Presentation: Marketing to the BGLT Community

Presented by: Wesley Combs
President, Witeck Combs Communications, Inc.
Tuesday, October 12, 2004

Companies that succeed in marketing to the LGBT market have built strategies on a solid foundation of progressive workplace policies for the LGBT employees. Taking results to the next level depends on knowing the customer and how they respond to the LGBT marketing. Done right and the result positively impacts the bottom line via increased market share.

Making a decision to enter the LGBT market can no longer be based solely on the rationale that "it's the right thing to do." Much less can it be based on anecdotes, hunches and misinformation about the size of the LGBT market.

For companies already in the LGBT market, there is a critical need to know if they are using the right message, sponsoring the right event or advertising in the right place. How a company addresses LGBT issues internally also plays a pivotal role in establishing its reputation in the marketplace.

For those companies that are contemplating a move into the LGBT market, sound data collection is indispensable for that first step. Without scientific data, sizing the market within the LGBT community and understanding current perceptions of their corporate brands and products is not reliable. Market research tools now available allow companies to track the effectiveness of a campaign, choose the best channel to reach the ideal consumer and test campaigns to use the best creative possible.

The participants will hear how four different companies have developed and implemented comprehensive marketing plans for the LGBT market. The examples include: Volvo Cars North America, American Airlines, Kimpton Hotels, and IBM.

During this presentation, you will:

  • Learn about the basic demographics of the highly sought after LGBT consumer market.
     
  • Learn about what marketing disciplines and tactics actually work for effective marketing and communications strategies in the LGBT market.
     
  • Understand how sound market research is the foundation for an effective marketing and communications strategy in the LGBT market.
     
  • Offer participants information about the market research tools available, including offline and online polling and focus groups.
     
  • Evaluate the current internal LGBT-related policies and how they impact the reputation of a firm.
     
  • See how four different companies have approached the LGBT market.