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Green Light Distrikt
Green Light Distrikt is about entrepreneurship focused on the cleantech sector. Edited by Chris Williams with frequent guest posts from friends, experts and industry insiders from clusters across the globe. Our goal is to provide a place where cleantech entrepreneurs in various clusters across the globe can learn from one another. Green Light Distrikt is creating the "Hitchikers Guide to Clentech" to provide a resource for cleantech entrepreneurs. Read more
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NEW YORK
January 28th, 2012
How to Leverage Data to Increase Clean Tech Sales
TOPICS: Business Insights, Marketing, NEW YORK
In last month’s post “How to Grow Electric Vehicle Sales”, I discussed the importance of understanding your target customers so you can successfully market your new clean tech product or service. For instance, the people who brought the early Toyota Prius - typically middle aged, upper middle class, highly educated, environmentalists – were willing to prioritize environmental benefits at the expense of performance and cost more than others. How can you find out if you are reaching your target customers? Data.
As data analysis tools have become increasingly sophisticated, business leaders have been challenged to put to work the immense amount of data they have with which to understand their existing customers (online shipping, online surveys, even in-store shopping using rewards cards) and potential customers (website visitors, newsletter subscribers, social media followers). Let’s walk through the three keys to leveraging data to evaluate if your current marketing strategy is reaching your target customers.
Read more past the break and join the Green Light Distrikt Facebook group for updates on events, blog posts and more.
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December 8th, 2011
NYC GLD Meetup: How can we Create Profitable, Easy to Test, and Cash Flow Positive Businesses Focused on Cleantech?
TOPICS: Entrepreneurship, NEW YORK
The renewable energy and cleantech industries need to be making more money. This might seem like a simple observation, but I don’t think it’s talked about as much as it should be within our industry. I certainly do not hear it enough.
In order to help facilitate this process, I’m creating a meetup in NYC for entrepreneurs looking to build companies and make money in the renewable energy industry. Read below for the backstory, meetup details, types of opportunities we’re look at and the types of individuals who will be at the meetup.
December 6th, 2011
How to Grow Electric Vehicle Sales
TOPICS: Marketing, NEW YORK, Transportation
Electric vehicles are one of the sexiest new entrants to the clean technology space, highlighted by interesting initiatives such as EVroadside assistance developed by AAA and Green Charge Networks, all-electric commercial fleet vehicles by Smith Electric Vehicles, and of course battery swapping by Better Place. But what I found most intriguing at last week’s “EVs in NYC” event (watch the video online) hosted by SolarOne was a sidenote by Anatol Feygin of Loews Corporation.
“The first few phases of adoption are going to be relatively simple. The EV industry is trying too hard to address issues of range anxiety and others that the early adopters will be relatively comfortable with. There will be people who are early adopters of other technologies who are comfortable with those initial hiccups.”
Anatol reminds us that it’s essential that these companies optimize their marketing resources and target the audience that will be most likely to purchase electric vehicles regardless of their existing limitations.
Let’s consider the history of hybrid electric vehicle sales as a proxy for the growing electric vehicle market. Read past the break for the full story and join the Green Light Distrikt Facebook group for updates on new events, blog posts and more. + Continue Reading
November 23rd, 2011
The Polarization of Energy
TOPICS: Business Insights, CleanTech Events, NEW YORK
It’s no secret that at the core of the Supercommittee’s failure earlier this week is the increasing polarization of American politics. Huffington Post contributor and law professor June Carbone illustrates this transition over the past half-century:
“A half century ago, neither political party disproportionately consisted of those who favored a my-way-or-the-high-way approach. Unbending ideologues did not make it into leadership positions. Today, it may be the only way to get elected – for one of the parties. That party has framed the debt limit as a matter of principle and used it to fire up the base. For a group inclined to see the world in terms of absolutes, compromise can accordingly only be seen as betrayal.”
What’s causing this polarization? It’s certainly not that Americans feel that this polarization is good for the country. Eight in ten Americans disapprove of Congress, more than half disapprove of the President, and three-quarters believe that the country is headed in the wrong direction. So what gives? Read past the break for the full story and join the Green Light Distrikt Facebook group for updates on new events, blog posts and more. + Continue Reading
October 21st, 2011
What You Need to Know About Ethanol, Part I
NEW YORK -Ethanol is so five years ago. 2011 is the year of electric cars and shale gas. Or is it? Considering the following:
- Since 2004, U.S. ethanol consumption has grown four-fold, while gasoline consumption has been flat.
- Driven to cut the national deficit, politicians are increasingly advocating for the reduction or elimination of government supports for ethanol. Two such House bills were introduced earlier this month.
- The Obama Administration supports both the ethanol mandate and increased fuel economy. Since ethanol delivers fewer miles per gallon than gasoline, this will lead to an inevitable clash between the Administration’s energy and economic priorities.
- “High energy prices contribute to high food prices by making food production more expensive and encourages more people to use grains like corn to make ethanol, which also drives up corn prices” (Slate).
So even though ethanol isn’t the sexiest energy story of 2011, it’s incredibly relevant to the politics of energy, food and global trade. Read past the break for the full story and join the Green Light Distrikt Facebook group for updates on new events, blog posts and more.
