Business

Daily Buzz: Doing Inclusive Marketing Right

What it takes to connect with diverse audiences through inclusive marketing. Also: How your association can help industry professionals deal with mental health issues.

It’s clear that today’s consumers want brands to value diversity. A 2019 Adobe research report showed that 61 percent of Americans find diversity in advertising important, and 38 percent of consumers are more likely to trust brands that do well with showing diversity in their ads.

And yet organizations are running into a problem: Their inclusive marketing campaigns aren’t connecting with audiences.

“Diversity, inclusion, and belonging are increasingly becoming more important to the customers you serve,” writes Sonia Thompson in Forbes. “But stereotypes, superficiality, tone deafness, and cultural insensitivity run rampant in many ad campaigns.”

To avoid these pitfalls and deliver effective campaigns, Thompson says to increase your organization’s degree of customer intimacy with diverse groups. The first step is to hire a diverse workforce that is inclusive of the group you’re trying to reach.

To further connect with your target audience, make it a requirement that your team members spend time with them in their natural environment.

“Until you immerse yourself in their world for a period of time, you won’t be able to appreciate the nuances of the culture or develop the degree of empathy needed to speak and engage with them in a manner that is relevant,” Thompson says.

Offer Self-Care and Well-Being Education

Does your industry have a well-being problem? If you see industry professionals suffering from burnout, stress, or anxiety, there are ways your organization can help, according to a recent post on the WBT Systems blog. One strategy is to offer programs that educate people so they know when to seek help or how to spot employees or colleagues who need help.

“Self-care and wellbeing programs are well within an association’s scope. Helping to create sustainable workplaces and healthy, thriving professionals strengthens your industry or profession, and deepens your volunteer leadership bench.”

Other Links of Note

Making the most of your email communications comes down to two things: clean data and consistent engagement, says Emily Wilson on the HighRoad Solutions blog.

To inspire innovation in your volunteer program, establish best practices for your team, a recent post on the VolunteerPro blog suggests.

Are events really including LGBTQ+ attendees? Julius Solaris of the Event Manager blog takes a look at diversity and inclusion in the event industry.

(SpicyTruffel/iStock/Getty Images Plus)

Michael Hickey

By Michael Hickey

Michael Hickey is a contributor to Associations Now. MORE

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