Companies are always on the lookout for new ways to promote products and services. While a majority of marketing is happening online these days, traditional methods of marketing, including promo materials and branded gifts, are still an important part of any successful modern marketing plan. The downside of creating promo materials and branded gifts is that they, unfortunately, end up in the trash and create a lot of waste. For this reason, we’re sharing four sustainable ways to promote your business, and have also included some eco-friendly gift ideas that employees and clients would actually use and love.

Tote Bags

We all know the feeling: you’re standing in the checkout aisle when the cashier asks if you would like a plastic bag. Your heart drops at the question, knowing that you forgot your reusable bags at home again. Although it might not seem like a big deal at the time, doing your part by using recyclable bags makes a big difference. Over four trillion plastic bags are used worldwide annually and only one percent of plastic bags are returned for recycling, according to earthday.org. Gifting your clients and employees with branded tote bags to keep at their desks or in their cars will encourage them to ditch the single-use plastic bags for good.

Car Decals

While walking, biking and taking public transportation are by far the most sustainable methods of getting around, if driving a car or truck is an imperative part of running your business, be sure to make the most of it. Maximize your vehicle’s potential by using it as an effective advertising tool to help build brand eco-awareness. Create custom car decals that include your logo and contact information that will catch the attention of anyone that sees your vehicle on the street. Ultimately, having a car decal that successfully promotes your business could mean that you can eliminate other methods of marketing that may be more harmful to the environment, such as mailing out paper flyers.

As a side note – car decals can be useful if you damage your car’s paint and don’t care to lay out a lot of money on repairs. Decals, like the old Sticky Stains design project to cover stains with humorous illustrations can patch up the problem and make your ride a little more “you”. I did this one after getting side-swiped. A few hundred dollars in decals saved me a fortune in a paint job.

Reusable Metal Straw with Case

There’s a good reason why plastic straws have been the subject of public scrutiny in recent years. Approximately 80 percent of all litter in the world’s oceans is made up of plastic, the United Nations reports. Since plastic straws are frequently found in coastline cleanups and are one of the most common and typically unnecessary types of single-use plastics, swapping plastic straws for metal ones is a no-brainer. Promoting your business on a reusable metal straw and case shows that your company is eco-conscious and forward-thinking, as it’s clear that you’re participating in the global mission of creating a more sustainable future. The problem is that metal straws really haven’t taken off. No one carries them in their purse, or are we wrong? And are straws just aiming to put a bandaid on a bleeding wound? Let us know what you think.

Customized Stickers or Magnets

If you work in a coworking space or in an office building with multiple tenants, little gifts are always a much-appreciated token of goodwill when introducing yourself to your new neighbors. Custom stickers and magnets are affordable options for promoting your business. Custom stickers or magnets that contain your company logo and a list of best practices regarding recycling and composting is a practical way to promote your business. At the same time, it gently reminds others about the importance of sorting things before throwing them away.