Tips on how best to spread the sustainability message and inspire change in the office, beginning with senior management…
Sometimes the best ideas need extra attention and salesmanship when it comes to introducing them into a business. Sustainability and all the initiatives that come with it is no different. One of the trickiest things in business is gaining buy-in from your co-workers and/or senior management. We’ve talked about about sustainability’s value proposition, now we’re sharing tips on how best to sell energy efficiency to senior management.
Here are our top four tips to keep in mind when pitching a new energy efficiency initiative to your business:
1. Timing
Timing is everything. If there is a designated quarter or meeting for discussing energy initiatives, then by all means introduce your new ideas. Another good time is when top management are reviewing and signing off energy bills.
2. Your Senior Management’s Preference and Your Presentation
By knowing their preferences, you will be able to better present the information to them. How you represent the data and the style of your presentation can be the key to catching and keeping their attention. Any senior management team will want to see the whole picture in order to make an informed decision. Think back to previous successful presentations and model your sustainability pitch in a similar manner. Knowing how to capture their business minds is vital to your success.
3. Communication and Keywords
When you present the information, prepare the data as if you were presenting to a board room of executives. Also anticipate questions and prepare answers. This may seem like an obvious thing to do, however, often scientific reports and data are not written with business teams in mind. It is vital that you make the terminology familiar and explain (if not known) who it is you are citing in order to build your proposition for sustainability.
Senior management want to have information that is targeted and relevant to their business plans and strategy. Use keywords and phrases that communicate your sustainability and energy efficiency goals while still harmonizing with business lingo. Using language that relates to your company, company values and business strategy will help you engage your senior executive team.
4. Make a Plan
Not only should present the data that supports making a sustainable change (both scientific and financial), you should also consider having some sort of draft of how to execute this new energy efficiency initiative. Plan as if you’ve gotten your executive team’s buy in. Put together the details: what resources would be required, whether in house or outsourced; the estimated timeline; costs, projected savings calculations and the implementation budget. Any senior team will want to want to have the confidence that a plan will be successful so building as complete a picture will be key.
Contact our team today to help you get all the information and data you need to start saving with Legend Power!
(Image via Pixabay)