 In the era of relentless competition and constant digital chatter, capturing your audience's attention can be a daunting task. It's no longer enough to just know your audience; the key to your marketing success is to truly understand their needs and foster genuine connections with them. Black Feminism offers a fresh perspective on marketing that can not only speak to your audience's service and product needs but also delves into the very real, systemic challenges that affect them daily. Find out how you can cut through the marketing noise and create a lasting relationship with your customers, driving brand loyalty like never before. So, what is black feminism? It is a unique perspective that springs from the lived experiences of individuals who are both black and female. It's like having a unique pair of glasses that help you see society from multiple angles. The beauty of it lies in the belief that by addressing the needs of those facing the toughest challenges, we can improve the lives of everyone. Imagine it as a path to strengthen our collective journey. In this article, we'll explore how black feminist thought can be integrated into your business marketing strategy to breathe new life into your business, fostering a deeper connection with your audience. Before we explore how to incorporate this unique perspective into your marketing strategy, let's discuss the three key benefits it can bring to your business. At Beneath The Seats, we believe that understanding the advantages of Black Feminism in marketing is essential to helping your brand connect with and serve your entire audience more effectively. Black Feminism is a powerful approach to understanding your audience, cutting through the noise, and elevating your brand from the bottom up. Understanding Your Audience To market effectively, you must have a keen understanding of your audience and where your product fits into their lives. Black feminist thought emphasizes the importance of recognizing the diversity of experiences within society and the intersections of race, gender, and class. This research will help you gain a genuine understanding of your audience's needs and aspirations, ensuring your product addresses their unique challenges. Typically, when thinking of customer segmentation and understanding your business audience, most businesses look at demographics, spending habits, and budget. While these details can tell you a lot about your consumer, it misses a big piece of the puzzle that makes up a consumer’s story. Understanding systemic challenges within society, helps paint a holistic picture of consumers that provides contributing factors to why your customers have certain locations, budget, spending habits, and general behavior. When you understand the reason behind their circumstances, not only can you better understand who the best target for your market is, you can speak to their needs more effectively. Cutting Through the Noise In today's highly competitive marketplace, standing out is more critical than ever. The rise of social media and AI has made it easier for new businesses to enter the market, all vying for your audience's attention. In this oversaturated market with so many platforms for your audience to choose from, it’s vital that your business finds the quickest and most meaningful way to connect to your audience. A marketing approach that is meaningful and acknowledges the needs that are tied to your audience’s identities is a strong way to stand out from your competitors and build that immediate connection with your audience. The messaging you want to share with your audience needs to cut through the noise and get to the heart of their challenges. Black feminist thought allows you to speak to what people genuinely want to hear, acknowledging their struggles and concerns. To truly connect, you need to understand the nuances of your audience's experiences. This approach allows you to address their needs more comprehensively, demonstrating that you are not merely glossing over their struggles but genuinely providing support. For example, when addressing mental health, it's essential to go beyond superficial discussions and provide meaningful support that acknowledges the real systemic challenges associated with mental health. Whether that is linking to resources, providing real relatable stories, or explaining how your product can benefit the mental health of those suffering the most, you must make an authentic connection with your audience. By incorporating Black Feminism into your marketing strategy, you can offer genuine solutions that resonate with your audience, showing them that you understand their experiences. Elevating from the Bottom Up When you’re marketing your business, it's crucial to start by tackling basic human needs before diving into deeper emotional connections. Think of it like Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, where addressing things like food, shelter, and security is the first step before people can focus on higher needs like belonging and fulfillment. So, when brands tackle basic needs like food and security which affect everyone in some way, they're essentially connecting with a wider audience by addressing problems we all share. It's like saying, "Let's sort out hunger before we talk about belonging." When brands tackle issues everyone can relate to, such as hunger, it connects with a wide audience. Imagine fixing things like burnout or, better yet, hunger. Not everyone may be struggling with food insecurity, but everyone gets what it's like to be hungry. Applying the principles of Black Feminism in marketing reinforces the idea of starting from the ground up. Even if the focus is on the most marginalized groups, the idea is that everyone benefits. By addressing systemic issues that impact diverse communities, brands create solutions that connect with people from different backgrounds. So, by keeping it real and addressing universal concerns, brands can build trust and loyalty among consumers, showing that they genuinely care about making positive changes. Now that you know the benefits of black feminism in marketing, let’s discuss how you can begin incorporating this perspective into your marketing strategy. Here are five ways you can reframe your marketing efforts. 1. Target Audience Research with a Purpose Effective marketing should go beyond knowing your target audience. You must have a deep understanding of your customers, striving to address the needs of the most marginalized groups within that audience. The most effective brands today, from Nike to Dove, have incorporated corporate social responsibility into their marketing, often as a reaction to whatever hot social issue is trending in the media. Take the time to research and grasp the systemic challenges your group is facing every day, so you can ensure that you are proactively building loyalty and aligning with their needs before it becomes trendy to do so. By providing a platform for discussion on these challenges, you position yourself not just as an authority but as an advocate for change. 2. Solution Proposition: More Than a Product Understanding the challenges faced by your target audience is crucial for tailoring your business strategy to meet their needs effectively. Regardless of your industry, whether it's cosmetics, event planning, or food service, your product or service should aim to alleviate the difficulties experienced by the most marginalized members of your audience. Take, for example, a business selling personalized craft items. While it may initially appear challenging to directly connect crafts to systemic challenges, there are innovative approaches to establish that link. For instance, recognizing the need for community support for women heading households, the craft items can serve as a means for consumers to connect with their community through generosity, enjoyable moments, and gatherings. This provides a tangible solution and escape from the loneliness often associated with external pressures. Even if your product falls into the luxury category, there's an opportunity to position it as a reward for hard work and success, particularly for individuals facing intersectional challenges. By acknowledging and celebrating the achievements of marginalized groups, your business not only offers a product but also contributes to their visibility and recognition. This strategic positioning helps create a narrative where your luxury item becomes more than just a commodity; it becomes a symbol of acknowledgment and appreciation for the accomplishments of those who often face additional obscurity and invisibility in their pursuits. 3. Issue Alignment: Taking a Stand Beyond Your Industry Weaving Black feminist thought into your marketing can really elevate your small businesses by fostering trust and loyalty with your consumers. It's all about connecting on a deeper level with your audience by embracing issues that truly matter to them, reflecting a sincere dedication to social justice. This not only builds an authentic bond with customers who share similar values but also helps you carve out a unique space in the socially conscious market. Taking a cue from the companies like Ben and Jerry’s, whose impact extends far beyond ice cream through their advocacy on social issues, small businesses can follow suit, breaking free from industry norms. However, the real magic happens when you team up with others. Collaborating with organizations and initiatives championing class, gender, and racial equity aligns seamlessly with the ethos of Black feminist thought. By spotlighting these partnerships in your marketing, you not only highlight your commitment to social responsibility but also raise awareness among the ever-growing community of socially conscious consumers. This collaborative approach doesn’t just set your business apart; it speaks volumes about your dedication to positive change, creating a sense of loyalty among consumers who see your brand as a champion for progress and shared values. 4. Storytelling: Cutting Through Superficiality Creating a narrative that transcends superficiality is the key to authentic connection. It's not just about telling a story; it's about getting into the heart of genuine experiences, whether it's your personal journey or the triumphs and tribulations of your customers. In this storytelling journey, embracing the principles of Black feminist thought injects a powerful layer of empowerment into your messaging. The core lies in unraveling narratives that resonate on a deeper level. By incorporating Black feminist thought, your storytelling takes on a richer, more inclusive hue. It's showcasing the stories of individuals who've navigated hurdles and emerged victorious. These narratives not only inspire but also align your brand with values of strength, resilience, and empowerment. In a world where consumers crave authenticity, connecting with your audience goes beyond selling a product – it becomes a shared experience, a shared understanding of the real challenges people face. It's the difference between a transaction and a relationship. 5. Inclusivity and Community: Building Lasting Connections In a world that often feels fragmented, where individual interests sometimes take precedence over community bonds, small businesses have a unique opportunity to foster inclusivity through their marketing efforts. Enter Black Feminist Thought – a powerful lens that reminds us of the interconnectedness of struggles and the importance of supporting various marginalized groups. It's not just about one demographic's challenges; it's about understanding the intricate web of relationships that exist. For instance, black women aren't merely navigating their own paths; they're integral to the support system of black men, another marginalized group. So, how can your business embody this inclusivity in its marketing strategy? Start by acknowledging and actively supporting diverse communities. Highlight the interconnected nature of people's struggles, emphasizing that your brand stands for more than just products or services. Showcase the richness of intersectional relationships, families, and communities. In doing so, you cut through the noise of individualized interests and resonate with a broader audience. Your business becomes a symbol of community connection, demonstrating that you understand and value the diverse relationships your customers navigate daily. By aligning your brand with inclusivity, you not only build a more loyal customer base but contribute to a broader cultural shift towards unity and understanding. To sum it all up, incorporating Black feminist thought into your marketing strategy isn't just about ticking a box; it's about creating meaningful connections, fostering inclusivity, and contributing to positive change. By understanding the systemic challenges faced by your target audience, offering genuine solutions, aligning with important issues, sharing authentic stories, and emphasizing community connections, your brand can go beyond transactional relationships to build lasting loyalty and impact. If you would like to learn more about how you can get started understanding systemic challenges, visit our free resources section.
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 Since my early 20s, I have had this image of life at 30. It involved me, with luscious locs, similar to the ones donned by the coolest of my three black female college professors (which is notable since I graduated from a PWI). In my eyes, she was the epitome of black girl magic. She was a free spirited, perfectly shaped communications professional, who was uninhibited by stereotypes on either side of the coin. Naturally, I framed my ideal 30 year-old self around this woman, who once told me after I had asked if my work was sufficient, “You don’t even know how good you are.” Over the years, I would come back to remember those words and wonder what they really meant and if they were true.
Like most unfulfilled folks in their late 20s, I was already bubbling over the edge of depression as my self-imposed 30 year deadline for success steadily approached. The stale taste of struggle ambition had become the main course of my mediocre life. I didn’t seem to be anywhere close to the 30 year old image that I had of myself and it seemed like I may have been getting even further away. The only foresight I exercised was starting my locs a year beforehand so they’d be a decent length as I entered this “exciting” new phase of my life. By my calculations, I had taken all the correct steps on the perceived path to success. Maybe they weren’t in the correct order and way longer than I anticipated, but I eventually followed the rules. I read the books, practiced the meditations, joined the church, graduated from college, even did the occasional yoga… but still, I felt like success had escaped me. All I could see was the “was nots” in my life. I was not working in my field of study. I was not a homeowner or married with children or anywhere close to the prospects of it. It had been two years since I decided to move an hour away from most of my friends and family, in hopes of better job opportunities and peace. I thought creating distance between myself and everything I’ve known, would give me the space to embark on what was next in my plan. Except I didn’t really know what was next on my plan. I remember having my life vaguely planned out in my early 20s, but each step towards my plan took, what seemed to be, at least 20 additional steps and several years to achieve. As time passed, my plans changed and my goals shrunk, my anxiety grew and my depression worsened. And so, on the eve of my 30th birthday, my former professor’s words rang louder than ever in my ear, “You Don’t Even Know How Good You Are.” I still had not figured out how to know that I was good and what was I good at? Even though my friends were constantly encouraging me and my bosses sang my praises, I did not feel like a success. In fact, I felt severely unhealthy and depressed. At the time I could not see how I could do anything besides barely survive, even though I could not put my finger on just what was holding me down. Then the world stopped. The pandemic began changing our lives in ways we never could imagine about one month before my 30th birthday. I was forced into remote work and complete isolation and it broke me. I had no choice but enlist the help of a therapist because I was barely holding on to my job and I could see my life beginning to spiral out of control. After months and months of working through my trauma and coping mechanisms, I realized that I’ve been too afraid of my own life. I’ve been too scared of not doing something right or doing more harm than good, or failing and being too concerned about what other people might think of me. These thoughts had caused me crippling anxiety to the point where my life had literally stalled. I was at the point where the things I wanted to do and be in life were all completely attainable with the proper amount of effort and dedication, yet I hadn’t been putting in the effort. As ashamed as I am to admit that, especially publicly, I think it might be helpful to someone out there who is also struggling with their purpose and lack of drive to accomplish it. Perhaps, considering that the root cause of the anxiousness behind following some of your goals lies in your complete fear of your own self. The fear that who others think you are won’t live up to who you actually are if you ever decided to try to live to your full potential. I told this guy that I feared death because there were still so many things I wanted to accomplish. He told me very simply that I lived in a paradox because I would never be able to accomplish the things that I wanted until I released the fear of death. For whatever reason, that was the moment this all clicked for me. It made perfect sense that my life would not be able to move forward until I released the fear of death… social death, physical, mental and spiritual death. Fear was the only thing holding me back. Even if you zoom the lens of life into more manageable topics like accomplishing your goals, the sentiment still applies. If you fear failing at your goal, you’ll never be able to accomplish it and you’ll never achieve the happiness that you seek. Once I realized that, the options become quite clear, do the damn thing or suffer for the rest of your life. Even if the thing you do leads to your ultimate embarrassment and dejection from society, you are still one step closer to happiness than you were the day before. At least then you’ll be doing something about your life, you’ll be utilizing the only amount of control you actually have in this life. Because at the end of the day, that’s what it’s all about… control. We want to be able to control how people will react to our exposed soul. We want to be able to freely express ourselves but simultaneously be accepted by everyone who experiences us. Of course, this is a completely unrealistic notion for the same reason we want to express ourselves. We’re different and unique because our own outlook of the world is based on our own unique genetic makeup and experiences. There are few people in the world that will 100% agree with everything that we believe. There will always be people who are going to disagree with our opinions, and perhaps even dislike us because of our opinion. But does that mean we should censor ourselves and not show up as the most confident version of ourselves? As individuals experiencing the most precious gift of life, we owe it to ourselves to live at our maximum potential, which includes living with full confidence and believing in what we have to share with the world. We can’t control the reactions of others or how we will feel about their reactions. We can control our own actions and find peace knowing that we did everything within our own power to manifest our idea of a beautiful life. It’s time to not only know, but embrace how good you are! |
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