John Wiley & Sons Inc.
Reviewed by Suzanne Wilson, Daily Hampshire Gazette, Northampton, MA

In the age-old stereotypes about the business world, competition is always cutthroat, corners exist to be cut, companies are eternally at war with one another, and the bottom line is all that matters. There have, of course, always been individuals and businesses that have operated according to a strict moral compass – and in their new book, authors Jay Conrad Levinson and Shel Horowitz say that, now more than ever, that’s the way to go.

In “Guerrilla Marketing Goes Green,” Levinson and Horowitz say some of the smartest business people today are those who don’t see the choice before them as a stark divide between doing good, on the one hand, or doing well. It is possible, they say, to help the world around you and help yourself at the same time. Or, as they put it, you can beautify the planet and “you can do your part to beautify your own bottom line.” In today’s marketplace, they write, there are many customers who want to feel that they are part of efforts to solve the world’s problems and want to support companies they see as being part of that process.

Beyond advancing a clear point of view, the authors have packed “Guerrilla Marketing” with specific advice and how-tos on subjects such as effective networking, sales strategies, finding allies in the marketplace, dealing with the media, copywriting basics, and more.

Levinson has worked in corporate marketing and is the author of the “Guerrilla Marketing” series of books, the first of which appeared in 1984; Horowitz, who lives in Hadley, is a marketer and environmental activist/organizer and author of eight previous books.

http://www.gazettenet.com/2010/08/18/book-bag (subscriber firewall)

My copy is full of underscores and dog ears where I’ve marked fascinating insights and great real-world ideas for marketing your business ethically and effectively, whether you’re a beginner or advanced.

I especially like the fact that it’s well-written and fun to read, as well as the refreshing point of view that good business goes hand in hand with ethical intentions and community building.

Even though it’s directed towards the ‘green’ sector, I’d recommend it to anyone interested in promoting their business while benefiting others and getting more enjoyment out of life at the same time.

- Anne Michelsen, Green Ink Copywriting, http://www.greeninkcopywriting.com

HOW-TO WINNER:
* “Building Green,” Clarke Snell & Tim Callahan

HONORABLE MENTIONS:
* “Canning Preserving,” Ashley English
* “Sparkling Green,” Tracy C. Jonsson
* “The Green Body Cleanse,” Dr. Edward F. Group III
* “The Sweater Chop Shop,” Crispina Ffrench
* “I’m Dreaming of a Green Christmas,” Anna Getty
* “Talking Dirt,” Annie Spiegelman
* “Look Great, Live Green,” Deborah Burnes
* “Guerilla Marketing Goes Green,” Jay Conrad Levinson and Shel Horowitz

Click here to visit the GreenBookFestival.com website

Catching the wave of this new trend in true guerrilla marketing fashion, Guerrilla Marketing Goes Green presents unbeatable insurgent tactics for increasing your profits while improving the planet. This up-to-the-minute sourcebook gives you the theory and the roadmap to get your sustainability marketing plan up and running…

-Michael Smith, Green Living Review, UK

Michael Monji, author

Review posted online at Amazon

Media that Have Covered Shel:

“Shel Horowitz is one of my most dynamic, quick thinking guests, able to seamlessly corroborate and add to contributions of other guests with split second timing.”
Marisa D’Vari
Producer/Host, “Building Brand, Buzz, & Business”
Channel 9 TV, Boston, MA

“Hi Shel, we loved having you on Factor77. Your tips were very well received, glad you could take part in helping people get their business to the next level.”
Matt Wilson, Factor77 TV

Notes: Shel averages over 25 interviews a year; this is a partial list.
Starred entries ( * ) were 30 minutes or longer, % = repeat appearance.

Radio, Sydicated Shows:
Business of Success Talk Radio (nationwide) *
Entrepreneur Radio, http://www.wsradio.com
Ask Heloise Radio, http://www.heloise.com *%
Gary Burbank (WLW, Cincinnati) *
Adriane Berg’s Money Show (Westwood One) *
Mitch Schlimer, Let’s Talk Business (Talk America) *
Jim Blasingame, Small Business Advocate (Talk America, 4x) *%
Rhona at Night (Vancouver, BC)
Moving On with Myrna Lamb (KLOC, Loveland, CO) *
Dave Scott, LibertyWorks Radio Network
Rick Barber (KOA, Denver) *
Mike Schiavo, National Business Talk Radio
Frank Foster, Wealth of a Different Kind, Talk Radio Network *%
Jerry Hudson, America Live
Crosstalk with Dr. Barton Goldsmith (KCLU, Santa Barbara) (NPR affiliate)*

Radio, Major and Medium Markets-U.S.
KYXY, San Diego (Sonny West & Pat Brown)
WELI, New Haven (Mike Cella)
KDJR/HKAD, St. Louis (Monica Adams)
KODS, Reno (Bill Schultz)
WHAS, Louisville (Bob Sokoler) *
WVKS, Toledo (Denny Schaffer and Tricia Courtney)
WBEV/WTTN, Milwaukee/Madison, WI (Jim Stowell)
KVEN, Ventura, CA (Barbara Scott)
WSKS, Syracuse (Linda Ray and Scott McKay)
WWHT, Syracuse (Mike Van Ness and Trish Paige)
KVHL Santa Barbara (Marna Davis)
WMXL, Lexington, KY (Rick O’Shea)
WBWN, Bloomington, IL (Mike Tyler)
WYUR, Detroit (Jim Davis)
KNRX, Oklahoma City (Alan Cross)
Jim Mackrell Show, Houston *
WLVJ, W. Palm Beach, FL (Steve Forsythe)
WKDF, Nashville (Jon Link)
WAXY, Miami (David Schwartz) *
KRCH, Rochester, MN (Don Gore and Big Mark Clark)
WHP, Harrisburg, PA (Steve and Melanie)
WAEV, Savannah, GA
WLVQ, Columbus, OH (Wags and Elliott)
KBOI, Boisie (Drew Harold) %
KFGO, Fargo (Jack Michaels)
WWL, New Orleans
KFMB, San Diego
WJNX, West Palm Beach (Art Butler)
Love Life Radio, Honolulu *
WKBN, Youngstown, OH
KKFM, Colorado Springs/Denver (Mark Stevens)
WJR, Detroit (Ken Calvert)
WWAX, Duluth (Laura Wilde and Jim Young)
WOND, Atlantic City (Jeff Whitiker)
KFRU, Columbia, MO (Scott Baker and Simon Roe)
KSDO, San Diego (Money in the Morning) %
WGAR, Cleveland (Ken Robinson)
KFLR, Phoenix (Bruce Thurman)
The Don and Carla Show %
Desperately Seeking Cash, Mike Bunge Show, KXEL (Waterloo, IA)
Carter & Co., WNWS, Jackson, TN *
George McKenzie Show, KAHL, San Antonio *%

Radio, Major Markets-International
ICRT, Taipei, Taiwan (David Wang) *
Mark Green & The Creatures Of The Night (Talksport Network, UK-wide syndicate)
Voice of America, Europe-wide (Martin Secrest)
CIOC, Victoria, BC, Canada (Andrew Lindsay)
CJAD, Montreal (Peter Anthony Holder, Al Gravelle) %
CIOK, St. John, NB, Canada
CJVI, Victoria, BC, Canada (Barry Bowman)
CKGL, Kitchener, ON, Canada (Steve Hodgson)
ABC Radio News-Australia

Television:
ABC News (nationally syndicated)
WHDH Channel 7, Boston (Fox)
Channel 9, Boston
Nutmeg TV, Hartford, CT area, The Book Authority (Brian Jud)
Lower Bucks Cable, Philadelphia area (Mark Drucker) (phoner)
Northampton Community TV
Amherst Community TV
Channel 5, Hadley MA

Major Print Media:
New York Times %
Wall Street Journal
Washington Post %
Reader’s Digest
La Repubblica, Italy’s national newspaper
Chicago Tribune
NY Daily News
Cleveland Plain Dealer
Boston Globe %
Christian Science Monitor %
Inc. Magazine %
Entrepreneur %
Fortune Small Business %
Woman’s Day %
Los Angeles Times %
Aviation Week
Working Mother
Working Woman
The National Post of Canada
Ragan Strategic Media/Ragan Report %
SAM (Sales And Marketing Magazine) %
Midwest Book Review %
Redbook
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Bulldog Reporter’s Media Relations Insider %
Hospitality Sales and Marketing
Association International
Boston Herald
Chief Marketer
Profnet Roundup %
Book Marketing Update %
Southwest Spirit
Crain’s New York Business
Semana (Bogotá, Colombia)
Costco Connection
USA Today
Slate
Tampa Tribune (Tampa, FL)
San Diego Union-Tribune
Business Management Daily
Metro (nationwide/international urban paper)

Major Wire Services
Associated Press (AP)
United Press International (UPI)

Books that Quote or Cite Shel:

Guerrilla Marketing for Writers: 100 Weapons to Help You Sell Your Work
by Jay Conrad Levinson, et al

Complete Guide to Internet Publicity: Creating and Launching Successful Online Campaigns
by Steve O’Keefe

How To Publish and Promote Online
by M. J. Rose and Angela Adair-Hoy

Get Slightly Famous
by Steven Van Yoder

Trash-Proof News Releases
edited by Paul Krupin

Starting an Online Business for Dummies, Third Edition
by Greg Holden

Successful Website Marketing
by Peggi Ridgway

The Consultant’s Guide to Proposal Writing : How to Satisfy Your Clients and Double Your Income
by Herman Holtz

The Self-Publishing Manual: How to Write, Print, and Sell Your Own Book, 14th Edition
by Dan Poynter

Successful Nonfiction: Tips and Inspiration for Getting Published
by Dan Poynter

Marketing with E mail: A Spam Free Guide to Increasing Sales, Building Loyalty, and Increasing Awareness
by Shannon Kinnard

Confessions of Shameless Internet Promoters
edited by Debbie Allen

Getting Started in Computer Consulting
by Peter Meyer

Beyond the Bookstore
by Brian Jud

Publish to Win
by Jerrold Jenkins and Anne Stanton

Complete Publishing Resource Manual
by Linda Abel

Guerrilla Saving
by Jay Conrad Levinson and Kathryn Tyler

The Home Team
by Scott and Shirley Gregory

The Simple Life
Edited by Larry Roth

Kids and Money
by Jayne Pearl

Personal Finance for Seniors
by the Editors of FC&A Publishing

PR News’ “Lessons Learned from the PR Trenches”

Branded Customer Service: The New Competitive Edge
by Janelle Barlow, Paul Stewart

Small Business Start-Up Guide: Practical Advice on Selecting, Starting & Operating a Small Business
by Robert Sullivan

The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Beating Debt
by Steven Strauss, Azriella Jaffe

Building Buzz
by Marisa D’Vari

Advertising Without an Agency Made Easy
by Kathy Kobliski

Book Marketing From A-Z
by Francine Silverman

The Publishing Game
by Fern Reiss

Insider’s Guide to Large Quantity Book Sales
By the Jenkins Group

Poor Richard’s Internet Marketing and Promotions
by Peter Kent and Tara Calishain

Everything You Always Wanted to Know About POD
by John Harnish

Streetwise Small Business Book of Lists: Hundreds of Lists to Help You Reduce Costs, Increase Revenues, and Boost Your Profits (Adams Streetwise Series)
by Gene Marks

The Complete Writer’s Journal
by Carolyn Howard-Johnson; Edited by Pat Avery, Joyce Faulkner and Carolyn Howard-Johnson

The Great Formula for Creating Maximum Profit With Minimal Effort
by Mark Joyner

Publicity for Nonprofits
by Sandra Beckwith

Start Your own E-Business (Start Your Own . . .)
by Robert McGarvey, Melissa Campanelli, and Entrepreneur Press

Complete Publicity Plans: How to Create Publicity That Will Spark Media Exposure and Excitement (Adams Streetwise Series)
by Sandra L. Beckwith

Becoming a Personal Trainer for Dummies
by Melyssa St. Michael and Linda Formichelli

Small Business Taxes Made Easy: How to Increase Your Deductions, Reduce What You Owe, and Boost Your Profits
by Eva Rosenberg

From Entrepreneur to Infopreneur: Make Money with books, E-Books and Information Products
by Stephanie Chandler

The E-Code: 34 Internet Superstars Reveal 44 Ways to Make Money Online Almost Instantly—Using Only Email
by Joe Vitale and Jo Han Mok

Getting Rich In Your Underwear: How To Start And Run A Profitable Home-Based Business
by Peter I. Hupalo

The New Farmers Market: Farm-Fresh Ideas for Producers, Managers & Communities
by Vance Corum, Marcie Rosenzweig, and Eric Gibson

Make Your Business Survive and Thrive!: 100+ Proven Marketing Methods to Help You Beat the Odds and Build a Successful Small or Home-Based Enterprise
by Priscilla Y. Huff

fEmpowerment
by Sandy Shepard

Create Your Own Luck : 8 Principles of Attracting Good Fortune in Life, Love, and Work
by Azriela Jaffe

The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Beating Debt, (The Complete Idiot’s Guide)
by Steven D. Strauss, Azriela Jaffe

A Simple Choice : A Practical Guide to Saving Your Time, Money and Sanity
by Deborah Taylor-Hough

Bounce Back From Bankruptcy: A Step-by-Step Guide to Getting Back on Your Financial Feet, Third Edition
by Paula Langguth Ryan

The Well-Fed Self-Publisher: How to Turn One Book into a Full-Time Living
by Peter Bowerman

Confessions of Shameless Self-Promoters: Great Marketing Gurus Share Their Innovative, Proven, and Low-Cost Marketing Strategies to Maximize Your Success!
by Debbie Allen

Complete Guide to Self Publishing: Everything You Need to Know to Write, Publish, Promote, and Sell Your Own Book (Self-Publishing 4th Edition)
by Tom Ross and Marilyn Ross

Public Relations For Dummies (For Dummies)
by Eric Yaverbaum, Robert W. Bly, Ilise Benun, and Richard Kirshenbaum

Open Your Heart with Geocaching: Mastering Life Through Love of Exploration (Open Your Heart)
by Jeannette Cezanne

Small Store Survival: Success Strategies for Retailers (National Retail Federation)

Author 101 Bestselling Book Proposals: The Insider’s Guide to Selling Your Work (Author 101)
by Rick Frishman and Robyn Freedman Spizman

The ABCs of Strategic Communication: Thousands of Terms, Tips and Techniques That Define the Professions
by M. Larry Litwin, APR

Modern Day Heroes: In Defense Of America
by Pete Mitchell, Bill Perkins

How to Get Happily Published
by Judith Appelbaum

Sustaining the Family Business
by Marshall B. Paisner

Cycling for Profit: How to Make a Living With Your Bike (Cycling Resources Series)
by Jim Gregory

Book Design and Production
by Pete Masterson

At Your Command
by Joe Vitale and Neville Goddard

Blog Schmog: The Truth About What Blogs Can (and Can’t) Do for Your Business
by Robert W. Bly

Author 101 Bestselling Nonfiction: The Insider’s Guide to Making Reality Sell (Author 101)
by Rick Frishman, Robyn Freedman Spizman, and Mark Steisel

The Power of Slow: 101 Ways to Save Time in Our 24/7 World
by Christine Louise Hohlbaum

What to Do When You Are Fired or Laid Off
by PK Fontana (Atlantic Publishing, 2010)

The Wealthy Freelancer: 12 Secrets to a Great Income and an Enviable Lifestyle
by Steve Slaunwhite, Pete Savage, and Ed Gandia (Penguin, 2010)

102 Ways to Earn Money Writing 1,500 Words or Less
by I. J. Schecter (F+W Media, 2010)

Red Fire Branding
by Liz Goodgold

You are current #3 popular download in our list of shows with 170 downloads. Thanks for helping make us a success!—Victor R. Volkman, AuthorsAccess.com

Major Online-Only Media:
CNN.com *
Daily Marketing Ace
MSN %
AOL’s homepage %
Microsoft bCentral.com %
BankRate.com
Monster.com
Examiner.com
PromotionWorld.com
Adventive.com %
Holt Uncensored
BookzonePro.com
Wall Street Journal’s StartupJournal.com
BNET.com
FastCompany.com
TriplePundit.com
MSN/Sprint Business on Main %
Business Management Daily
Fuel.net
Web Worker Daily
Fox News Online
Jacksonville (FL) Times-Union
The Pantagraph
Demo Dirt
Technorati
American Express Small Business Open Forum

Teleclasses and Featured Online Chats:
Inc Online *%
AOL’s Your Business Lunch *%
PRLeads.com *%
Loska.com *%
Annie Jennings PR *%
Obvious Expert Teleseminar Series *
Sharron Senter Teleseminar Series *
Samizdat.net *
Debbie Allen’s Shameless Self-Promoters
Teleconference*

Guest-Blog Posts:
FastCompany (weekly guest blog on sustainablity)
Examiner.com
International Association of Online Communicators (IAOCblogcom)–two guest blog stints, each one week long
TriplePundit
Marketing Tips for Authors
NewsBlarg
Frugal RI Mama
Roger C. Parker
Book Marketing Maven
Marketing Tips for Authors

Interview questions:

Bio:

About Shel Horowitz: ethical/Green marketing expert, book shepherd, writer, international speaker, consultant, community organizer, frugalist

Beginning with a one-toddler action against smokers at his parents’ party at about age three, Shel Horowitz has been involved in environmental and social change movements his whole life. In 1972, at age 15, he was involved in a community group that opposed a nuclear power plant proposed for two miles north of New York City (a proposal that the utility company quickly withdrew). A veteran of the 1977 Seabrook occupation, his first book, written when he was only 22, was about why nuclear power makes no sense. Shel is also the author of the e-book, Painless Green: 111 Tips to Help the Environment, Lower Your Carbon Footprint, Cut Your Budget, and Improve Your Quality of Life-With No Negative Impact on Your Lifestyle. He is directly responsible for the first nonsmokers’ rights regulations in Northampton, Massachusetts, and for the defeat of a large and inappropriate mountaintop development in his current home town of Hadley, Mass. His Down to Business webzine was one of the first business publications to have a regular section on sustainability.

On the marketing side, Shel was still a teenager when he started doing publicity and marketing for grass-roots community organizations with zero promotional budget. There wasn’t even money available for stamps, so he used to hand-deliver press releases on a three-speed bicycle, Trained as a journalist, he first became aware of the power of the news media when a local paper refused to print meeting notices he wrote for a controversial group—but gave extensive news coverage to its refusal. Now, for over twenty years, he’s helped businesses, nonprofits, and community groups get their message out to the public with little or no expenditure.

After finishing Antioch College at age 19, Shel had to come to terms with his own work history: career paths not only in writing and marketing/PR, but also in radio, teaching, arts, food service, office systems, community organizing, and environmental issues. Putting together his own first résumés led to a new career direction: résumé writing and career services. Shel quickly realized he had the ability to discover a job candidate’s best strengths and present them so those are highlighted while weaknesses are downplayed. In short, he turned résumé writing into a marketing function.

A native of New York City, he returned there to work at two literary agencies as a manuscript reader, and then worked for a year and a half as a VISTA Volunteer community organizer with the Gray Panthers. Pursuing poetry on the side, he became very active in the New York open poetry scene, and met Dina Friedman at an open reading in Greenwich Village.

The two left New York in 1980, spending a year in Philadelphia before settling in Western Massachusetts in 1981—and founding Accurate Writing & More with an initial marketing cost of $12 and a total start-up under $200 (most of it for a 13-year-old IBM Selectric typewriter). They married two years later. Daughter Alana was born in 1987—the same year Dina joined the business—and son Rafael followed in 1992.

Drawing on the marketing he’d practiced in and after college, Shel began marketing his own business locally, and grew it to the largest of its kind in a three-county service area. In 1985, he published the first of six books on low-cost, high-impact marketing. Gradually, he expanded his practice to marketing for other businesses and nonprofits. He began using e-mail as a marketing tool in 1994, set up his first website in 1996, and quickly developed a reputation internationally as a skilled copywriter and marketing strategist who knows how to stretch a marketing dollar. His client list now includes accounts in Europe, Asia, and all across the U.S.; his books have sold to dozens of countries, and one of them has been translated into Korean.

And as an environmental and social justice activist since 1972, he has used these skills pro bono for a number of environmental and social change organizations—especially a group he founded called Save the Mountain, which mobilized thousands of people (in a rural county) and rapidly beat back an “unstoppable” poorly-planned development on a mountain abutting a state park; this was a campaign that combined everything Shel knew about marketing and community organizing, and drew on the skills of many others that he recruited into the organization. Following the success of this campaign, Shel looked at a bigger canvas, and founded the Business Ethics Pledge to make future Enron and Madoff scandals unthinkable. So far, he has signers in more than 30 countries.

Shel now offers not only copywriting and strategic marketing planning based in Green principles, but also helps unpublished writers become published authors. Five of his eight books have won awards and/or been republished in other countries, including his most recent, Guerrilla Marketing Goes Green: Winning Strategies to Improve Your Profits and Your Planet (John Wiley & Sons, 2010, co-authored with Mr. Guerrilla Marketing himself, Jay Conrad Levinson).

This new book states that honesty, integrity, and a commitment to environmental sustainability are important—but market share is often the wrong metric entirely…that long-term relationships are better than a one-time sale…and that competitors can be among your best allies.

The book provides dozens of examples of companies large and small that have succeeded by putting people first: familiar names like Johnson & Johnson, IBM, Southwest Airlines as well as numerous entrepreneurs who are successful in their own niches, even if not widely known.

Shel is a popular speaker and media interviewee (including multiple appearances in the New York Times, Inc, Christian Science Monitor, Wall Street Journal, Entrepreneur, and many others) who loves to get the word out about this important new paradigm. A few among many venues where Shel has spoken:

• Forum Davos, Davos, Switzerland (February 2010)
• American Society of Journalists and Authors (April 2010)
• Book Expo America (multiple appearances)
• Noteworthy USA National Convention Keynote
• Public Relations Society of America International Conference
• Infinity Publishing Author Conference Keynote
• Publishers Marketing Association University (multiple appearances)
• Ragan Strategic Media Conference
• Regional writing and publishing associations in the Bay Area, Saint Louis, New York, and elsewhere (three with several repeat appearances)
• University of Massachusetts Family Business Center (multiple appearances)
• Business for Social Responsibility
• Colleges and universities including Smith College, University of Vermont, Mount Holyoke College, others

Contact him with this link, or call 413-586-2388 (8 a.m. to 10 p.m., US Eastern Time).

Photos:

• Shel Horowitz, Head Shot 10K, 230 x 307
• Shel Horowitz, Alternative Photo, 100K, 500 x 667
• Shel Horowitz, Alternative Head Shot, 95K, 500 x 667

Shel’s Other Pressrooms:

• Frugal Marketing
• Ethical/Green Business
• Writing and Publishing
• Frugality and Frugal Fun

To arrange an interview with Jay Conrad Levinson, contact Amy Levinson, Olympiagal at aol.com

Are you enthusiastic about preserving Earth?  If you want to highlight this commitment as part of your business pitch, be aware that cynicism lurks in the minds of many customers.

To show that you’re not just pretending to jump on today’s greenwagon, incorporate as many as possible of these factors into your marketing copy, suggested in the new book Guerrilla Marketing Goes Green by Shel Horowitz and Jay Conrad Levinson (www.guerrillamarketinggoesgreen.com).

1. Hard facts (what you’ve done), not commitments (what you say you’ll do).

2. Substantiation for your claims – for example, back up the statement that your operations are carbon-neutral.

3. Third-party green certifications, with links that show what they mean.

4. Non-promotional material that helps readers understand the issues on which you’re taking action.

5. Advice for readers on how they too can follow suit.

6. Transparency and truthfulness. Don’t attempt to hide elements that go against your overall stance.

Your reward: The trust of those who share your convictions, respect from those who haven’t yet seen the light, and joyfulness in your conscience.

Reprinted with permission from Marcia Yudkin’s Marketing Minute. Subscribe free at www.yudkin.com/markmin.htm.

Farrukh Naeem, Gulf Marketing Review

It’s almost fashionable to talk about CSR in the corporate world.

Company websites have dedicated corporate social responsibility sections; press releases are issued with pictures of CEOs holding giant donation cheques. But the scope of CSR goes beyond more than just charity, donations to development organizations or seasonal awareness campaigns.

Today, as companies struggle to come to terms with harsh economic realities, questions are being raised on whether there is any good in doing good, business-wise.

There is ample evidence that no matter the state of the economy, investment in CSR is a necessity – and an opportunity. In a study conducted by YouGov Siraj on behalf of National Commercial Bank of Saudi Arabia, more than half the respondents (56 per cent) felt that CSR attracts new investors and another 62 per cent believed that CSR facilitates the development of a stronger relationship with the organization.

The 2009 Edelman goodpurpose Consumer Study, which surveyed 6,000 consumers in 10 countries, revealed that 57 per cent of consumers chose a brand or company because of its CSR initiatives. If the quality of a product or service is the same, more than 65 per cent would readily switch to a brand that supports a good cause.

In their latest book, Guerrilla Marketing Goes Green: Winning Strategies to Improve Your Profits and Your Planet, Jay Conrad Levinson, originator of guerrilla marketing, and award-winning marketing author and lifelong environmental activist Shel Horowitz stress that CSR, sustainability and profitability can go hand in hand.

“Not only is it a good value proposition, but those companies that ignore CSR will find themselves increasingly marginalized as more and more consumers start to really demand it,” Horowitz says. Ethical companies can slash marketing costs and boost response by forming alliances with organizations that reach their target audience, by turning customers and even competitors into brand ambassadors.

While one would think that recessions diminish the CSR effect, it’s quite the contrary. In 2009, according to the Edelman study, 64 per cent of global respondents said they would recommend a brand that supports a good cause, up from 52 per cent in 2008. The need to be an ethical and responsible company today is greater than ever.

Redefining social responsibility

In a region known for its predisposition to philanthropy at an individual, corporate and government level, it’s not hard to find numerous examples of community support through financial aid.

Especially during Ramadan, the traditional month of giving, all entities big and small do their part for the community, often without publicity, as is the Islamic tradition. But there’s more to CSR – and things are changing fast towards the global norms.

CSR in the region is moving in many instances from ad hoc activities driven by individual company founders, to a strategically aligned, competency-based activity framed by the company’s overall corporate responsibility strategy, according to Maria Sillanpaa, founding director of the Sustainability Advisory Group.

“Philanthropy aside, the region is now clearly acknowledging that corporate responsibility goes well beyond the cheque book,” she says.

The genuine concern leaders in the Middle East have for responsible business was evident at this year’s World Economic Forum. “Business needs to invest in society,” said Fadi Ghandour, founder and CEO of the Jordan-based logistics company Aramex International. “If we don’t act responsibly, who will pay the cost?”

“We are not late, but we are running fast in trying to bring social responsibility to our society,” said Mohammed Alshaya, executive chairman, Alshaya Group, Kuwait. Ahmed Mahmoud Nazif, Prime Minister of Egypt, noted that social responsibility is not just about taking care of the environment; it is about taking care of the whole society. As the need to have solid CSR planning and implementation is being realized, interesting case studies are emerging in the region.

CSR as part of brand values – the regional experience

Governments across the GCC and the Middle East are increasing their investment in community development with brands like Qatar Foundation and Dubai Cares helping local and global communities. From a marketing point of view, CSR activities are being conducted by businesses as part of their brand mandate.

In the retail sector, a brand that is doing CSR in a whole new way is Dubai-based THE One, or the ‘Total Home Experience’ brand. Its stated purpose is “to change the world together”.

Thomas Lundgren, the founder of THE One and winner of the CSR Leadership Award at the CSR Summit Awards, believes: “Whatever you do, if it’s not built into the vision or values of your company, it will never stick.” The brand trains and employs special needs staff, encourages staff volunteering, and has special products which can be bought to contribute to its CSR efforts.

With stores in Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar and the UAE currently, THE One aims to run 99 stores by 2020 to support 99 villages around the world through its Onederworld initiative. The first project is the Pimbiniet community in Kenya where the company is building schooling facilities, digging wells, eliminating child labor and creating volunteering opportunities. “It’s about engaging with society on a significant level and empowering our communities to evolve as a by-product of our core business.” THE One has a dedicated project blog at www.theonederworld.com where pictures and videos of the progress of the project are posted regularly.

In the technology arena, the region’s largest managed ICT cluster, Dubai Internet City (DIC), has focused its efforts in facilitating the exchange of ideas. It hosts the Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE) events to nurture the entrepreneurial spirit and facilitate start-up companies.

“During challenging times, DIC continues to initiate significantly valuable programs to support small and medium-sized business in the region,” says Malek Al Malek, executive director of Dubai Internet City.

DIC also supports BarCamp meetings in the UAE – an informal gathering of technology and new media professionals to share knowledge, exchange experiences and analyze new developments in their respective fields. To support the IT employment industry in the region, DIC is working with the career portal Bayt.com offering a series of CV clinic sessions for UAE professionals looking for employment.

This review is posted online at http://www.kippreport.com/2010/03/csr-good-business-or-pr-ploy/?bnr=

The book discusses the new marketing mindset, which includes:

* The effectiveness of marketing messages depends on relevance and quality (and not only on frequency)
* Think in terms of abundance (the pie is infinite and helping others is helping yourself)
* Build alliances with competitors, customers, suppliers, non-profits, and businesses in different markets
* Be the early movers in green marketing and make the message believable and genuine (avoid greenwashing)

The authors also offer some hands-on marketing tools using a range of traditional and social media (including social media press releases and social networking), developing creative partnerships with retailers, and being a writer and speaker.

This review is posted online at http://www.greenbusinesstimes.com/2010/04/06/guerrilla-marketing-goes-green-winning-strategies-to-improve-your-profits-and-your-planet/

For Release: On Receipt

Contact: Shel Horowitz, 413-586-2388, shel@principledprofit.com, Twitter: @ShelHorowitz

New Green Marketing Book Racking Up Honors In First Few Weeks

HADLEY, MA, February 4, 2010: The newest book in the world of eco-friendly marketing has been racking up honors at an amazing pace.

After less than two weeks on the market, Guerrilla Marketing Goes Green: Winning Strategies to Improve Your Profits and Your Planet, by Jay Conrad Levinson and Shel Horowitz (John Wiley & Sons, 2010) has successfully synthesized the disparate worlds of environmental activism and cutting-edge marketing—and has already been met with several honors:

· Rights to an Italian edition were sold to Francesco Brioschi Editore

· Rights to an English-language audiobook edition were purchased by Gildan Media Corp.

· In its first week, the book got to Number 10 in the Environmental category on Amazon.com (screenshot available)

· It was only the fifth book to be named an “Indie Groundbreaking Book” by Independent Publisher Magazine

· Went to press with more than 50 endorsements by prominent entrepreneurs, marketers, and environmentalists, as well as a Foreword from Stephen M.R. Covey, best-selling author of The Speed of Trust

· Primary author Shel Horowitz is giving a talk based on the book, “Communicate the Value in Your Values and Turn it Into Sales: Effectively Marketing Your Social / Environmental Commitment” in Davos, Switzerland next week

· Partnered with Green America to raise money for environmental causes

Jay Conrad Levinson released the first of more than 60 Guerrilla Marketing books in 1984, after a corporate marketing career that included being on the creative team that developed the Marlboro Man. A household name in the marketing world, he’s sold more than 20,000,000 books.

Shel Horowitz has been both an environmental activist/organizer and a marketer since 1972 (as a 15-year-old high school student). A world-renowned marketing consultant and multiple-award-winning 8-time author, he’s participated actively in major environmental and social change movements.

Guerrilla Marketing Goes Green, ISBN 978-0-470-40951-0, $21.95 trade paperback, is available through all major online and physical bookstores. Endorsements, reviews, excerpts, and more can be seen at http://guerrillamarketinggoesgreen.com/ (along with a bonus package worth over $2600, free with purchase from any qualified retailer).

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