If you own a business that is Black-owned, congratulations! You are part of an increasingly rare segment of the small business community. In this article, we will cover Marketing Black Owned Businesses for success. Unfortunately, that also poses new challenges when it comes to marketing your business. In this blog post, we’ll explore some unique considerations when marketing a Black-owned business and some top tips for getting your company out there. We will get your creative juice going on how to market your black owned business.
What makes marketing for black-owned businesses different?
The reality is that marketing a Black-owned business is different from marketing businesses that are not owned by a Black person for a variety of reasons. First of all, the Black community is underserved when it comes to marketing. People in general don’t know that products and services exist that can help them, and Black Americans are especially likely to be left unaware. Additionally, the majority of businesses being marketed to African Americans are largely owned by non-Black individuals. This means that the needs of the Black community may not be a priority when it comes to marketing strategies. The Black community is a huge market, comprising people of all ages, genders, and opportunities. But if you’re marketing to African American individuals, you’re likely not reaching everyone that you could potentially reach.
1. Build a strong digital presence
A strong digital presence is key for marketing any business in this age, but for a Black-owned business, it takes on a whole new level of importance. You’re marketing to a Black community that is increasingly reliant on digital resources. For example, based on data, African Americans are twice as likely to use social media for majority of their business marketing. This is fine, however, the best place to start building a digital presence is with your website. Your website should include all pertinent information about the business: what your company does, who owns it, who your target customer base is, and where they can find you and your product/services. Consider hiring a web designer who can help create a website that showcases your brand. A website is great, but it’s also important to have a presence on social media, especially since so many African Americans are using these platforms. Make sure your social media profiles accurately represent your brand. For example, your Twitter/Facebook identity should be consistent with the name of your business. This is a crucial step in knowing how to market to the black community.
2. Leverage your audience’s passion
One of the most important things to do when marketing a Black-owned business is to tap into the passion African Americans have. There are organizations such as the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People), the Urban League, and the National Urban League that are making efforts to support minority owned businesses. These organizations actively encourage people to support Black-owned businesses, so find out what events are being held in your local area and how to get involved. The more you can get your brand in front of your target audience, the better. And by doing so, you can help support other Black-owned businesses as well. Another way to tap into the passion of the Black community is to find events that you can sponsor. Find out what events are happening in your area that your target audience is likely to be at. You can find events by doing some online Googling, by contacting your local Chamber of Commerce or Social Media.
3. Events are key to building brand awareness
As we’ve discussed, one way to build brand awareness is to sponsor events. But beyond that, you can also host your own events. Hosting events is a great way to connect with your audience and increase brand awareness. It can be something as simple as hosting a happy hour at a local bar or hosting a small panel discussion on a relevant topic. Another way to make events work for you is by partnering with other organizations. Find out if there are any organizations in your local area that have a similar or overlapping target audience. If so, reach out and offer to host an event with them. You can co-host an event, host an event together, or guest-host an event. You can be very creative with this one.
4. Marketing through partnerships
Another great way to reach your audience and build brand awareness is by partnering with other companies. You can partner with another Black-owned business or you can partner with a larger company that has a significant presence in your area. When partnering with another company, it is a good idea to have a detailed contract that spells out the terms of your partnership. It’s important to both protect yourself and your partner. If in doubt, have a lawyer review your contract before you sign on the dotted line. When partnering with a larger company, keep in mind that you’ll want a contract that outlines the terms of your partnership as well as any expectations that the larger company has for your partnership.
Conclusion
Marketing a Black-owned business can be challenging, but it can also be rewarding. One of the best things you can do is make an effort to support Black-owned businesses in return. Doing so not only helps those businesses, but it also helps every other business in the local area. The more support the Black community can provide each other, the better off we’ll all be. Now that you’ve read this article, you have a better understanding of what makes marketing for black-owned businesses different. With that knowledge, you’ll be better prepared to market your company and stand out from the crowd. Feel free to reach out to Pure Code Digital Agency with any Digital Marketing questions on how to market a black owned business.