Business Tips for Diverse and Inclusive Marketing in the UK.
Summary/Overview
More and more brands are taking an inclusive approach to their marketing strategies. Not only to encourage further diversity within their own operations, but also to show how beneficial it can be in reaching a wider audience.
Having diversity in your marketing plans, teams and campaigns can be a great way to represent your customers and make sure they feel valued. It can help you build loyalty with existing customers, as well as reach new audiences that support your values too.
So, what can you do to make your marketing strategy more inclusive?
Whether you’re creating your next Instagram ad campaign or getting started on TikTok, take a look at some of the ways diversity in marketing can help your business.
What is diversity and inclusion in marketing?
Diversity and inclusion in marketing is all about reaching and celebrating a wide range of people in your internal and external business activity.
This includes representing people of any:
- Age
- Ethnicity
- Appearance
- Gender identity
- Socio-economic status
- Religion/spirituality
- Ability.
But an inclusive marketing strategy goes beyond the people in your campaigns and ads. It also factors in the people working within your business and the products or services you offer – and whether they are built with an inclusive audience in mind.
Why is diversity in marketing important?
According to Kantar, more than 50% of UK consumers are influenced by a brand’s diversity and inclusion efforts when making a purchase decision. This shows just how important it is for brands to have an authentic approach to diversity in their marketing.
Here are some of the other benefits it can have.
Building relationships with your customers.
Building relationships with your customers based on trust and authority is key to creating a positive reputation for your business. A more inclusive approach helps you to reach a larger and more diverse range of people, while also building deep connections with them.
Building brand loyalty.
Building brand loyalty is vital, especially if you’re a new or small business. Creating that reliable base of customers is key to ensuring repeat purchases – and, over time, can also help you build a foundation of great reviews.
Building a positive brand reputation.
An inclusive marketing approach can help you build a positive reputation among your audience too. Take a brand like Dove, who is well-known in the UK for their diverse marketing campaigns, featuring a range of body shapes, skin colours, ages, genders and more. This is backed up by their Real Body Image pledges and education projects, which help drive their inclusive reputation.
How to create diverse and inclusive marketing campaigns.
So, how do we put all this into practice? Take a look at some of the ways you can take a more inclusive approach to your UK marketing efforts.
Use more diverse media.
You should make sure the images, videos, and graphics you use are diverse in their nature. It may also help to think about the demographics you’re targeting – would they feel welcome and included? Do they physically see themselves as part of your brand?
Try not to use stereotypes.
It can be easy to fall into stereotypes when trying to represent your audiences. So, take some time to learn from different perspectives during the creative process – whether it’s through other people in your team, or a diverse focus group reviewing the campaign or product. That way, you can avoid falling into cliches that could end up causing offence.
Listen to audience feedback.
One way to get different perspectives is to listen to feedback directly from your audience. After all, your customers are one of the most important parts of your business. Whether you receive this on social media or through an online survey, listen to their feedback and recognise who they are and what they want to see.
Embrace mistakes.
Similarly, if someone identifies an area of improvement in your marketing, learn from your mistakes and take that feedback on board. Nobody gets things right 100% of the time – in fact, it’s almost impossible. The best thing you can do is keep moving forward.
Useful things to know.
How do you promote diversity in marketing?
One of the best ways to promote diversity in marketing is internally. When you have a diverse team behind you, the content you create will be naturally more inclusive and authentic. Having a range of voices in your business also helps you make more accurate and representative informed decisions.
What is an example of diversity and inclusion?
UK fashion brand, Lucy & Yak, is a prime example of how a small-medium sized business can still uphold diversity and inclusion in their marketing approach. From their inclusive sizing, to their campaigns working with neurodivergent and LGBTQ+ creators, every part of their business strategy reflects their inclusive values.