I am excited to announce that Green Lodging News has added a new department to its website—Vendor Case Studies. The link to the page can be found on the left side of the site just below the second display ad and Sales & Marketing link. In this new department, industry suppliers will have the opportunity to publish success stories that explain how their products or services work and in what ways they can help a property operate more efficiently, reduce costs, increase profits and lower environmental impact.
In a marketplace that is becomingly increasingly green, it can get confusing when trying to decide between one product or service and another. My goal with this new section is to make it easier to make buying decisions and to give suppliers the opportunity to prove their claims. Before spending thousands or tens of thousands of dollars on something, reputation, referrals, and proof of success all come into play. Hard data is important. Anecdotal evidence is not enough.
While an opportunity for vendors to boast about their successes, Vendor Case Studies is also an opportunity for hotels, motels, lodges, resorts and inns to show thousands of their peers how they were able to work with a vendor to improve the quality of guest service, enhance operations, save money, increase revenues and do something good for the planet. In other words, it is an opportunity to create some positive marketing and public relations buzz. Interested in learning more? Here is how to get started.
Contact me at (440) 243-2055 or by e-mail at editor@greenlodgingnews.com. The cost for each case study is $250. Case studies can be a maximum of 1,000 words (subject to editing by Green Lodging News). Up to four images (high- or low-res jpeg files are preferred). Case studies must provide specific examples of how a property used a product or service, how it saved energy, eliminated waste and/or conserved natural resources. Case studies may include any type of product or service used in the lodging industry—from guestroom energy management systems to ice machines to consulting services.
When a case study is added to the Green Lodging News site, it will be linked to from the publisher’s weekly column and an announcement will appear in the form of a Vendor News item on the home page. I encourage those who participate in this section to use their success stories in other marketing efforts as well. I have written many case studies in the past (click here for a few examples). If you need advice of any kind, or assistance in the writing of a success story, don’t hesitate to ask. The first case study will be posted soon. Thank you in advance for supporting this new section of Green Lodging News.
New Green Product Directory Partner
Green Lodging News welcomes Harbor Linen as a Green Product Directory partner. Harbor Linen manufactures quality bath linen for the hospitality market. Its Orchid Towel Collection is a unique blend of bamboo and cotton. It is naturally soft and luxurious yet made to endure numerous institutional washings.
Bamboo benefits include: Naturally Anti-Bacterial, Anti-Fungal, and Anti-Microbial—reducing odors such as mildew. Bamboo is the fastest growing plant on the Earth, making it an eco-friendly “green product.” Harbor Linen also offers Microfiber cleaning cloths that help alleviate toxic chemical use.
Go to Harbor Linen, write to chrisvitale@harborlinen.com, or call (800)-257-7858, ext. 4429 for more information.
Natural Cleaning Tips
In last week’s column, I focused on green cleaning and a recently released report focusing on the hazards of cleaning products. In response, I received some green cleaning tips from a representative of ShopSmart, a Consumer Reports publication. The following tips appeared in the October/November issue of ShopSmart:
1. Hydrogen Peroxide: mildly bleaches and sanitizes (instead of chlorine bleach).
2. Castile Soap: for general cleaning.
3. Cream of Tartar: lifts stains from sinks and tubs; removes spots from aluminum pots.
4. Baking Soda: removes stains from tile, glass, and china; cleans inside the fridge; removes baked-on food from pots and pans.
5. Borax: makes an excellent freshener in laundry and is an all-round deodorizer.
6. Lemon Juice: lightens stains and removes tarnish on brass, copper, bronze, and aluminum.
7. White Vinegar: helps kill germs; removes some carpet stains; cleans coffeemakers and countertops.
As always, I can be reached at editor@greenlodgingnews.com.
