A Developer’s Roadmap to Selling and Marketing Carbon Credits

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A Developer’s Roadmap to Selling and Marketing Carbon Credits

January 22, 2025

Thriving in the voluntary carbon market (VCM) requires project developers to focus on a number of tasks, with one key one being selling and marketing carbon credits. When project developers implement effective sales and marketing strategies, they’re empowered to build trust in the market, foster relationships with high-interest buyers, and develop long-term, collaborative partnerships that lead to increased growth and revenue.

By failing to implement the appropriate sales and marketing tactics, developers risk slower growth, reduced revenues, and missed opportunities to drive impactful climate action. To build credibility with buyers, optimize their sales processes, and win more deals, developers should ensure they have a professional online presence, develop targeted marketing strategies, engage in direct buyer outreach, set up an internal sales process, and collaborate to build high-value relationships with buyers.

Going to market in the VCM

Some may believe operating in the VCM is similar to more traditional commodities markets — like those for precious metals or natural resources. While certain parallels exist, selling and marketing carbon credits requires developers to appropriately highlight the unique attributes of their projects, such as their co-benefits, additionality, and permanence. This is because every carbon credit is different, requiring developers to fully communicate each of a project’s features through both data-driven proof points and storytelling.

Carbon credits are not commodities. Each credit tells a unique story — where the work is being done, its environmental benefits, and how it aligns with a buyer’s sustainability goals. When selling and marketing carbon credits, developers must effectively communicate these differentiators to appropriately position their projects. They can do this by identifying their project’s unique selling points and identifying what makes it stand out — whether it’s innovative technology, community impacts, or biodiversity benefits. Developers should also ensure they’re balancing both direct and indirect sales by maintaining their own sales strategy and working with external intermediaries and marketplaces.

How developers should market carbon credits

Strong and strategic marketing is essential when it comes to building trust and credibility with buyers. That’s why emphasizing transparency, impact, and alignment with buyers’ unique priorities and climate and sustainability objectives is essential when selling and marketing carbon credits. To effectively market carbon credits, developers should:

Create a professional web presence

Similar to other more mature industries, developers should ensure they’re publishing a website that clearly communicates their project’s quality, mission, and impact. “A strong digital presence demonstrates professionalism and transparency, which are critical in a market where trust is paramount,” Walczak says. “Buyers expect to see a clear, informative, and credible representation of your project online before engaging.”

Highlight their partnerships and endorsements

When selling and marketing carbon credits, it’s important to emphasize collaborations with well-respected brands and to highlight a project’s certifications, like the Carbon Credit Quality Initiative, and alignment with certain standards, like the Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market’s (ICVCM) Core Carbon Principles. “Buyers look for quality markers to filter projects at scale,” Walczak says. “Adhering to these standards makes your credits more attractive and ensures credibility.”

Begin targeted outreach

Project developers looking to sell their carbon credits should research buyer personas to identify high-potential prospects and align their marketing efforts with buyers’ specific sustainability goals and geographic presence. For example, companies operating in the same region as carbon credit projects may be more likely to see value in locally-sourced credits.

Engage in project storytelling

Developers should highlight the social and environmental co-benefits of their projects through compelling narratives. That’s because corporate buyers often look for projects with stories that enhance their brand’s reputation. Incorporating a storytelling approach also adds an emotional layer to a project’s technical details, helping buyers connect on a deeper level.

Provide social proof and transparency

Sustainability executives are often concerned with the risks of investing in a carbon credit project, which is why being transparent and showcasing social proof is critical. To do this, developers can highlight their project’s ratings and partnerships with well-known organizations and publish case studies and testimonials.

Sales tactics for project developers

Sales in the VCM demands professionalism, personalization, and efficiency. That’s why selling and marketing carbon credits should be a seamless process from start to finish, beginning with education, clear and consistent communication, and customized approaches. Here’s some current and forward-looking tactics that developers should use:

Reach out to prospects directly

Directly engaging with corporate buyers ensures developers maintain control over sales and can effectively position their projects. While intermediaries are useful, they prioritize their own buyers' needs, making direct outreach essential for building strong relationships with high-volume buyers, like Fortune 2000 companies.

Educate corporate buyers

Developers should foster an informative and educational sales process by helping buyers navigate the fragmented VCM and offering insights into how a project aligns with their climate and sustainability goals. “Buyers want clarity,” Walczak says. “Offering them educational resources like webinars helps them navigate the carbon market and ensures they feel confident in their purchasing decisions."

Communicate transparently and respond quickly

Large buyers, especially those listed on the Fortune 2000, expect timely and professional correspondence. Communicating promptly, clearly, and transparently not only builds buyer trust — it signals developers’ reliability and strengthens their customer relationships. This ultimately helps them stand out in the VCM.

Develop customized proposals

During the sales process, developers should focus on creating customized proposals to help them close deals and win more revenue. A winning proposal tailors project details to buyers’ climate and sustainability goals, demonstrating project co-benefits, proof of return on investment (ROI), and alignment with certain VCM standards and frameworks.

Create offtake agreements

Offtake agreements are a strategic way to secure commitments with large corporate buyers. This process can happen before breaking ground on a carbon credit project and involves collaborating with buyers to understand what they’re looking for before designing a project with their needs in mind. Having an agreement in place — whether a formal offtake contract or a letter of intent — provides assurance of demand and reduces project risks.

Offer carbon insets

Selling carbon insets through supply chain integration is an innovative alternative to traditional offsetting approaches. By directly engaging with a buyer’s supply chain and collaborating with raw material suppliers, developers can design projects that directly reduce buyers’ value chain emissions and align with their climate and sustainability objectives.

Consider the project’s financial realties

Developers must tailor their sales strategies to the financial realities of their projects. For capital-intensive projects, offering generous discounts through offtake agreements can guarantee returns and reduce financial risks. In contrast, less capital-intensive projects may tolerate unsold credits without significant impact. Evaluating the ROI of reselling credits and balancing pricing strategies based on project needs ensures a sustainable and financially-viable approach to market engagement.

Best conferences for project developers

Selling and marketing carbon credits at industry events is an effective way to meet potential buyers and showcase projects. Conferences also provide valuable opportunities for networking and lead generation, which is why developers should attend both sustainability-focused events, as well as industry-specific conferences that are relevant to their target buyers. “Ask your buyers where they’re going,” Walczak says. “Knowing you’ll meet interested parties reduces the risk of attending the wrong events.”

Some notable conferences include:

Tools and platforms for project developers

Using technology is vital for project developers wanting to simplify processes, enhance efficiency, and scale their operations. Tools like Cloverly’s Catalyst platform provide real-time credit inventory management and automated proposal creation, ensuring developers can reduce manual tasks and maintain consistency in buyer interactions.

Additionally, data analytics platforms and customer-relationship-management (CRM) systems allow developers to track market trends, buyer behaviors, and streamline communication, creating more targeted outreach strategies. Marketplaces and compliance management tools also help developers expand visibility and ensure adherence to quality standards, further solidifying buyer trust.

Need help with a project’s GTM approach?

Cloverly’s purpose-built software helps developers streamline their projects’ sales and marketing strategies. Our solution simplifies carbon credit management, enables omni-channel sales distribution, and acts as a single source of truth for buyer interactions. Talk to our team to learn how to successfully go to market.