18 Steps To Promote Your Recycling Business As A Good Corporate Citizen

Here are 18 steps that will help start your help your business as a good corporate citizen:

 1.   Make the decision to start. Believing that a recycling program is positive and beneficial to the business must exist as the foundation.

2.    Get “buy-in” from other management and employees.

 3.   Decide if you need a “designated” recycling coordinator. 

This could be a volunteer who feels strongly about the subject.



 4.  Find a mentor or model.  Find a business similar in size that has a successful program and ask for help.

   5. Create a program plan.  This should include goals and measurable objectives.

    6. Know what can be recycled – what to collect and what to toss.  There are regulations as to what can and cannot be recycled.

  7.  Understand recycling and educate the team.  Tell your employees why you want to recycle, why it’s important and what’s expected of each employee.

   8.  Determine a collection method. Decide from the beginning whether recyclables will be commingled or separated by source.

  9.  Make recycling convenient and easy. Don’t skimp on collection bins, for example.  If a bin is easier to find than a trash can than your program is bound to work.

   10. Choose a method for removal. Here in Santa Clarita we’re fortunate to have our own trash companies alert about recycling and willing to assist citizens.

  11.  Establish program guidelines.  Keep it simple and foolproof for employees.

   12.  Launch your program and get team “buy in”.  Make it fun.  Schedule a kick off program, or even a company-wide contest to name the program.

    13. Implement!  Now it’s time to put the program into practice.  Purchase and place bins, label recycling areas/bins.

14 Make sure you place signs about what is recyclable and what isn’t in the same vicinity as the collection bins.

   15.  Promote and market your program.  Keep the momentum going among your employees.

Some companies even offer incentive programs to recognize individuals or departments for their efforts.

    16. Evaluate the program periodically.  Analyze your program’s effectiveness and let team members know the result.

How much waste is being saved? Is it reducing costs? Are supply expenses lower?

  17.  Keep it going and build on the program.  If you started with just paper, now extend it to plastic/ink cartridges, for example.

    Publicize successes.  Internally promote the program with workers via a newsletter or email.

  Externally, use it for a PR boost by sharing results with local and trade publications with a Press Release. Hey, great advertising!

    18. Close the loop.  Buy recycled content products for your business, reduce waste in the office, and reuse materials when possible.

The start of a new business year is the perfect time to start a recycling program in your business.

 It’s just what’s needed to re-energize holiday-worn workers, and make them feel like a part of your company’s planning team.  

Happy Recycling!

The Importance Of Effective Marketing

When starting any new business, the main focus must be on effective marketing.

The first contacts will be the most difficult and will probably require references.

However, after you reach your capacity, you will have a tendency to slack off on your marketing.

You'll be so busy with one or two clients that you'll forget that there is an end to the work and to the income.


Suddenly, the work will be are starting all over gain. It is absolutely essential to keep marketing even when things are at their most hectic.

 A certain percentage of your time should be spent bringing in new business no matter how busy your are.

You will have to decide what percentage of time allows you to keep an even flow of business coming in and out.

You will find yourself only spending a portion of your time in "billable hours."

 A certain amount of time must be spent doing administrative functions, like billing and taxes.

Another portion of your work must be spent in staying up-to-date with current developments in the industry and with software and hardware innovations.

You may also want to round out your services by writing articles for magazines or publications or giving seminars or workshops.

 These types of endeavors can help provide additional revenues and expand your network for both clients and subcontractors.

If you billable hours fall off, you will want to devote more time to marketing but remember, no matter how much money you already to have to do, yours is a finite service and sooner or later, you're going to need new business.

So never forget to continue to market..., network, and expand your client base. This will help to curtail the roller-coaster ride many new and/or small businesses face.

Common courtesy will also help your gain referrals and keep your clients happy.

Send a thank you note to clients to let them know that you appreciate their business.

Make follow up calls to let them know that you are concerned that the services you provided them are effective and producing the results you were anticipating.

 A little personal touch here and there can keep your name in the minds of the most hardcore business person.

Have a good time.