With the internet spreading at and an exponentially increasing pace, marketers will soon realize that confining their approach to a single generalized audience will be a major faux pas. Globalization is hot on the heels of marketing firms and departments everywhere, prompting them to target several demographics in addition to cultural majorities.
Diversity marketing is, in fact, slowly becoming standard operational procedure among savvy marketing personnel and despite the expense associated with multiple campaigns, the pay-off more than makes up for the investment. And If you’ve been considering expansion into the international arena, here are a few tips to keep your game ahead of the rest!
1. Don’t limit yourself to defining diversity in terms of ethnicity. Instead, broaden your mind to environment as well. Culture and income also play a predominant role in helping define your approach to diversity marketing. To continue in the same vein, a doctor who works in downtown Washington will respond differently to one whose practice is located around the rural Midwest.
2. The next challenge to tackle is finding out what your audience cares about. I cannot stress the importance of this enough. Different cultures, ethnicities, income groups that live in different environments will have intrinsic beliefs that lead them to care about a various aspects of life and these beliefs may not fit in with contemporary verticals. Once you’ve accomplished this (via feedback, surveys, etc.), you can use the data collected to develop campaigns that motivate diverse prospects to convert.
3. Different age groups and cultures demand different levels of service from your company. A predominantly urban crowd is likely to expect a lot in terms of service, given the sheer number of service industries they’ve been exposed to on a daily basis. Rural folk may not expect the same service quality standards, but on the flipside, delivering it to them can earn you a glowing reputation.
4. If you’re introducing a product to a brand new market, it’s essential to convey respect and sincerity every time they engage with your brand or sales representatives. A feeling of being genuine transcends cultures and people can usually sense it outright.
5. Language is another major factor to take into consideration, especially when dealing with multi-lingual societies. Consider very carefully what kind of copy your marketing drive is going to use and what your choice of words may connote in different languages and dialects. Neglect this advice and your brand may well end up the laughing stock of the community.
