5 Tricks to Master Your Sustainable Brand Message

Julie Starr • April 28, 2022



Sustainable messaging in advertising is paramount if you’re running an eco-conscious company that values the environment. Doing your part and making a difference in the world is possible, as long as you are willing to hone in on your brand messaging so that your actions are positively reflected in your marketing campaigns. Ranking at the top of a web search and strategically placing keywords are all integral parts of your marketing plan. Use best practices and SEO Plans Pricing to get noticed and stay in front of the public’s eyes to continue doing good work for all and furthering your company’s goals. Whether you’re trying to drive customer loyalty or increase brand awareness, here are five tricks every sustainable business owner should be using in order to fine-tune their brand message.

  • Consider Your Platforms and Partners Carefully

When you work with brand partners, sponsorships, or even television programs you need to deeply research their views and ethos when it comes to the environment. If you like the work they do and feel connected to their overarching goals, then there is nothing stopping you from working with them! GreatCompanies is a good example of a television platform that shares inspiring stories from small businesses, so it may be worth looking into the type of work they do.

  • Put Authenticity First

There are numerous sustainable brands out there competing with the same message. However, the ones who speak the loudest and make the biggest impact are those who lead with authenticity. Being true to your brand and where it stands in your industry will help you to gain the respect of those who matter. Overpromising or overselling will damage your reputation in the long run, so steer clear from these types of tactics.

  • Know Your Audience

When you take the time to deeply understand the concerns and standpoints of your target audience, you will be able to tailor your messaging to connect with them. Carrying out primary market research is the only way to dig deep into the minds of your ideal client so that you can truly speak to them in a way that resonates.

  • Use Emotion in an Empowering Way

One of the first rules of marketing is to use emotion in your copy in order to form a strong connection with your readers, however, you need to use this technique in an empowering way. You don’t want to guilt-trip your readers or your audience into thinking they’re doing something wrong; you need to make an impact in a way that drives change and inspires. Sustainability can evoke strong opinions, so you want to leave people feeling hopeful and confident via your brand messaging strategies. Opt for a more uplifting tone so that your audience gets a positive feeling from your marketing campaign; alienating your audience with negative or berating language will have the opposite effect on what you desire to achieve.

  • Make the Most of the Relatability Factor

When you are willing to take the time to fine-tune and tweak your brand message, you will find that your purpose becomes much clearer to your target audience. During this process, you may also have a number of breakthroughs with regard to your brand ethos too, so it’s well worth spending time on this activity for both the long and short-term gains.

5 Everyday Items That Can Quietly Boost Your Brand

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.

How Student-Led ‘Energy Audits’ Are Cutting School Costs (and Lighting the Way Forward)

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.