Our readers are already familiar with Jacquie Ottman, host of Sustainable Life Media's Sustainable Brands newsletter and content channel, and chair of Sustainable Brands '07 conference. Now we'd like to introduce our conference co-chair, Pam Van Orden, another veteran in global brand development, eco-innovation, and green marketing.

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SLM: Pam, please tell us about your work at Enlightened Brand, the consulting firm you founded. What's your company's philosophy and approach to sustainable branding?

Pam Van Orden: Very early in my career, 1980 to be exact, I was on the editorial staff of a magazine called New Age Journal. We featured thought leaders like Amory and Hunter Lovins, and stories with titles such as "55 Ways to Save Energy" and "Natural Fast Food." The publication was considered to be on the fringe of our mainstream culture. Now I know that they were just ahead of the mainstream.

Fast-forward to 1998 when I founded Enlightened Brand. By then, I had served as corporate identity manager for Intel and global brand strategy manager for Symantec. I was passionate about the power of brands and equally passionate about the consciousness that shapes brands. Enlightened Brand brought my two passions together.

A firm believer in listening to the market, I began defining the company by asking business leaders, "What does the phrase enlightened brand mean to you?" The responses consistently pointed to two attributes, awareness and integrity. Enlightened Brands know who they are and how they fit into the world. That's the awareness piece. It's self awareness. And Enlightened Brands operate with integrity. In essence, they walk their talk. They keep their promises.

Awareness and integrity became our value proposition. We help our clients know themselves better, create and articulate their authentic brand stories, and then design and deliver an integrated brand experience.

SLM: Can you give us a specific example of your approach in action?

Pam: Let me give you some insight to specific cases without naming names. Our clients often prefer confidentiality due to the strategic nature of our work.

We have been engaged by a Fortune 100 technology company to work with their field sales team. Our work is focused on understanding their perceptions and attitudes about selling certain products. Why are some people very effective at selling these products while others are struggling? Is the challenge coming from the company, the market, or the individual salespeople? This is the self-awareness part of the work. We will then involve the field sales team in improving the design of the system so that they are better able to meet the brand objectives. That is the integrity piece.

As a brand strategist, I'm not often asked to work with sales teams. However, this is the third engagement this year in which we have facilitated new sales approaches. I am excited to see businesses broadening their perspectives on branding. Although many companies still equate brand with advertising and keep their brand teams confined to a marketing department, thought leaders realize that brand experience is delivered in every business action and personal interaction.

In another case, we are working with a small business, a retail boutique that offers personalized wellness programs to baby-boomer women. It's been a very interesting project and lots of fun. At first glance, the business had all the elements of a success story. Loyal customers. Compelling customer testimonials. But growth was at a standstill. And their margins were too small for sustainability. We worked with the client to restructure the business around a new and authentic brand story. The strategy, even down to the pricing, is aligned with the story. They have a foundation that they can grow on. Now we are spreading the story throughout the community.

SLM: What are some common pitfalls you see companies fall into in the arena of green marketing and branding and how can they be overcome?

Pam: I see three major pitfalls:

1. Greenwashing. Your green story must be authentic. If you present your product or company as green when it really isn't, you will be found out and you will damage your brand. That doesn't mean you have to be perfect before you go to market. It just means that you need to tell the truth.


2. Marketing myopia. Green branding doesn't just happen at the point of sale. Your retail presence and company web site are both important channels. But if you focus too closely on what is happening at the time of purchase, you can miss key opportunities to enhance and differentiate your brand experience. Zoom your lens out. Look at your customer's journey before and after the purchase. And just when you think you have the whole picture in focus, zoom out again. Understand as much as you can about your customer. It will help you to see how you fit into his or her life.


3. Me-too stories. The tipping point is here. Green has become a mainstream story. It's time for that story to be told in ways that are compelling, engaging, creative and differentiated. There are companies that do this very well. But, by and large, we have a long way to go. I was at the solar energy show a few months ago. Every booth had a big yellow sun and messages were feature-focused. It was reminiscent of technology on the early '90s. As the market for green expands and matures, we can move beyond sustainability case-building to stories that touch people's emotions, stories that are worth retelling.
   

SLM: At Sustainable Brand '07 you'll be leading a workshop on strategic storytelling for sustainable brands. What exactly do you mean by that and why is it important?

Pam: Storytelling is central to who we are. It is part of our history and our identity. It is the way that we create our collective culture. Good stories are engaging. We listen differently to stories than we do to facts. As a result, we are more likely to remember them.

Web 2.0 has brought people a colorful toolbox of technologies for creative expression, igniting a renaissance for the masses. Social networks, the blogosphere, virtual worlds, and video all depend on stories. I agree with author Dan Pink that storytelling is an essential business skill for the new digital age.

Stories are not just for customers. In fact, I often work with companies whose primary goal is to discover the stories they share as an organization and strengthen their organizational identity. I recently heard this quote, "We tell stories to describe ourselves not only so others can understand who we are, but so that we can understand ourselves." I have seen this principle in action.

SLM: What's your advice to companies that are building, or improving upon, their sustainability story? What about those that are just beginning process?

Pam: Change your point of view. Observe real people in their real environments. Watch them interact with your product or service. Find out what is important to them. Listen to the language they use. Learn how you fit into their life. You might be surprised by what they teach you about yourself.

Be especially clear on the core brand stories of who you are, what you do and why it matters.

SLM: How can readers find out more?

Pam: The upcoming Sustainable Brands '07 conference is going to be a strategic storyteller's dream. Two whole days of sustainable brand stories told by a who's who of brand leadership. And the whole event is happening in the very storied New Orleans.

Of course, you are all invited to attend my half-day, hands-on, pre-conference event, "Your Sustainable Brand Story." A strategic storytelling workshop.

When you get to New Orleans, be sure to say hello!