Inclusion and Marketing
Sonia Thompson
Attract, convert, and retain a bigger, more diverse, and fiercely loyal customer base with inclusive marketing strategies that fuel business growth. Inclusion & Marketing is hosted by Sonia Thompson — inclusive marketing strategist, consultant, and columnist for Forbes, Inc., and HubSpot — and gives you practical strategies to infuse inclusion into every stage of your customer journey, from customer acquisition and conversion to customer loyalty and customer success. Through solo deep dives, expert interviews, and behind-the-scenes case studies with top brands, you’ll learn how to create customer experiences that resonate with underrepresented and underserved communities — and drive business growth. Part of the HubSpot Podcast Network.What you’ll hear:
How to build internal systems that support inclusive marketing — so your campaigns are authentic from the inside out.
How to deliver marketing campaigns, communications, and customer experiences that win more customers — including people from underrepresented and underserved communities.
What’s working (and what isn’t) for brands today as they try to effectively engage today’s consumer.
If you’re asking these questions, you’re in the right place:
How do I deliver authentic marketing that actually converts more customers?
How can I grow my customer base in today’s diverse marketplace?
How do I effectively engage underrepresented and underserved customer groups?
How do I connect inclusive marketing directly to business growth and results?
How to build internal systems that support inclusive marketing — so your campaigns are authentic from the inside out.
How to deliver marketing campaigns, communications, and customer experiences that win more customers — including people from underrepresented and underserved communities.
What’s working (and what isn’t) for brands today as they try to effectively engage today’s consumer.
If you’re asking these questions, you’re in the right place:
How do I deliver authentic marketing that actually converts more customers?
How can I grow my customer base in today’s diverse marketplace?
How do I effectively engage underrepresented and underserved customer groups?
How do I connect inclusive marketing directly to business growth and results?
Episodes
Mentioned books
Feb 23, 2023 • 35min
47. How to increase customer success for people who are not in the majority, with Natalia Sanyal
Customer success doesn't happen at the same rate for everyone. The customers you serve with differences, including those who are BIPOC, often have external factors that negatively impact their journey to success. The good news is, you have the power to implement products, services, and experiences that pave the way for a greater degree of success for your BIPOC customers and others with differences.In this episode, Natalia Sanyal, an anti-oppressive copywriter and brand strategist talk about an approach she's taken to make her BIPOC customers feel seen, cared for, and have a greater likelihood of both enjoyment and success with her programs.Her approach is one that can be replicated and adapted to fit your business needs and the consumers you serve.Links mentioned in this episode:Get the episode transcript hereEpisode 45: Factors That Influence Your Customers' Success You Need to Be Aware OfEpisode 38: [Listen to Them] Black Women Are Used to Being the Only Ones Like Them in a Room in Professional Settings. Here's What it's LikeNatalia's websiteJoin the Inclusion & Marketing newsletter
Feb 16, 2023 • 16min
46. Inclusion wins at SuperBowl LVII
Over the past few years more brands have started to lean harder into more inclusive campaigns. As we look at SuperBowl campaigns for 2021 and 2022, inclusion took a more prominent role. That wasn’t the case in SuperBowl LVII. The celebrity filled ads seemed to have different goals.While inclusion didn’t feel like it was actively considered in the majority of ad campaigns, there were still major wins throughout the event that are worth calling out, as well as one noteworthy ad from the NFL that did hit the mark from an inclusion standpoint.Get the episode transcript hereJoin the Inclusion & Marketing newsletter
Feb 9, 2023 • 21min
45. Factors that influence your customers' success you need to be aware of
We all want the people we serve to be successful. However, there are other customer success factors that influence the outcomes of both your team and your customers -- that have nothing to do with the products, services, and experiences you deliver. And those factors have to do with their differences. Unfortunately, the differences of people on your team and the customers you serve, can cause them to get different results from those in "dominant" groups.I cover what the most common differences are that can have a negative impact on your customers' success, why, and how you can go about closing the gap to support everyone you serve, so they can thrive.I'm hosting a live workshop to help you identify and address these factors on Friday, February 24 at 12pm EST. It's called:How to Build Experiences That Make Underrepresented and Underserved Talent Consumers and Talent Feel Like They Belong.Get registered here at www.listentothem.co.I'll send you the replay even if you can't attend live.-----Get the episode transcript hereJoin the Inclusion & Marketing newsletterLinks mentioned in this episode:Racial Bias in Healthcare studySephora Racial Bias in Retail studyVC's investment in women and minority owned startups - Diversity VC Data Jereshia Hawk IG reelNegative stereotypes re: Black people - scientific data
Feb 2, 2023 • 13min
44. [Listen to Them] Black consumers share what they want brands to do to earn their trust
Just because a brand decides to engage in inclusive marketing, doesn't mean the consumers they want to attract will automatically respond favorably.Trust needs to be earned before consumers from underrepresented and underserving communities will feel like give their attention, dollars, and loyalty.In this episode Black consumers share what brands have done and should do to earn their trust.Go to www.listentothem.co to listen to all the episodes in this series. There you'll also find details about the live workshops February 22-24, 2023 [Replay is available, you can access once you sign up] to help you develop action plans based upon the insights from this seriesGet the transcript of this episode hereGet the Inclusion & Marketing newsletter
Feb 2, 2023 • 13min
43. [Listen to Them] All representation isn’t created equal. Black consumers share what works for them and what doesn’t
Representation matters. But not all representation is created equal. As more brands are starting to produce more representative imagery, consumers from underrepresented and underserved communities aren't necessarily jumping for joy. Some are actually turned off by it.In this episode, Black consumers share their responses to more diverse visual imagery, and what brands can do to engage in inclusive and representative imagery in a manner that draws them closer to to them.Go to www.listentothem.co to hear all the episodes in this series. There, you'll also find details about the live workshops February 22-24, 2023 [Replay is available if you're coming to it after the live event. Sign up to get instant access] to build action plans based upon the insights from this series.Get the transcript of this episodeGet the Inclusion & Marketing newsletter
Feb 2, 2023 • 14min
42. [Listen to Them] Are you using your brand’s power for good? How marketing impacts the way consumers feel about themselves
Brands have a lot of power. Whether you are intentional about how you use it or not, your products, visuals, communications, and the experiences you deliver have an impact on the way consumers feel.Make sure that impact is one you desire to have.In this episode, consumers talk about the power brands have on influencing consumers, and what they can and should do to use that power for good.Go to www.listentothem.co to find all the episodes in this series, and to get details about the live workshops February 22-24 [Get instant access to the replays when you sign-up] to develop action plans based upon the learnings from these episodes.Get the transcript hereGet the Inclusion & Marketing newsletter
Feb 2, 2023 • 13min
41. [Listen to Them] Working with people different from you will soon be the norm. Black talent share what you need to know to make it work
Soon enough, we'll all work with people who are different from us in some way. And while engaging with people who are different comes naturally for some, for others it isn't quite as smooth.In this episode, Black talent share their experiences and perspectives on working with people different from them, while offering advice on how to engage and interact in a way that is both respectful and effective.The more we know how to interact with others, especially those who are different from us, the easier it will be to make more people feel like they belong with you.You can find all the episodes in this series at www.listentothem.co. There you'll also find details about the live workshops happening February 22-24, 2023 [Replay available. Get instant access when you sign up] where we'll develop action plans to help you apply the insights gleaned from these episodes.Get the episode transcript hereGet the Inclusion & Marketing newsletter
Feb 2, 2023 • 18min
40. [Listen to Them] This is what a high-performing diverse team looks like, according to Black talent
There's plenty of research that shows diverse teams out-perform their non-diverse peers. Not only do they outperform them financially, but they also are more innovative.But just because you have a diverse team doesn't mean you'll automatically receive the benefits of having one. You have to be intentional about creating a team culture that enables everyone on the team to thrive, and be better together.In this episode, Black talent share their experiences working in high-performing diverse teams, and offer their perspectives on the environments that existed that enabled those teams to thrive.Go to www.listentothem.co for all the episodes in this series. There you'll also find details about the live workshops being held February 22-24 [get instant access to the replay when you sign up] to help you build action plans based upon the insights from the episodes in this series.Get the episode transcript hereGet the Inclusion & Marketing newsletter
Feb 2, 2023 • 26min
39. [Listen to Them] Common micro-aggressions your Black talent encounter in the workplace
Micro-aggressions are like little pinches, slaps, and punches people from marginalized communities all too often at work. Sometimes the people delivering the micro-aggresions are aware that they are committing them, and other times they are both completely oblivious they are delivering them, and of the impact it has on the recipient.Micro-aggressions prevent and ruin inclusive cultures. If you want everyone on your team to feel like they belong -- including your talent from underrepresented and underserved communities, you've got to stamp out micro-aggressions from your culture.A smart starting point is to be aware of common micro-aggressions people on your team could be experiencing. In this episode, Black talent share common micro-aggressions they've experienced, how they deal with them, and how it impacts their working relationships.Go to www.listentothem.co for all the episodes in this special series, and to get details about the live masterclasses happening February 22-24 [get instant access to the replay when you sign up] to help you build action plans based upon the insights gleaned from this special series.Get the transcript hereGet the Inclusion & Marketing newsletter here
Feb 2, 2023 • 21min
38. [Listen to Them] Black women are used to being the only ones like them in a room in professional settings. Here’s what it’s like
As a Black woman, I've grown accustomed to being the only one in the room on many occasions. But it's not just my experience. Ask any woman, person of color, or anyone else from a historically underrepresented group, and for most, being "the only" or "one of a few" in both personal or professional settings is nothing new.But we adapt. We find ways to push through the discomfort of those experiences in a manner that enables us to thrive.But there are costs that come with being "the only" or "one of a few." And when you know the experiences, the costs, and the burdens associated -- it equips you with the insight you need to make things better for Black team members and other people from marginalized communities who find themselves in this position far too often.As a result, you'll be able to make more of the people on your team feel like they belong, and create an environment that enables them to thrive.Listen to the entire "Listen to Them" series at www.listentothem.co. There, you'll also find details about the live workshops happening February 22-24 [get instant access to the replay here] to build action plans based upon insights from this series.Get the transcript hereGet the Inclusion & Marketing newsletter
