Most everyone believes companies need to be "responsible for doing the right thing," but it was interesting to read that 84% of those surveyed in a recent Cone Communications study felt companies are also just as responsible for effectively communicating said actions. What's more, nearly half of those surveyed claimed they'd avoid a purchase if they couldn't find out about a brand's CSR efforts.

Regardless of your political affiliation, one can't help but admire the Obama campaign's relentless and successful marketing strategy. In the next few months, marketers of all stripes will be scrutinizing what worked and what missed the mark. As marketers, we can all learn more about our craft by studying this recent election cycle. In the following, let's examine how some of these lessons can be applied to green marketing strategies.

According to a recent BBMG Report, two out of three Americans would consider themselves a "Conscious Consumer," that is, more likely to buy from companies that offer energy-efficient products and commit to environmentally-friendly business practices. One in two Americans are even willing to pay a premium for products if they have proven environmental benefits.

In keeping with the spooky theme of the season, let's talk about a scary topic for a lot of folks in the C-suite: openly sharing the status of their sustainability efforts.