As fast as technological advances have taken us to a new age of promotion and entertainment, there's much to be learned from a mysterious, intelligent bowling ball chained around the marketing industry's ankles. Rather than presenting a heavy burden, this bowling ball is green, enthusiastic and growing larger every day, thanks to companies like digital-telepathy, a digital marketing agency.

Based in San Diego, California, digital-telepathy's (aka "dt") approach to internet marketing "goes beyond branding and traditional marketing, by connecting with customers through their values and emotions."

What comes to my mind, when I hear this, is the new commercial from Dove called The Campaign for Real Beauty. It's about time marketing went beyond stereotypes. Dove's campaign targets our perception of beauty. digital-telepathy, through its green approach to working with clients, is a refreshing option for businesses who want to be socially responsible and planet friendly in their marketing and business planning.

A discussion with dt's Marketing Director, BJ Cook, about their "green think tank" sparked my interest in interviewing him and the company's founder and president, Chuck Longanecker.

Launched in 2000, dt is evolving and adapting to client needs and current marketing trends. This growing company offers an exceptional example of a corporate blog, called digital-telepathy Internet Marketing Strategy & News. Their devotion to education and passion for the environment are notable in their playful Green Love Tour. They get down to business with a clean and simple corporate site, digital-telepathy, Inc.

I'm proud to introduce you to Chuck and BJ, as well as Arnold Yoon, Operations Manager at dt. Grab a comfortable chair and a cup of green tea, while I inquire about this "green" way of doing business.


Kim: What is "green marketing"?

Chuck:

We have always promoted green marketing techniques as it reflects our philosophy of organic growth and karmic business. We weave together our organic business practices with our environmental efforts and green-friendly practices. Being green fits with our style of business:

• Promote natural growth
• Match our client's services to people who are interested in them
• Encourage green business & strategy
• Like growing companies authentically from the ground up
• Are conscience about the environment

As a carbon neutral company, seeing the results of our own green marketing has opened our eyes to the possibilities. We are able to effectively grow our business by promoting socially responsible businesses and encouraging others to be involved. Green marketing allows our clients to set the example and lead their industry by teaching corporate social responsibility to existing well-established companies. It goes beyond branding and traditional marketing by connecting with customers through their values and emotions.

Our goal is to promote and cultivate a path to a green business lifestyle as well as a green internet for our clients and for internet users at large.

Kim: Do you think your client prospects seek out your expertise because the company is socially and environmentally engaged, or does this come as an added educational bonus for them? In other words, do they understand that with your company, they get expert services and they get encouragement and support for "green business and strategy" and "natural growth" practices?

BJ:

Our clients seek us out based on our expertise in unconventional methods of digital marketing. Being green has allowed us entry into the environmental vertical

as well as been as added bonus for our clients in the way we approach the organic growth of their goals and strategies. We're not telling them to go out and buy hybrids, only use compact fluorescents and power their homes with solar panels. We're simply offering them an additional level of social awareness that they might not get with a traditional agency. The social part really ties into the way we create a campaign and use everyday people as vehicles for the message. Organic growth and word of mouth go hand in hand with marketing today.


Kim: What is the appeal of a "think tank" in relation to business and marketing?

Chuck:

Working with a digital think tank extends the capacity of what is possible in general business. Most B2B service providers offer services or products that help facilitate the ideas or needs of their clients. These services and products are of limited capacity for variation and customizability. Most customers are forced to choose the best option instead of the perfect fit. Or they must take it upon themselves to create the entire concept and bear the burden of it development.

A digital think tank works with the energy of an entrepreneur while providing the experience of seasoned internet and business professionals. The first step is to connect with and understand the ideas, methodologies and goals of the client. The think tank will use this connection as the foundation of a clearly outlined strategic plan for implementation. The plan converts the client's idea into a possibility within an optimal business plan and market segment. A dt, we are not only able to produce the plan into reality, but we then are able to implement, maintain and improve the business. The business is carefully monitored with analytics and updated on a constant basis. Your business is always in the hands of the people that helped you build it.

Kim: Why did you choose to go green, in your own business practices?

Chuck:

We are cultivating the very essence of our principles by instilling them directly into our business practices and educating our clients. With the recent ongoing global discussions of the greenhouse effect and how to do your part in countering it, dt is taking a step forward from the crowd by putting its heart behind many social integrated campaigns like greeninternet.org and begreennow.com. Both sites are currently in BETA, but address the need to have awareness of what you can do on a daily basis to offset your own pollution.

Working with one of the largest energy companies in the US has not only given us access to a plethora of knowledge on all of these environmental issues, but has opened up a large network of socially-conscious companies willing to reinvest their revenues back into the environment by making their business services more green. As more companies adopt a greener way of practicing business, individuals will see the benefits of being green and the organic growth will become second nature to future generations.

The website states:

"Having a carbon neutral website will set you apart from your competitors. Your website will stand out from other regular websites and your company will enjoy the added benefits and credibility resulting from your pledge to the environment and a green internet." (Source)

Kim: What is a "carbon neutral website"?

Arnold:

A site which has had all of its resources requisite to serve the data offset. I.e.: any requisite servers, networking equipment, etc.

Kim: How does having a carbon neutral website set it apart from competitors (other than it being environmentally welcome)? Or, is that the point? If so, is there a demand for green business practices (or are you helping to lead the way)?

BJ:

We believe there is a demand for green business practices. We would like to think we are not only encouraging our current and future clients to take these steps, but also educating everyone around us on the benefits of integrating a green consciousness to their business.