How do you sell a virtual product? Especially when the product is all around you—namely the environment? I recently chatted with my friend Lena of Ride Wise in Somerset County, N.J., who has that very challenge before her.
Lena says that much like any salesperson, she has to cold call companies to try and sell her product—which is commuting in an environmentally friendly way. Her job is to inform companies about how they can lessen their environmental impact—and maybe get a tax break—by encouraging employees to find sometimes alternate means to work every day, whether by carpool, biking or mass transit.
It amazed me when she told me some companies are simply not interested when she calls. Some businesses, she said, can't pursue these opportunities without going through massive red tape at headquarters. Others think she has an angle other than the environment. But since her organization is funded through the Federal Highway Act, she can assure you she doesn't.
Even when companies are less than receptive (a challenge all salespeople face), Lena is proud of the work she does and knows her efforts don't just make a difference on Earth Day, but every day.
So in honor of "The Day After Earth Day," think about your commute. You don't need to live in Somerset County, N.J., to consider alternate transportation. And truth be told, while sometimes that alternate means isn't a viable solution, examining the possibilities couldn't hurt. After all, you don't want to hurt the sticker price on Lena's virtual product—Planet Earth.
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