Water recycling device needs publicity ideas

Brian James of Melbourne, Australia writes:

“My client wants his innovative portable water recycling device known as the Waterleech at http://www.waterleech.com.au to break into the U.S. market.

“It’s a small company with a limited budget. The Waterleech is a portable water collector that sucks up water from showers, baths and washing machines. It is then wheeled outside to water gardens and wash cars.

“The company is looking to raise funds to grow large enough for Home Depot and other big stores to stock the product. So the devices may be test-marketed in California and include a certificate which gives the first 10,000 people 100 units in the company as well.

“What would it take to get the word out and what is the most effective means of getting into the U.S./California media?”

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{ 16 Responses }

I would suggest that Mr. James contact the Green Building Council about his device: http://www.usgbc.org/. The organization is getting a tremendous amount of publicity as are companies, builders and vendors who attain their special LEED designation. This is a perfect time for him to promote his device. If you create a Google Alert for Green Building your email box will be full all day everyday! (I have had great success finding opportunities for several clients who are in some way involved in green building)

Here’s a bit about the Council from their website: The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is a non-profit composed of leaders from every sector of the building industry working to promote buildings that are environmentally responsible, profitable and healthy places to live and work. Our more than 11,000 member organizations and our network of 75 regional chapters are united to advance our mission of transforming the building industry to sustainability.

Core Purpose
The U.S. Green Building Council’s core purpose is to transform the way buildings and communities are designed, built and operated, enabling an environmentally and socially responsible, healthy, and prosperous environment that improves the quality of life.

Hope this helps. I look forward to learning more about his device (and may have a client who’s current product would partner perfectly with his!)

Nice product that i think more people are willing to pay attention to these days.

Thanks for letting us know about it.

I would suggest a couple ideas to think about if you haven’t already:

Gather list of reporters & bloggers that write about conservation and let them test it. Don’t forget to put big names on that list like Al Gore, Hannity, Limbuagh.

You might get lucky someone on that list might like it which is great and some on that list are likely to bash it because of what it stands for but either way you could gain an opportunity for more publicity.

Instead of calling it the Aussie sucker, which leaves the product open to lots of interpretation I was tweaking an idea to call it the Green Camel complete with a funny logo or mascot with the products box shape used to form an outline of a camel or something like that.

Anyway idea was for Green color to tie into the Green movement and the camel for an instant association with water conservation.

You certainly have 2 of the most critical compenents of any growth focused company… having an offering that is both UNIQUE and VALUED.

Here are a couple ideas that could help raise awareness…
– Piggy back on bad-news-stories about drought and watering restrictions that are geographically based.
– Be ready to provide a unit and a press release to any city that enforces a watering ban.
– Look for endorsement from a “Green” celebrity like Governor Schwarzenegger.
– Start by finding a few outspoken promoters and get some units into their hands so they can become Waterleech evangelists.

This item caught my eye, because I’ve started blogging about living a green and frugal lifestyle at http://suddenlyfrugal.blogspot.com so I’d want to know how this works in a regular home, how it differs from a rain barrel, is it affordable and so on. Start with a thorough FAQ that helps people like myself, who are initially attracted to the idea, really understand exactly how this device works and can help us in our homes. Currently, your FAQ starts with a question about safety. Heck, I don’t even know how your products works yet. At the same time write a little bio on yourself and how you came up with this idea. I mean, aren’t there great aha moments behind every new invention? I want to know what yours was. Then make sure all of this information is on your website. Set up “Google Alerts” for your keywords, like “grey water” so you can keep up to date on when folks are writing about the topic–and then you can respond appropriately. Finally, you may want to consider getting another URL that doesn’t including the “au” affix. This lets people know off the bat that yours is a foreign company and it might dissaude them from checking you out. Also, convert liters on your website to gallons for your American audience. Good luck.

What a timely topic! Check out the site http://www.livingwithed.net. This is the official Web site for a popular reality TV show on the Home and Garden network (HGTV). The show chronicles the life of Ed Begley, Jr., who lives “green,” but his wife says he goes overboard. You can contact him via the site (the e-mail address is livingwithed@sbcglobal.net), and offer to send Ed one of your products for free. With any luck, it will be included in one of the shows or reviewed on his site.

Spend some time on that Web site, because there are links to other sites that might be interested in featuring or selling your product.

I thought that this was such a good idea that I actually paid money when I ordered Waterleech on June 19, 2007. Since that time I have received an automated message from the contact phone number saying that the earliest delivery would be in late September. When I rang in late September the number became unreachable as they said on their website that it was being upgraded. They have had my money for 4 months now with no contact or product delivery. Is the reason that they cannot deliver in Australia their desire to enter the US market? How can they sell in the US if they cannot supply the home market?

Sandra, we have also had the same issues as you and have tried to contact Waterleech via email on numerous occasions without any reply. For your information the phone number is now also disconnected.

I recommend anybody else in the same position should try and receive a refund through paypal. Look for their “buyer complaint policy & paypal buyer protection policy”. Note: You need to do this 45 days from payment.

Same trouble here. I think we are about to see a series of complaints from Aussies that have paid for this unit and not recieved it. As we cannot contact the business in Australia and have waited longer than 45 days (I purchased my in Feb 2007) all we can do is warn others to steer clear of this product.
The website has no physical address or phone number and I am thinking the product does not exist. If you have purchased a waterleech and not received it, use Paypal to try and get your money back.

I live in Adelaide, South Australia – I too have been “an Aussie sucker” (I’m ashamed to say) and I warn our Ameriacan friends to NOT place an order. Unfortuantely Paul has PayPal sussed – he managed to prolong our order longer enough (more than 45 days) that I’m now unable to receive a PayPal refund.

I live in Melbourne Australia and thought this a wonderful Idea – I paid for one of these nearly 12 months ago last January. I have had enough after one return email 6 months ago – they have since never responded to my emails or left phone messages. I have contacted the ACCC and left my email transcript on my blog http://nonscensical.blogspot.com/

Water Leech is the biggest rip off Company in Australia. I bought a Water Leech online back on 5 July 2007. Within a week our house sold so we no longer required the machine as the new house has sufficient water saving devices. I contacted the company straight away asking for a refund via email and they said on two occassions that the money would be returned. Now over 20 emails, letters to the Company, I have been through the Office of Fair Trading Queensland, I have been through the Small Claims Court Queensland and still cannot get back my money. I now have to spend more money if I wish to continue the fight because the Company is in a different State. I would not recommend this Company to anyone. I hope this Company gets exactly what is deserves, it will catch up to them one day.

If you live in Australia and have been scammed by Waterleech, please lodge an official complaint with Consumer Affairs Victoria. They are currently investigating Waterleech. (You CAN also lodge a complaint with them if you reside in another state)

I took a look at your site and recommend it to my visitors. I agree with you on the importance of becoming valuable in many different areas. I believe that it sustains any entrepreneur during challenges that inevitably occur.

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