#320: 5-Steps To Make Your Marketing More Inclusive With Sonia Thompson

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In this episode, I chat with expert marketing strategist, marketing consultant, podcast host, CEO of a media group, and all-around amazing human being, Sonia Thompson.

Sonia shares her 5-step approach for creating a more inclusive business and company culture. Plus, she gives actionable strategies that you can start implementing right away within your marketing and on your team.

Here’s a peek at her 5-steps:

1. Diversify your Circle of Influence
2. Re-evaluate Your Ideal Customer Avatar
3. Commit to Representation
4. Make Cultural Intelligence a Priority
5. Audit your Customer Experience

Here's a glance at the episode:

• [07:38] Sonia is an ex-corporate girl turned entrepreneur, just like me! When she went on her own, she began focusing on customer experience and inclusivity in marketing.
• [13:01] She says, “Life and business are about belonging. We want to be embraced by our people. We want to send signals to our customers that they belong with us in our business. We want customers to feel like we get them, and that they are included.”
• [18:23] Step 1: Diversify your circle of influence. Expanding your circle of influence will give you a greater awareness of people who aren't like you. Start following different people and building relationships.
• [26:26] Step 2: Reevaluate your customer avatar. Be intentional about who you are including and who you are excluding. Look at your customers to see what your ICA really represents.
• [36:49] Step 3: Commit to representation. Your customers want to see themselves reflected in the imagery you produce. Even if the marketing funnel works, imagery can cancel the sale.
• [42:13] Step 4: Make cultural intelligence a priority. Increase your level of cultural awareness to gain knowledge of the best way to act and interact.
• [47:18] Step 5: Audit your customer experience. This is about bringing everything together from all of the previous steps. When you start looking through a broader lens, you will know what to fix.

Click here to listen!

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