This morning at the 2010 Cleantech Forum sponsored by Mass High Tech, Eckert Seamans and others, panelists addressed the subject: “Work, Live, Sustain: How cleantech is being applied to business, home and community.”  The biggest theme of the forum was how do cleantech companies effectively market and sell their products and services in today’s environment. On the one hand, the interest in cleantech by consumers and commercial interests has never been greater. On the other hand, the economy, cost and the need for demonstrated ROI can dampen the passion of companies that want to “go green.” When it comes to the practical buyer, the cleantech sales pitch is not always the easiest.

It’s a unique public relations issue that the cleantech industry is faced with, and it goes beyond the obvious positives of “going green.”  Once you get beyond the “sexy” stories of solar panels, wind turbines and biofuels, how is the cleantech company going to be successful? As one panelist at this morning’s event noted, “sustainability did not repeal the rules of marketing.” Cleantech companies, whether selling services or products for consumers or corporations, still have to do the heavy lifting of marketing and selling. 

First  there’s the education–educating potential customers on what a clean technology can and can’t do.  Then there’s the ROI–what’s the cost and what’s the value of implementing a cleantech in the home or workplace?  And finally, in what is a unique challenge, cleantech is often faced with driving public policy and public acceptance.  Often cleantech companies need to partner with strong state and local advocates to help create their community of influence.

Clean tech vendors are at a very unique crossroads.  Never has the climate for their products and services been so receptive. Most of the early adopters of cleantech are the passionate, the believers who purchase with little regard to cost.  But as the market for cleantech matures, cleantech companies need to look beyond this vanguard and market themselves more effectively to cost-conscious customers.

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