their retailers, suppliers, vendors, etc., as agents of customer loyalty by spreading the message of sustainability through them.

  •  Help your customers maintain their values

Today, many modern customers expect their preferred brands to help them maintain their values. And sustainable living advocates are no different. Brands that succeed in helping their clients in their sustainable behavior, choices, activities, and other endeavors are more likely to create an army of loyal customers. That means getting a competitive advantage over other businesses.

  • Be involved in more environment-conscious programs

It’s not uncommon these days to see the top businesses spending large sums of money on various environment-driven loyalty programs. For example, Coca-Cola launched a new marketing campaign to encourage people to recycle bottles to reduce their environmental impact. While Coca-Cola produces a quarter of all 470 billion plastic bottles that litter the environment every year, its environmental campaigns have ensured that they haven’t lost its loyal customer base. Another notable mention includes Apple’s commitment to be a 100% carbon neutral company through various sustainability initiatives.

Running a business focused on sustainability is good for the environment and its growth. By implementing the right measures, such as those mentioned, your business would be able to enjoy all the benefits of being environmentally safe.

By Julie Starr July 17, 2025
The best branding doesn’t always come from big campaigns or expensive graphics. Sometimes it’s the smaller stuff that leaves the biggest impression. Things people actually use, touch, or carry with them. That’s where your brand can quietly make its mark without needing to shout about it. If you’re only focusing on social media and business cards, you’re leaving a lot on the table. Here are five overlooked ways to get your name out there that feel natural, useful, and more personal. Thank-you slips If you’re already sending out orders, there’s no reason not to include a short thank-you slip. You can easily get these made through any decent online print shop , and they’re usually pretty cheap to run off in small batches. Just a simple note that says thanks, maybe with a reminder to follow you online or a cheeky discount code for next time. It’s quick, thoughtful, and makes the whole order feel more finished. Customers notice that kind of detail, especially when everything else they buy online comes with zero personality. You don’t need a complicated design either. Just something clean with your logo, a message that sounds like you, and maybe a social handle. The point is to give them a reason to come back or remember your name without it feeling forced. Branded zip pouches If you sell physical products, offer services, or run events, small zip pouches are surprisingly effective. Think of the kind you’d use for stationery, receipts, or travel bits. You can get your brand printed on the side and hand them out with purchases or include them in welcome packs. People keep them because they’re actually useful. They get tossed in handbags, school bags, or glove boxes and your logo just keeps turning up. Cleaning cloths for glasses or screens This one works brilliantly if you’re in tech, health, beauty, or anything involving screens or eyewear. A simple microfibre cloth with your branding on it can go a long way. Everyone needs one. Whether they use it for glasses, a phone screen, or their laptop, it’s something they hang onto. It’s not the kind of thing people throw away, and that means your name sticks around too. Receipt envelopes You might already use little envelopes to hand over receipts or business cards. Branding those envelopes is a small change that makes a big difference. Instead of someone getting a scruffy bit of paper in a plain sleeve, they’re handed something that feels a bit more finished. You can even add a message inside. Doesn’t need to be anything dramatic. A simple “thanks for visiting” or “see you next time” is enough to add a personal touch. Wet wipes or mini hand gels If your business is in hospitality, food, or anything hands-on, branded wet wipes or pocket-sized hand gels are surprisingly popular. People actually use them, especially at festivals, food stalls, pop-ups, or kids’ events. They end up in handbags or cars and stick around longer than you think. They don’t scream “marketing” either. They’re practical, and when done right, they make your business feel thoughtful. That’s what good branding does, it shows you’ve thought ahead.
By Julie Starr July 14, 2025
What happens when students stop waiting for adults to fix things and start conducting their own energy audits? Money gets saved. The lights get switched off. Data gets analyzed. And a quiet revolution in sustainability begins—inside schools that once overlooked their own inefficiencies. Across the globe, student-led energy audits are proving that change doesn't always need to come from a policy shift or a major capital budget. Sometimes, it begins with a clipboard, a spreadsheet, and a group of curious minds asking: Why are the hallway lights on at noon when sunlight floods the building? The Energy Detectives These audits aren’t science fair projects. They’re rigorous investigations, often done in collaboration with facilities staff, local environmental nonprofits, or even engineering mentors. Students go from classroom to classroom measuring electricity usage, checking for phantom loads , and identifying where heat is escaping in winter or air conditioning is leaking in summer. One high school in Ontario saved over $12,000 a year after its Grade 11 physics students ran an energy audit and suggested simple changes—LED upgrades, motion sensors in bathrooms, and smarter heating schedules. They didn’t just propose ideas. They pitched them with spreadsheets, thermal images, and payback timelines. It worked. Learning That Pays Off—Literally Unlike textbook learning, these audits blend real-world math, environmental science, economics, and persuasive communication. Students aren’t just learning about sustainability. They’re doing it. And the savings add up. From dimming overlit hallways to reprogramming HVAC systems that run all weekend for empty buildings, students are surfacing blind spots that administrators often overlook. In some districts, their findings are influencing energy policy. Elsewhere, the audits have inspired school boards to hire sustainability coordinators—often alumni of the student programs themselves. There’s something poetic about a school funding new books or laptops from money saved by students who found out the vending machines didn’t need to be plugged in 24/7. Why This Matters More Than Ever With education budgets tightening and utility costs rising, every dollar saved is a dollar that can go back into classrooms. And here’s where it gets interesting from a family finance perspective, too. If you’re a parent setting aside money for post-secondary savings, every bit of school efficiency helps. Fewer energy costs might mean more programming, better STEM facilities, or even bursaries. That raises a broader point: when families save for their children’s future, they often look into RESPs (Registered Education Savings Plans). And many wonder—is a RESP deduction available on my taxes? While contributions themselves aren’t deductible, the gains grow tax-free, and students often pay little to no tax when they withdraw the funds during school. A Movement Worth Replicating These audits aren’t just an exercise in environmentalism. They’re leadership labs. Students learn how to spot inefficiencies, speak up in board meetings, and make a business case for change. They don’t just flip switches—they shift mindsets. And they carry these habits into adulthood. The result? A generation growing up not only with climate anxiety, but also with tools to tackle it.