Did you know that inclusive marketing has become an essential business practice? Recent research suggests over 40% of consumers resonate more with brands that exhibit diversity in their campaigns. It is time to elevate your marketing strategy by being more mindful of the diverse communities we inhabit.
As industry leaders, we are committed to helping you craft authentic inclusive marketing strategies that not only celebrate the joys of diversity, but also stand out and transcend traditional boundaries. Here are some ways to begin:
Know Your Audience
Invest time in understanding the cultural nuances, values, and traditions of your target demographics. Knowledge is the key ingredient in crafting content that connects. This may take time and intention, but the rest of your strategy will come together if you start here. I want you to know that knowing your audience requires you to unlearn things you thought you knew. It requires you to become uncomfortable. It requires you to listen and not interject your personal thoughts, values, or ideals. Most marketers fail here because they don’t want to confront their own biases or emotional quotient limitations. Stick to it and lean in, and you will set yourself apart from the vast majority.
Employ Diverse Perspectives
Assembling a team with diverse experiences and backgrounds will enrich your campaigns with unique insights and creativity. Nothing makes me cringe more than seeing an ad or campaign that obviously didn’t have a diverse group of voices at the decision-making table. In almost every corporate job I’ve had, I have been the only Black woman in my marketing department. I use this privilege to voice my thoughts openly because I know what it feels like to be alienated in marketing. Don’t ignore the diverse people you’ve hired. You hired them not only for their expertise and capability but for their perspectives. Hire diversity not just to check a box. Listen to their perspectives. Better yet, inquire about their perspective.
Create Inclusive Content
Feature a diverse range of people in your campaigns and use inclusive language that directly speaks to their experiences. Don’t just slap a photo of a person of color on a campaign and call it inclusive, though. Dig deeper. Our Hispanic neighbors are family-centric, so images of families and traditions may resonate with them. Our Asian neighbors build their communities with generational inclusivity and reverence for their elders, so seeing grandparents engage with children may appeal to them. I am an American-born Black person. Some of my brothers and sisters are from one of the many African nations. Others are Latino but of African descent. Some are Caribbean. We are not a monolith. We are certainly not all raised in single-mother households, and we don’t all love hip-hop music.
Collaborate with Community Leaders
Partnerships with influencers and leaders from various minority groups will add authenticity to your campaigns. If someone who has built trust within their community is open to collaboration, learn from them. Don’t just piggyback on their relational equity to colonize their community. Use this as an opportunity to go back to my very first point and get to know your audience. Let the influencer partner lead the way. They know more than you do and can help you navigate landmines you may not even realize exist.
Branch Out Linguistically
Respect for cultural identity goes hand in hand with language. Offering content in multiple languages broadens your audience reach. Admittedly, this one can be intimidating. Words have meaning and the wrong words can very easily isolate the very people you intend to connect with. I have been studying Spanish since elementary school. I love the language and nuance of different Hispanic and Latino cultures. I still get stage fright when its time to speak the language because I feel like an outsider and don’t want to offend native speakers. But what I’ve learned is that when you open the door, even in trepidation, people respect the fact that you are trying to communicate with them, and they help you. It’s OK to be afraid. It’s not OK to ignore an entire population because you’re afraid.
Iterate and Improve
Remember, inclusive marketing isn’t a set-and-forget strategy. Gather feedback, crunch the data, refine your approach, and evolve. If you get nothing else from this article, take my grandmother’s advice – you have two ears and one mouth for a reason – LISTEN. This simple act will gain so much insight as well as credibility with the populations you want to reach.
Remember, inclusive marketing doesn’t just spark engagement; it cultivates trust and fosters long-term customer loyalty. Ready to plunge into the power of inclusive marketing?
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Here’s to diversity, growth, and stronger connections!