Bernard Sleijster blog

Clean technology , or cleantech, as it’s more commonly known, has shown massive growth in recent years. With new technologies coming out regularly, it’s vital that we market this industry to show it’s full potential. The world needs to see that sustainable energies and a cleaner way of living is the future, but how do we go about promoting that? Greenbiz wrote an article a while back saying that, “A marketing effort for the nation’s cleantech industries has to be evidence-based, persistent and absolutely everywhere — and it has to be relentless. From paid media to press to social media — images, examples, and interviews need to be racked up like flights out of JFK airport. Beyond green blogs, science pages, and the slices of ephemera used as filler on cable, communications need to be in the business pages, hard-core news, and reaching into red states and blue states.” What does that mean? We need to show enough evidence and scientific proof that cleantech is the way of the f...

Whether you’re looking to buy a new home or wish to give your existing house a little upgrade, there are many things you can do to make it as environmentally-friendly as possible. Many people unfortunately think that by using renewable energy tech, it’s extra hassle and you lose out on efficiency, but that is far from the truth. There are many ways you can maintain your home and keep the environment in mind, and I want to give you some ideas on how you can begin today! Research solar power This one is perhaps one of the most obvious ones if you’re lucky enough to live in a hot, sunny climate. When I lived in Southern Europe, I was surprised that with over 300 days of sunshine a year, there aren’t more houses with built-in solar panels. Some years ago, when this invention was just starting to hit the mainstream market, it was expensive, bulky, people didn’t know what to do with them and were put off by the idea that you had to install something odd on your roof to get hot wat...

Everybody wants to look better, feel better, look younger and be healthier inside and out. Nowadays we have many proven methods to help people do just that, from nutrition to colonics to toxin-removing foot pads – there’s something out there for everyone. The growth in this industry has been huge in the recent years, and it’s estimated to continue growing as people are becoming more health conscious. Marketing is, of course, one of the key reasons why it has become one of the highest growing industries in the world. There is always room for improvement, however. If you have a health and wellness company, how can you make the most of your marketing efforts? Think outside the box Health and wellness are often stereotyped as being feminine, tree-hugging or affordable only to the rich and famous. We need to break these stereotypes by marketing this industry in totally unique and unexpected way. Make it personal This is becoming true in all industries, but is especially impor...

Cleantech is short for Clean Technology, a term that is growing more and more popular in the modern world. It usually represents a set of technologies that either reduces or optimises the use of natural resources, whilst at the same time reducing the negative effect that technology has on the planet and the environment. The aims of cleantech are to provide users with enhanced performance at lower costs, use natural resources more wisely and at the same time, reduce negative ecological footprint. There are a few key areas of interest for cleantech enthusiasts. These include, but are not limited to: the use of sustainable energy as opposed to depending on burning fossil fuels, waste management, recycling, providing clean water and pollution reduction. Here are the 8 main categories of cleantech, as defined by Kachan & Co. Sustainable energy This category encourages the use of renewable energy sources, such as: Sun (solar panels convert light into into electrical curr...

We all know and have personally experienced the massive powers of marketing. Our choice of whether we should buy a burger or eat a salad, or buy an electric car instead of a petrol car is greatly influenced by professionals in the marketing business who do their best to sway consumers in their direction. But how can we as marketing experts do our best to change the world for the better? Collaborate with brands we believe in Personally, I work with companies whose business goals I strongly believe in. For the last few years, for example, I have been consulting and creating marketing strategies for cleantech and wellness and hospitality brands. Sustainability and health have long been an interest of mine, and through working with these firms, not only am I helping them grow, but I am also helping to spread a good message to the world. A message of renewable energy systems, recycling, nutrition and our general wellbeing. Create awareness and drive fundraising There are ma...

Adolescents in Latin America are now completing two more years on average than their parents’ generation. However despite this progress, there is still much to develop in the schooling department. About 30-40% of the youngest children (ages 4-5) do not go to school and out of the older kids who are enrolled into secondary school, only 66% actually come to classes. A calculation by UNESCO showed us that a few years ago, “In Latin America and the Caribbean, over 8 million people aged 15 to 24 have not even completed primary school and need alternative pathways to acquire basic skills for employment and prosperity. This is equivalent to almost one in twelve young people.” http://bjsleijster.com/child-education-in-latin-america/ Sports in schools Most schools do not have the resources to offer extracurricular activities. Sports are often organised by clubs, and even those are rare in Latin America. The child’s economic status plays a key role here, as families with relativel...

When you’re starting a new company, there are many things to consider. More likely than not, your resources may be limited, so you write down a list of things that need to get done, in order of priority. Many people put marketing way down on that list, thinking that spending on-going money to someone who will promote your business may not be worth investing in, or perhaps they see the benefits but don’t know which route to go on. There are so many types of marketing, that it may seem daunting, but trust me, marketing you or your business in the right way can boost your sales, reputation or get your message out there for as many people as possible to see. Check out your competition As part of your marketing research, you’re sure to check out businesses similar to yours. This may give you great advantage as you can compare their strategies to yours, figure out what works and how you can position yourself in an even better way. Get people talking about you Marketing is mostly ab...