Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Bisexual, And, and Transgendered

Gay, Lesbian, BisexualBisexual, andandand Transgendered (LGBT(LGBT)) Marketing GuideGuide

Tools & Strategies for Successfully Reaching Your Local GLBT MarketMarket

The original acronym used by this community was GLBT (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered) but more commonly today the term LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered) is being used by organizations. There is no consensus on which one is better; it’s a matter of preference. The move to shift the L (for Lesbians) to the beginning was made because in the early years of the "gay lib" movement, it was mostly run by men, and the feeling was that it focused mostly on men's issues and represented mainly men's concerns. Gay women felt marginalized and felt that there needed to be more focus on women issues. Most progressive organiz ations, to show support for lesbian concerns, switched to LGBT. As a result, this is considered the more current acronym by many in the media. However, many people are still more familiar with the original GLBT acronym. In this guide, we switch back and forth between the two, to show that they are equally important.

The gay population in the United States is a business owner’s dream because GLBT customers are:

Affluent: The average annual income for a gay household is 20% percent higher than in a heterosexual household.

Educated: They are more likely to have attended or graduated from college.

Loyal: They are more likely to be loyal to brands that advertise to them.

Because of this, we have put together a toolbox of marketing materials as well as recommendations on tactics to effectively target this customer in your area.

Source: Business.com “Marketing to Gay and Lesbian Consumers”, 2011

It’s estimated that gays and lesbians spend more than $600 billion every year, making this a highly lucrative market.

The average annual income for a gay household is $61,000, 20.4% percent higher than in a heterosexual household.

And because many GLBT couples do not have children, this increases their discretionary income.

Source: Business.com “Marketing to Gay and Lesbian Consumers”, 2011

Gays and lesbians are more likely than the rest of the population to have had some higher education. 83% of gays and lesbians have either attended or graduated from college. This contributes greatly to their higher earning potential, which is a key reason they are an ideal marketing target.

Approximately 89% of gays and lesbians are brand‐affiliated and are highly likely to seek out brands that advertise to them.

Because many of them feel like they are not able to be themselves in every situation, they are more sensitive to businesses that are sensitive to their needs. The gay community is tightknit and word of mouth will travel fast if you provide good service and are welcoming.

Gay and Lesbian persons are part of all communities, so treat them well, because world of mouth is very important in this community. Chances are, you already have many gay and lesbian customers. You will simply want to cultivate this community to brin g you incremental business.

Gays and lesbians represent a unique demographic in that they include people of all races, genders, incomes and ages‐all with different buying habits. Because the market is so diverse, it's best to decide which cross‐ section of the gay & lesbian community you want to reach, and to invest the time and resources research the market before you interact with this consumer, especially if you don’t have any previous experience with this market.

Recommended Tactics:

Do Your Homework Online Vis it sites tttdargeted to your lllocal LGBT community to fin d out whthat the ir interests are, and see examples of how other business are targeting this consumer and getting involved in the community.

Talk to Your Current Customers If you already have customers that you know are active in the gay and lesbian community, talk to them about what you can do to improve your reach in this community.

Conduct Your Own Focus Group Talk to a small group of consumers from this group, such as 6 or 8, and get in‐depth opinions on how you can better reach this group.

Be A Gay‐Friendly Employer This means having nondiscrimination policies in the workplace. For example, domestic partner or same‐sex spousal insurance for employees, and other tangible benefits. It’s important to show you’re not just good at marketing, but you’re also a good place to work. Workplace rankings provided by several GLBT organizations are followed closely by many in the community.

92% of LGBT Americans are lklikel y to consider a bdbrand that is known to provide equal workplace benefits to all of their employees, including gays and lesbians.

Have Gay Friendly Employees Make sure all of your empl oyees know t hat b eing “ gay fdl”friendly” is part of their job description. Explain to them that they don’t need to agree with somebody’s lifestyle to provide good customer service. They just have to be friendly and treat everybody with respect. Above All, Make Them Comfortable! The key issue with this group is the fear of not being accepted. And chances are, if you are uncomfortable with them, they will be uncomfortable with you. So make sure everybody in your business is welcoming with all customers. Communities tend to be close knit and they gravitate to business that have a track record with their community, and as such are “safe”.

Sources: How to Tap the $690 Billion Gay Market”, Witeck Combs Communications, 2007

Surveys show that gays and lesbians watch more cable TV, read more newspapers, and read more magazines than heterosexual consumers. More importantly to businesses, however, is that they also are motivated more frequently by advertisements to make purchases.

Consider advertising in local gay media. To identify your local media, you can use the following resources: • Yahoo! Google, etc. • Gay and lesbian business directories, such as the Gay and Lesbian Yellow Pages • National gay media including magazines such as Out and The Advocate • Gay teliilevision networks suc h as Logo an d gay‐fifrien dly Bravo. • Media placement sites like GayMediaExpress.com can help you identify further markets

Source: Business.com “Marketing to Gay and Lesbian Consumers”, 2011

The gay population is remarkable for its presence as a resilient and social community. That presence has an enormous economic impact, particularly within urban areas, where gays and lesbians come together to cellbebra te the ir community with parades, fftilestivals, sporting events, concerts, film festivals, conventions and more.

Gay events that are ripe for sponsorship include annual gay pride parades—a global listing of which appears online at Wikipedia—as well as sporting events such as the Gay Games, community days such as Gay Day at Walt Disney World, regional events such as gay rodeos and trade shows such as the Gay Life Expo.

Again, turn to your local gay media to identify possible events for you to participate.

Source: Business.com “Marketing to Gay and Lesbian Consumers”, 2011

Lesbians are often left out of the marketing mix

While most marketers group lesbians together with gay men for the purpose of addtiivertising to the GLBT community as a whhlole, in reality, their demographics and buying habits are quite different from gay men. They tend to have children more frequently than gay men, for instance, and to congregate in gay social spaces less often.

Good places to market to them are on vacations, such as those offered by Olivia Cruises, and at events like the Dinah Shore weekdkend, the Mic higan W’Womyn’s MiMusic FilFestival and WW’omen’s Week, held annually in Provincetown, Mass. Consult your local gay media for good local places for you to reach out to them.

Source: Business.com “Marketing to Gay and Lesbian Consumers”, 2011

Savvy consumers are very loyal to someone who understands their needs, for example: – Know if your insurance provider allows for joint home or auto or umbrella insurance for unmarried couples, domestic partners, etc. – For financial planning , don’ t treat gay and lesbian couples as if all the federal rights and regulations that apply to straight couples apply to them

Consider sponsoring and working with GLBT nonprofit organizations, if your company supports nonprofit causes. Sponsorships signal shared values, and can be helpful to understand GLBT sensibilities and community priorities.

81% of LGBT Americans are likely to consider a brand that supports nonprofits or causes important to them.

Sources: Commercialcloset.org, Advertising Media Program Best Practices &“How to Tap the $690 Billion Gay Market”, Witeck Combs Communications, 2007

However, this tends to be a vocal minority in most places in the country. Overall, the U.S. population is increasingly more tolerant.

Many people – gay or stihttraight ‐ are iilincreasingly aware of divers ity and are often uncomfortable with messages lacking sensitivity. • At least 82% of Americans know someone gay • 81% of consumers don't care if products they regularly use are promoted to gays • 75% of youth support same‐sex marriages • 55% of Americans would vote for a gay or lesbian president • 54% of Americans support same‐sex civil unions • 42% of heterosexuals would be less likely to buy a product advertised on an anti‐gay program.

Some things to keep in mind if you get a negative response: • Don’t engage social conservatives in ddbebate regarding GLBT issues. When criticized, explain to your detractor that this is a business decision. Business and respect for faith are separate issues. • Don’ t waffle, modify, or withdraw GLBT‐friendly campaigns. Be consistent and principled. • Experience shows that most provocation is politically motivated and intended for near‐term shock and awe. Companies find that these episodes almost always blow over quickly. —However, different parts of the country have different sensitivity

Gays and lesbians are early adopters of new technology. Smart marketers will recognize their fondness for high‐tech toys and reach out to them via new media, including cell phones, email and instant messages.

Source: Business.com “Marketing to Gay and Lesbian Consumers”, 2011

Identify and Utilize Websites Targeted to the Gay Community Place advertisements on high‐traffic websites that cater to this consumer.

Businesses need not be flamboyant in their efforts to appeal to gay consumers.

Small gestures‐including "partner" in place of "spouse" on paperwork, for instance, go a long way.

Study u p on successful ggyay advertisements with the Commercial Closet Association ((gcommercialcloset.org)) , which has created a list of advertising targeting this group and grades them.

Source: Business.com “Marketing to Gay and Lesbian Consumers”, 2011

Recognize that GLBT people come from all races, ages, ethnicities, nationalities, incomes, polllitical and re ligious affiliations, professions, physical abilities, and gender expressions, and whenever possible, incorporate such diversity into their representations.

Source: Commercialcloset.org, Advertising Media Program Best Practices

Succeed with gay consumers, who are moving more into the mainstream every day, by focusing more on their daily lives, financial and family concerns, and less on their lifestyle and political identities.

When talking to your agency, they are just two people getting information about purchasing insurance to meet their needs.

Source: Business.com “Marketing to Gay and Lesbian Consumers”, 2011

Since a consistent concern for this group is the fear of not being accepted, being explicit in your message that they are weldlcomed at your p lace o f bbiusiness can go a long way.

The travel industry was one of first to identify the potential of this market. Nobody wants to be stressed out about how people are going to react to your and your partner when you are on a vacation, so this community gravitates to vacations that are catered to them. Now, ads targeted to LGBT travelers are found in mainstream travel publications.

Come as you are. Live and let live is the only dogma you’ll hear in Key West. We invite you to join our “One Human Family” where our hearts and minds are always open.

Do try to integrate GLBT individuals and couples into "slice‐of‐ life" and "everyday" depictions that reflect our diverse society.

Examples:

Show them having fun… …or HiHaving A GdGood MMiorning As a Family

Good advertising always works by connecting emotionally with the target market. The same applies to this group. If you can reference in your marketing materials situations that they recognize in their everyday lives, you will be successful. Get to know them better so you can accomplish better. Position yourself as the solution to any of the problems they might have and you will make a long term customer.

Example of relating to the LGBT experience: Progressive Insurance Print Campaign “Works in Progress” campaign featured historical works of art featuring gay couples.

You don’t always have to pose for a painting to see yourself in it.

A TOLERANT WORLD IS A WORK IN PROGRESS.

But we’re getting there. At Progressive, we believe in respecting all people and finding beauty in their differences. It’s just one way we live up to our name. To learn more about our Works in Progress initiative, visit progressive/lgbt.

Gay individuals have always been members of our communities, and as such, they have helped build them, and they continue to do so. Show that you appreciate their contributions and they are more likely to appreciate your business.

A great example of doing this is Levi’s “Gay History is American History” ad. The ad reminded everybody that Gay History is American History, including: – Political History – Music History – Black History – Sport History

View the ad at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_0YnyFEIb8

This may seem like an obvious point, but some companies still manage to make mistakes in this area. You can’t try to reach the GLBT community with one ad while iiltinsulting them with another. Analyze your current marketing and advertising materials and make sure you don’t promote any insensitive messages.

Make sure you seek the opinion of people in your local GLBT community about your ads before you go to market, especially if you are jjtust getting to k now this consumer. GtGet the ir feedback and GLBT perspectives from your current customers and in focus groups.

Advertising to the gay community need not be overtly sexual to be effective. Still, as is the case with mainstream marketing, sex sells.

Because their sexual preferences is exactly what differentiates them from others, most are pretty progressive regarding sex and they tend to be more comfortable with sexual issues and imagery in general.

However, be careful not to cross the line into negative stereotypes. D’tDon’t portray gays an d llbiesbians as promiscuous, sex‐crazy, etc. If your marketing materials have any images or messages that portray this, it’s imperative that you test your message with local GLBT consumers before you bring it to market.

Source: GLAAD’s Commercialcloset.org, Advertising Media Program Best Practices

You can develop a tremendous referral business from LGBT customers if you create a welcoming customer experience.

The GLBT community is tight and they rely on each other for information, opinions and recommendations for products and services.

Develop programs the encourage referrals such discounts or incentives for referrals, etc.

Created for IIABA, Inc. 2012 All Rights Reserved Stay Away from Stereotypes and Other DON’Ts DON’Ts ‐ In Creative Messages: • Don't use GLBT stereotypes, themes, or people, as a device to elicit shock, humor, or titillation. • Don't use horrified or violent revulsion to references of homosexuality or transgender people. • Don't label or degrade gay men or lesbians as sexual predators. • Don't use sexuality in a degrading way to characterize same‐sex affection and intimacy –or associate sexual practices with gays and lesbians differently than with heterosexuals. • Don't characterize transgender people as deceptive, scary, or freakish. • Don't characterize bisexuals as cheaters. • Don't use GLBT stereotypes without understanding the sensitivities and riiksks. • Don't challenge the masculinity of men or femininity of women without understanding the sensitivities and risks. • Don’t use nonconformity to traditional gender roles for easy laughs. • Don't marginalize and portray lesbians solely as straight‐male fantasies.

DON’Ts ‐ In Business/Strategy: • Don't create GLBT‐sensitive messaging and imagery without testing independently with appropriate GLBT perspectives and/or focus groups. • Don't limit campaign feedback to one or two GLBT employees. • Don't simply conclude that the average person and mainstream audiences will reject GLBT‐friendly ads.

Source: GLAAD’s Commercialcloset.org, Advertising Media Program Best Practices

Social Media is about people, not selling. Make your pages personal and show the faces of your employees. It’s OK to let their personality show!

It’s Imperative Today! SilSocial media is not go ing away, so the ftfaster you “k“make fifrien d”ds” with it the better. You should , at a minimum, be active on: • Facebook • Twitter • Start tweeting (on Twitter) and remember that: —It’s all about content —It should not be a sales pitch or promotional

Meaningful marketing has growing relevancy as our desire for connection grows. Connect wihith your potentilial customers via social media and watch your business grow.

Leveraging Their Human Capital Farmers Insurance social media strategy revolves around involving their agents in social media and providing support so they can build their own networks. Ryon Harms, Farmers Insurance director of social media, says people want to connect with faces, not products, on Facebook.

“For us, it really starts and ends with our agents. We've got 15,000 agents across the country through our core 30 states.” —RyonHarms, Farmers Insurance, Director Of Social Media

Remember that most people don’t want to be “pitched” all the time, so keep that in mind when deciding what to tweet. The goal of your tweets should be to accomplish the following two things: 1. Become a resource and an expert for your followers 2. Develop a personal relationship with your followers

With that in mind, remember the following guidelines when using twitter.

Be hhlflelpful – At least 50% of your tweets should answer questions, respond to others’ remarks or share content Be involved in helping or creating relationships Less t han 10% shldhould be promotilional or attempts at direct selling Content doesn’t have to be original / self‐authored, as long as you credit the source

Start by Identifying Your Goals You need to have a specific goal, just as with any other marketing plan. Is it to reach potential customers? Is it to inform current customers abtbout additiona l proddtucts and servi ces you can provide ? Have this in mind when deciding what to post.

Develop an Editorial Calendar You CAN plan ahead what you will be posting. Develop a calendar of priorities and assign responsibilities to team members. Make sure to review it often to make sure strategies are still on target.

Note: This is independent of responding to “fans” and “friends” , which needs to be done in real time, and could possibly alter your overall plans.

Posting Schedule Once you develo p an editorial calendar, you should determine the frequency of your social media updates and blog posts. If you decide to create a blog, you can improve your Search Engine Optimization (SEO) for your website by updating it 2 to 3 times weekly; search engines like updated content. Develop a schedule, be realistic and stick to it.

There are several tools that you can use to help you manage your social media presence. The following tools can help you organize, measure and pre‐flight your content to save time: – Hootsuite (http://hootsuite.com ) – Ping.fm (http://ping.fm) – BudUrl (http://budurl.com)

Example: Schedule Future Posting from HootSuite

You can schedule your postings ahead of time utilizing Hootsuite, and it’s free! They offer free accounts with limited features. You can also explore their premium features and see if it makes sense for you to make the small investment. However, the free account does allow you to pre‐schedule postings to Facebook and Twitter, so you can make sure you always follow your editorial calendar.

Keep Consistency with Your Social Media “Voice” Bring your brand identity to the social media realm. You need to make sure your tone and content align with your marketing goals, but remember it needs to be more personal.

Establish Internal Guidelines Just because someone on your team is familiar with social media, doesn’t mean they should be your voice online. Make sure those who are dong the posting understand marketing basics. A common mistake is to assign a person familiar with Facebook, Twitter, etc. to handle social media posts, but who is not well‐qualified to speak for the company. Be clear about what content is acceptable so that you are represented well.

Don’t leave it to chance. Provide your social media manager guidelines on what it’s acceptable to post. Give them categories of topics (examples: industry news, company news, news beneficial to clients, etc.) If you utilize Hootsuite, you can set it up so that you can approve the posts before they go live.

Also provide your social media manager with support. They probably won’t know how to answer every question, so make sure they have pppeople they can reach to for answers.

Always look for ways to integrate traditional advertising and marketing strategies with online marketing/social media for cohesive messaging. They should all be part of the same campaign. They should communicate similar messages and work together.

Examples of way to integrate traditional media and social media: Add “Find us on Facebook” and “Like Us” to all communications Add Social Media icons to your website Press Room “Repurpose” large articles, news, or PDFs into distinct elements. Break up issues into smaller individual blog posts with deeper insight for readers

“Flaming” is when an unhappy customer writes negatively, harshly and prolifically about you on the web. This can happen on Facebook posts, tweets, blogs, etc. and it can spread like wildfire.

Always respond. Make sure t hat you address the poster’ s concerns. In order to make sure you respond the correct way, make sure that you: • Cool down before responding • Do NOT delete a negative post –this will only enrage the person who has a compl aint. It will appear as if you dd’on’t care. • Exception: delete post that are profane, racist, sexist or otherwise inappropriate • Respond as if the person were standing in front of you in your office • Take the conversation “offline” as soon as possible to resolve it

Assign the development and implementation of social networking to someone interested in it in your agency Stay with it –the more you use it, the more it works Post tips, insider hints, etc. – give your knowledge away and watch your fans grow Maintain the conversation – Keeps readers coming back – Establishes a relationship

There’s nothing worse than an outdated page Remember that your customers expect y ou to be present in the online conversation – Lack of presence is seen as uncaring, unresponsive – Say something, even if it’s just to thank them for their comments

Give it a personal tone Not: “ABC Insurance celebrated our 10th anniversary” But: “Check out our pictures from our anniversary party” Be a real person and use real language Remember that customers are most interested in comments from other customers

Don’t spam your customers

Don’ t think it’ s all about you – it’ s really all about them • Examples of things you can do to —Baby announcements for customers —Congratulations for customers’ success

Don’t dismiss or ignore negative comments about your business on your own site or third‐party sites

Don’t be afraid to show some personality

Don’t be afraid to have some fun —Example: agency that allows dogs at work often posts about what the dogs are doing • The dogs are developing their own fans!

Don’t use insurance‐speak or corporate lingo in your posts

According to research by Harris Interactive of 2,412 U.S. adults (aged 18 and over), the GLBT (lesbian, gay, bi and transgender) community is more active on social networks than heterosexuals. Aside from being more active on Facebook and Twitter, they are also most likely to be receptive to social media marketing.

• 73% of gay and lesbian adults are members of Facebook, compared to 65% of hhleterosexuals. • 22% of gay and lesbian respondents were members of LinkedIn, while 16% of heterosexual adults said they were members. • 29% of gay men and lesbians reported they were members of Twitter, while only 15% of heterosexual adults said they were. • 55% of gays and lesbians say they visit social network sites at least once a day. Only 41% of heterosexual adults shared this frequency. • 30% of gay men and women also say they visit social media websites several times a day, while only 17% of heterosexuals do the same.

Marketers interested in engaging the gay and lesbian consumer should look toward leveraging social media marketing and platforms to engage with them –and ultimately attract their dollars. Also, by studying gay and lesbian social media trends (such as the sites they frequent, the content they read, the people and brands that they connect with, their level of engagement, etc.) you will be able to identify marketing and communication opportunities that may have otherwise gone unnoticed.

Source: From “Social Media Usage by the Gay and Lesbian Community” by Gino Cosme from Cosmedia Consulting. August 23, 2010.

Identify GLBT Targeted Pages Find Facebook pages for local groups based on LGBT interests and join them (“like” them) and post when appropriate. Always make sure that your posts are appropriate for the interests of the group.

Gay and Lesbian Adults Are More Likely and More Frequent Blog Readers According to a national survey conducted online by Harris Interactive®, a majitjority of gay and lbilesbian adltdults are reading blogs. More than hlfhalf (54%) of gay men and lesbian respondents report reading some type of blog, compared to only 40% of heterosexuals. When it comes to the types of blogs popular with Americans, the survey also found 36% of ggyay and lesbian adults read news and current issues blogs, compared to 25% of heterosexual adults. A quarter (25%) of gay and lesbian adults also read entertainment and pop culture blogs, compared to 16% of heterosexuals. Confirming their sustained strong connection with travel news and opportunities, 16% of gay and lesbian respondents report reading travel blogs, compared to 8% of heterosexual respondents.

Focus on GLBT themed Blogs Not surprisingly, over one third (35%) of all lesbian and gay male adults report they read blogs specifically tailored for gay and lesbian news and interests. More than half (53%) of these readers also say they visit gay and lesbian blogs weekly, and one in five (19%) do so daily. Michael Rogers, veteran gay blogger and media activist reported that these findi ngs mirror his experience: "My own work tlltells me gay men and lesbians have tremendous need and appetite for authentic gay news and information…” Sponsor GLBT blogs if possible. Read them and comment when appro priate , and utilize your learning to better target this community.

Source: From “Gay and Lesbian Adults Are More Likely and More Frequent Blog Readers”, Harris Interactive, July 13, 2010

Identify GLBT Media Pages Find Facebook pages for your GLBT media (“like” them) and post when appropriate. Utilize these pages to find out more about the interests of your local LGBT community. Use these pages as a source of content by reposting interesting information in your own social media pages.

What is the “It Gets Better Project”? In September 2010, syndicated columnist and author Dan Savage created a YouTube video with his partner Terry Miller to inspire hope for young gay people facing harassment. In response to a number of students taking their own lives after being bullied in school, this couple wanted to create a personal way for supporters everywhere to tell LGBT youth that, yy,es, it does, indeed, get better.

The It Gets Better Project was created to show young LGBT people the levels of happiness, potential, and positivity their lives will reach –if they can just get through their teen years. The It Gets Better Project wants to remind teenagers in the LGBT community that they are not alone —and it WILL get better.

The “It Gets Better” Project Targets Teens Via Social Media The project disseminates information across multiple platforms, including YouTube videos, Facebook, twitter, etc. all in an integrated campaign.

Created for IIABA, Inc. 2012 All Rights Reserved “It Gets Better” Facebook Page Encourages community members to support yygoung GLBT pppeople gggoing though growing pains. People share their experiences and support each other. Also share information of interest to this community.

“It Gets Better “YouTube Channel Shows videos of adults talking about their experiences and how their lives improved over the years.

“It Gets Better” Tumblr Blog Posts inspirational thoughts and information on GLBT community concerns and interests.

Twitter Account Campaign also Includes a Twitter Micro‐Blogging Account, which is I ntegrated into all other platforms.

Acknowledge your gay and lesbian “followers”, “friends” and “fans” periodically on your pages. Post content targeted to LGBT itinteres ts along all sociilal media pltflatforms and you will catch their attention. Remember, GLBT consumers are already part of your community and your social network.

As we mentioned before, you can be subtle. Small gestures like utilizing "partner" in place of "spouse“, can go a long way.

Target Your GLBT Community via Their Interests FbkFacebook d’tdoesn’t currently provide a way to direc tly tttarget gays and lesbians. However, you can target them via their interests. Include topics for GLBT culture, gay media, etc.

Tools & Strategies for Successfully Reaching Your Local GLBT Market

Developed for the IIABA by McDonald Marketing, 2012