Building buzz for green gas

(FSB Magazine) -- Dear FSB: My company sells an organic gasoline additive that boosts mileage and tests well with environmentally conscious women. How do I get more buzz on a limited budget? --Bernie Asher, Co-Owner, BT Distributors Chicago

Dear Bernie: A recent eMarketer (emarketer.com) report says that women with children control $1.7 trillion in spending in the U.S. each year, and other research shows that affluent moms are more worried than the average American about the fate of the planet.

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Cynthia Cohen, president of Strategic Mindshare (strategicmindshare.com), a marketing consultancy based in Miami that has helped launch lots of national brands, has several ideas for you. "With all the emphasis on green products these days, the timing for a product like this couldn't be better," she says, suggesting that you write a press release and send it out when gas prices jump again and reporters want new story angles.

Consider strategies outlined on the Word of Mouth Marketing Association's Web site (womma.org), such as lending your support to causes dear to your target customers.

One of them, Cohen notes, is Schoolpop (schoolpop.com), a network of consumer goods companies that lets shoppers buy certain brands to earn points toward new equipment for their local schools. "Become a merchant partner on Schoolpop," says Cohen.

Because you're selling your product in part through a direct-sales network, Cohen notes, "you're not just looking for end consumers. You're also looking for more salespeople." Every piece of your marketing, including your Web site and your product packaging, should do double duty.

How do you identify and market to your target audience? Tell us about it. Post your thoughts on the Ask FSB blog.