Below are all sorts of tips, from what you can do right now for free, to longer term marketing strategies. You may find some of these tips more useful than others depending on the nature, size and budget of your business. These tips are a starting point.

1. Use the SF Green Business seal. In order to show your customers and partners that you are a recognized San Francisco Green Business you will need to use the seal to your full advantage. Be sure to review our Logo Use Guidelines first.

Here are some places to consider displaying the SF Green Business seal:

• Business cards
• Front window
• Website
• Letterhead
• Email signatures
• Promotional materials and advertisements
• Invoices and receipts
• Proposals

2. Educate your staff about your SF Green Business recognition

The principal reasons for doing this may not be your customers at all but rather your employees. They're the first group that needs assurance that any claims you make hold water and the first to become cynical if they find out otherwise. Thus, supporting data can be important to getting your number one constituency on board. -The Four Simple Steps to Pitch-Perfect Green Marketing, by Joel Makower

We recommend that you make sure staff is thoroughly trained in your Green Business practices. You might include information about Green Business practices in your employee handbook, conduct ongoing meetings and trainings covering Green Business practices, and encourage staff to get involved and share new green ideas.

3. Tell your story

Many businesses are finding that environmental recognition by the City of San Francisco is of great interest to their customers and a valuable marketing tool. The questions below will help you develop your story by getting you thinking about the process of becoming recognized and the reasons you greened your business.

• Why is your business participating in the SF Green Business program?
• Was there a specific environmental issue that captured your attention and caused you to go green?
• What major changes has your business made to achieve SF Green Business recognition?
• What changes are saving money? Saving energy? Reducing waste? How?
• What surprise results have you achieved by going green?
• What environmental changes would you like to make but haven't yet, and why?
• What advice would you give other businesses when considering the opportunities and challenges of incorporating green practices?
• What feedback have you heard from your customers about your green recognition?

4. Advertise

This may seem obvious, but now that you've received your San Francisco Green Business recognition, you have the ability to reach a whole new audience of customers in the Bay Area who actively seek out and patronize environmentally aware business and organizations. Your business has a huge competitive edge in this market due to your official recognition by the City of San Francisco. By all means take advantage of it.

• Advertise in local environmental publications (consider Bay Area Naturally or Green Zebra)
• Send out a letter or email notifying your clients and business partners about your new SF Green Business status
• Include SF Green Business info on invoices and receipts
• See our Media Tips for how to attract publicity
• Create and post a short video clip highlighting your green practices
• Login to Yelp.com to claim your business listing, respond to clients and post the seal as one of your profile pictures

5. Sponsor local green events

Environmental conferences, festivals and networking events are great forums to highlight your business. By participating in the green community you can grow your customer base and green your reputation at the same time. Check out Sustainable Happy Hour and SF Green Drinks. You might also consider supporting a cause by donating a portion of your sales to an environmental non-profit.

6. Network

Your fellow SF Green Businesses are customers, too. Consider getting together to offer a coupon booklet for each others' businesses. Share a highlight of your green business story and key messaging on the back of your coupon. Capture the name/contact information of redeemers to build your database for future offers.

• Offer to link to other SF Green Businesses on your website.
• Join other sustainable programs like The Business Alliance for Local Living Economies (BALLE) or the Green Chamber of Commerce
• Sponsor, attend, or encourage employees to attend environmental events and conferences

7. Don't "Greenwash" or Abuse Your Recognition

Please refer to the SF Green Business Program Logo Use Guidelines. Remember, your recognition only applies to the locations that have been evaluated and audited. If you have multiple facilities, you may not claim that your entire company is a Green Business unless we have inspected each location. You must also re-apply after three years.