Call me Wednesday Addams, but I’ve always had a fondness for turkey vultures. They may have a face only a mother can love, but I wouldn’t want to live without them: they’re nature’s garbage collectors.
A group of turkey vultures have been cleaning up some road kill down the street from my office. I was admiring the flock’s efficiency when it reminded me of the refuse industry…
We may not be pretty, but we’re absolutely essential to civilized life.
You’re doing the job people don’t want to do and don’t want to think about doing. They want to set their bins out and have the refuse magically disappear…so are you marketing yourself as any old utility or as absolutely essential to the community?
I’m seeing the most success in refuse brands that are actively marketing themselves as part of their communities and demonstrating that they are the only relevant source for clean, green living. Doing this not only educates your customers, but keeps your brand top-of-mind when they’re making decisions or providing recommendations to new potential customers.
I’ll leave you with one final thought on marketing: the turkey vulture’s Latin name is Cathartes aura – or “cleansing breeze”.