Today, there is nearly universal agreement that the green movement presents a significant revenue opportunity for the building materials and construction industry. In fact, one study predicts that, during the next five years, annual growth rates for green building products will hover near 20 percent.

But recently, our discussions with manufacturers and others in the building materials industry often contain a variation on a frustrating theme: “We know linking our product or service to environmental benefits and sustainability can be good for business. We just don’t know how to get started.”

In fact, developing a green marketing plan that results in revenue growth and greater market share can be difficult. It requires sound strategy, creative thinking and hard work. Still, the 15 practical strategies below can help any company in our industry begin to build the framework for an effective green marketing program:

1. Create an environmental stewardship policy. Good marketing and branding should have a solid basis in reality. If you don’t have a formal green policy, or if you haven’t reviewed it recently, take a close look at your operations and programs. Develop a written policy statement that underscores your commitment to sustainability and details the specific steps you have taken — as an organization – to “go green” — everything from developing green products to focusing on recycling and energy efficiency.

2. Highlight the green aspects of your product or service. If you haven’t already, determine and quantify the aspects of your product or service contribute to sustainability: manufacturing processes, use of recycled or renewable materials, green benefits to the end user, or others. Build green into your brand, but be sure to back up all claims with verifiable support.

3. Research your position in the marketplace. Most successful green marketing programs begin with some sort of research: How large is the market for your product or service, and how important are green messages and product characteristics to them? If you don’t have a large research budget, start by interviewing a dozen or so key customers. Also important: competitive research. Find out what green claims your competitors are making so you can make decisions on positioning your product and developing messages that stake out your territory.

4. Focus on energy efficiency. Energy savings are the number one factor in a consumer’s buying decision about green products. If possible, quantify your product’s effect on energy usage and clarify that key message to all partners along the supply chain.

5. Audit all communications materials. At this point, your company will have built a foundation for telling a compelling green story. Now, with your key messages in mind, step back and perform an audit of all your marketing communications: brochures, sales sheets, direct mailers and all other materials. Some may also want to review logos, taglines and color schemes. Develop a plan for gradually modifying any materials to maximize your green message.

6. Going green on the Web. The Web is a critical marketing tool. Be sure your content and design reflect the green benefits of your product and your company’s sustainability efforts. In addition, review your search engine optimization (SEO) program — be sure all key words, links and other SEO tactics work to boost your site rankings for Web visitors using green-related search terms.

7. Explore certifications. Currently, there are individual certifications for air quality, energy efficiency, conservation of resources and other environmental attributes. When clearly explained, a certification like ENERGY STAR, Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) or GREENGUARD can give dealers, builders and end-users a powerful shortcut for making a green buying decision.

8. Develop a LEED Guide. If applicable, a company should develop a guide that explains how their product can potentially contribute to LEED points or meet new National Association of Home Builder (NAHB) guidelines. This data-driven educational tool offers relevant, legitimate information on the areas in which a product can help a building earn points in one of six LEED categories. This tool shows customers how a particular product can meet green goals and, therefore, generate sales.

9. Get everyone on board. Take time to train employees, sale representatives and business partners about your green marketing program: your key messages, ways in which your company has modified its marketing approach, and why green is important to growth. Educating your team is an inexpensive but effective way to build momentum and bring consistency to a program.

10. Use PR to tell your story. Public relations can play a significant role in a green marketing effort. Through news releases, articles and placed columns, manufacturers and others can work with trade and consumer media outlets to generate exposure and develop a company’s environmental story. Today, emerging outlets in both traditional and online media offer new opportunities to reach your audience. Other tactics, such as white papers and case studies, help a manufacturer further build its green credentials.

11. Evaluate your trade show program. Revisit your participation in all trade shows. Do your exhibit, show materials, pre-show communications and other aspects of your trade-show program incorporate your green messaging? Also, are there shows, green-focused or otherwise, that you may be missing but that could present an opportunity for your product or service to reach a new audience?

12. Reexamine media placement. Take a hard look at your current advertising program. While we don’t necessarily advocate increasing your media buy, it may make sense to explore new outlets or different sections where placement could be beneficial. While you’re at it, take a critical look the creativity and design of your last ad campaign. Are you certain your ads are sending the right message to your target audience?

13. Check your packaging. A company that sells a product should review every aspect of its packaging, from the materials employed to the design, color-scheme and copy. The right packaging can build the green aspects of your brand, help dealers move more product, nudge a prospect in the right direction and reinforce the buying decision of the customer.

14. Be a joiner. Consider the benefits of joining local, regional and national associations. They provide an excellent source of education and networking, and membership in some groups — the U.S. Green Building Council, for example — can demonstrate a company’s commitment to the environment.

15. Stay at the forefront. Work to keep yourself educated. Take time to meet with vendors and business partners about new green products, research or marketing approaches. Also, consider building your own green advisory group — a group of informed builders, architects or others your organization works with who can provide advice, guidance and support on an ad hoc basis.

Of course, there’s much more to building a green marketing program, but these 15 strategies provide several practical ways to get started. In fact, the most important step is this: Do something, and do something now. Those who procrastinate are simply forfeiting their opportunity to capture their piece of a burgeoning green market — a market that shows no signs of slowing.