Become More Inclusive with Your Marketing Strategies
Inclusivity helps you reach your audience and stand out from your competitors. With today’s society being more diverse and interconnected, it’s more important than ever to be thoughtful about your organization’s messages, images, voices, and values. All of this represents your brand – as well as your greater social impact.
A recent study found that 63% of people say brands that represent diversity in their ads are more trustworthy and authentic. As a result, it is important to understand how to become more inclusive when developing your marketing strategies. By doing so, it will help build your company to become more respected and genuine. Now may be the time to take action.
Take a moment to reflect on ways in which your company strives to be more inclusive. If you see any flaws, now is a great time to act. As our society changes, so should your organization’s marketing strategies. Here at Chartwell Agency, we regularly guide clients through strategic facilitations that may be beneficial for your company’s internal and external communication methods while practicing inclusiveness.
Here are some ways to become more inclusive with your marketing strategies:
Change Your Pronouns
Ensure your marketing shows the diversity of your clients by using gender-neutral pronouns. By using the word “you,” it helps create the sense that you are speaking directly to your audience. Unless your company focuses on one gender, consider using “they,” a gender-neutral pronoun. Today this is an accepted way to write singular, gender-neutral pronouns. Feel free to be as neutral as possible to ensure you are including all customers.
Add Diversity Through Images
It’s important to find and use stock imagery that portrays your diverse audience in an inclusive way. If diverse options don’t appear for basic search terms like “happy customers” or “children playing,” consider diving a little deeper with your search. Add qualifiers like “Black customers” or “senior couple,” and include other terms like “same sex” or “wheelchair” to represent individuals with disabilities. You may even adjust your terms to find different options, like “mature” for older adults. By doing this, you will be providing imagery that represents all your customers, not just one. Your brand imagery should hone in on specific emotions and feelings, which could be seen by your entire audience. In the end, keep in mind that images are an important part of your business arsenal and should be considered a crucial business asset.
Go Beyond Demographics
Age, gender, household income, etc. are still important demographics for your marketing tactics, but this is another area where you can go above and beyond to attract bigger audiences. Consider speaking to people on a psychological level, too. Find ways to learn more about your audience. For example, what are their interests? Build your marketing strategies around your research.
Becoming more inclusive with your marketing strategies takes effort. You must change old habits and think of how you want to reach people in new and different ways. If at any moment you feel you need assistance at any level, contact Chartwell Agency. We are here to help guide you in becoming more inclusive.
