Entrepreneur Resources

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How to Become a Certified LGBTQ Business

March 10, 2021 (updated April 21, 2021) Published by Dennis Velco

If you’re a business owner in the United States who identifies as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, asexual, intersex, or queer you can become a Certified LGBT Business Enterprise® and take advantage of the benefits the NGLCC offers.

To do so, you must first become a member of a local LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce. Find an affiliated chamber directly on the NGLCC that is in your city. If there is not one yet, locate the one closest to you. Often local LGBTQ Chambers of Commerce have options for those living in their state but beyond their home base city. Check out their website. If it doesn’t have information regarding living a distance away, don’t get discouraged. Call and/or email them to get a conversation going.

After becoming a member of a NGLCC local LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce, you may then apply to the NGLCC to become a certified LGBTQ owned business. For our research, in most cases the application for this certification is at no additional cost. But, be sure to get all the facts from your local LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce. There are requirements, documentation, and even an in-person (maybe virtual right now due to COVID) to go through. The process can take a few months, so prepare and practice patience.

Once accomplished, celebrate. You have now distinguished your business as an underrepresented minority owned business.

Okay – Now What?

Big Client Potential B2B

The NGLCC has partnered with many corporations that have Diversity Supplier Policies and are seeking LGBTQ-owned businesses that provide products and/or services they need. You can learn more on the NGLCC website.

Local Client Potential – B2B

Even if you are a local business serving local businesses, organizations that aren’t part of the NGLCC you may encounter business prospects who have official diversity supplier programs, and some who even if not official will value the distinction and view it as a competitive advantage.

Consumers – B2C

Even if you are a local business serving the public, getting certified and displaying the accreditation logo for all to see can create tryst and loyalty with your customers.

Other Minority Certifications

There are other minority owned business certifications that you may qualify for. After or during the process of becoming a Certified LGBTQ Business Enterprise seek out others. Why not? You now likely have most of the documentation required. With just a little bit more effort to prepare jump in and go for it. Check this great resource to learn more about other diversity certifications.

Join Out:Biz Owners Group

We’d love to have you join OutBüro and then join the group of out LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs just like you where you can connect, share, engage, and grow together. Additionally, create a group around your location, industry, business, or interests. We are looking to add services to the site with entrepreneurs in mind.

Earn Residual Income with OutBüro

December 15, 2020 (updated August 3, 2021) Published by Dennis Velco

Let’s grow together! Are you a Diversity and Inclusion consultant or other professional providing products or services to companies, non-profits, universities, or government entities? Or maybe you an an organization with a membership base.

Check out this short introduction to the OutBüro Ambassador Program.

Leveraging your relationships with employers, brands, companies, non-profits, and/or government agencies introduce OutBüro as an employer branding, talent acquisition, and customer engagement platform. Earn 15% commission on subscriptions you bring to OutBüro with no limits or caps. This is a great opportunity to offer past and current clients a new and needed solution. Their LGBTQ employee and customer ratings may be an indicator that they need more of your primary services such as diversity and inclusion training/coaching.

The OutBüro Ambassador Program agreement is open to individuals, companies, or organizations. Therefore the commission can be used as an additional personal income stream, business revenue, or as a fund supporting your non-profit.

Our ideal target market for leads is but not limited to business owners, Marketing Directors, Human Resource Directors, Directors of Diversity and Inclusion, and the lead person representing an employer LGBTQ Employee Resource Group.

After viewing if you are interested, use this link to complete a short form providing a little bit about you and your company/organization or

After receipt of the form, it will be reviewed. We may schedule a call/video chat, and if it appears to be a potential fit, we’ll send you the agreement along with a link to a video discussing each paragraph of the agreement in detail. Watch it a few times if you like. While viewing make notes so that we can follow up to address any questions or concerns you might have.

Once all agree to move forward, we’ll send the agreement to you for electronic signature(s). After that, we’ll provide information to have you ready to begin touting the benefits of joining OutBüro as an employer/brand. You create the initial interest to learn more and get the prospect booked for more detailed exploration calls. We will work as a team to win over the employer/brands.

Create your own profile OutBüro today and begin familiarizing yourself with it. Have questions? We are here to help.

OutBüro the LGBTQ professional and entrepreneur online community network for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, allies, and our employers who support LGBTQ welcoming workplace equality focused benefits, policies, and business practices. https://www.OutBuro.com

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The Good Enough Trap professional devlopment lgbt entrepreneurs gay business owner lgbtq online community

The Entrepreneur’s Wayside: The “Good Enough” Trap

November 30, 2020 (updated November 30, 2020) Published by Curtis Danskin-Ainslie

When your entire team is on board with putting their best into action every day, then it becomes cultural and innate.

The Echelon Leadership Effect

September 1, 2020 (updated September 1, 2020) Published by Curtis Danskin-Ainslie

Leadership is action, not position. It is what we do with our leadership and how we do it that will define us as leaders.

The Reality of Mentoring/Coaching

May 28, 2020 (updated May 29, 2020) Published by Curtis Danskin-Ainslie

Remember, that reaching for your dreams is a verb. It’s action – and it’s always IN action. Your goals and dreams may change as YOU change and grow closer to them and that’s ok. That’s part of the journey. You can’t focus on whether or not you made it to the finish line – you need to focus on the journey, on the trip that gets you there – that’s where the greatest rewards can be found.

An LGBTQ Entrepreneur’s “Why”

May 21, 2020 (updated April 21, 2021) Published by Dennis Velco

The first step to any budding LGBTQ entrepreneur no matter what startup’s business may focus on it is understanding your “why”. It is important to have, acknowledge, and understand your “why.” Why is this important to you? This is vital because if you have your “why” that you believe in you are in a better position. You can push yourself through and over the hurdles that will inevitably arise. Being an entrepreneur is tough, risky, high pressure, challenging, and can often feel lonely. Your “why” becomes your mission, your passion, and your drive.

It likely will shape the products or services you offer. It can become a core part of your marketing. All great marketing is rooted in “why” and leveraging that to tell the story and connect the client/consumer with the brand and its products/services. An authentic “why” can help get others on board in the early stages to support your business venture. It becomes a tool for measuring your own definition of success and helps to keep you focused.

“You can only become truly accomplished at something you love. Don’t make money your goal. Instead pursue the things you love doing, and then do them so well that people can’t take their eyes off of you.”
Maya Angelou

Your “why” might strike you all a sudden or it may develop over time. It could be that something inspired you from your childhood. Maby you see a problem in the world and aim to be a part of creating a solution. Your “why” may have been inspired in a countless number of ways.

Questions to Ask to Get to the Heart the “Why” of Your Business

Why do I do what I do? Or Why do I want to do this?
What does it mean to me, my family, my life, the community, others?
What is the purpose for me, my family, my life, the community, others?
How can it help me, my family, my life, the community, others?
How can will it make a difference for me, my family, my life, the community, others?
How will it support me, my family, my life, the community, others? In what ways?
How will make me feel fulfilled and happy?
What are there gaps that it might be able to be a part of filling and why does that matter?

“Why” and Your Story

Your “why” can become of your company origin story being the foundation of your mission, driving your vision, and demonstrating your commitment. It can lead customers to identify with it, fall in love, and become brand champions. With businesses and consumers being overwhelmed with social media, emails, text, and more your well-crafted message has the challenge and opportunity to stand out as authentic. If your target audience sees and feels your passion, they are more likely to appreciate it, connect with it and do more than become a client/customer to becoming a valued brand champion sharing it with all they know.

Your “Why” is Not Money

Well, technically it could be money, such as the desire to help LGBTQ people with their personal finances like my buddies at The Dept Free Guys. Their branding has their “why” message clearly throughout. John and David were $50,000 in dept. They made a plan and became debt-free. They want to help others do the same.

A true “why” is not “I want to get rich“. Businesses rarely make profits right away, so the dream of money alone will not be reason enough to see it through. Could your “why” lead to financial gain, comfort, and success as you define it? Sure. Amazing if it does. Naturally, as you build your business plan and start executing on making it a reality you’ll set targets.

On a pure financial front, maybe your “way” is simply so that you can support yourself and your family while being your own boss. That is perfectly fine. There are lots of entrepreneur ventures matched with your skills than can if well executed fulfill that worthy “why”. Maybe a franchise would be a good fit with a business model, suppliers, and marketing pretty much done for you. But if its a mindset of only greed and to hell with anyone or anything else, you will likely live a miserable life doing crap you really don’t enjoy and feel zero personal satisfaction doing it regardless of the money. Money cannot buy true happiness.

Surround Yourself with Support

It is often said, and I wholeheartedly believe, that no matter if you are an entrepreneur or building your professional career, you must surround yourself with likeminded people who support your vision and lift you up even if they don’t totally understand it right now. That support can be in person or even online. Ideally, you will have also have one or more mentors who can guide you as well as hold you accountable to reach the heights of what your “why” can contribute to yourself, the community, and those your serve.

Family

Having your immediate and extended family support can be helpful. As LGBTQ persons sometimes that is not a reality due to homophia and learned biases. But if you are one of the lucky ones that you being LGBTQ does not negatively affect your personal family relationship, they also can support you in your entrepreneur startup vision. This support might be that they just lend an ear when you need to talk or it could be that they are the first finanical investors in your business.

Life-Partner

I and most industry leaders believe that having a life partner who supports your entrepreneurial interests is vital to your potential success. You are taking a huge risk, will have sleepless nights, likely work long hours, and may have financial ups and downs. If your life-partner doesn’t fully support you, it WILL strain the relationship. As early as appropriate, start the dialog with your life-partner about your ideas. Does that person support you and have as best as possible an understanding of all the risks, challenges, and commitment involved? If so, GREAT! Be sure along your journey that you keep the lines of communication open so they are part of your journey and sense when you need that extra effort from them.

A personal Note

My ex-husband was not very supportive of my entrepreneurial drive. He was more comfortable with the illusion of stability working for someone else, commuting every day to an office, and sitting in a cubicle. We got into many heated discussions over the topic. He had a difficult time understanding that my entrepreneurial drive is at the foundation of who I am. The best years of our relationship were when I did business travel 50-80% but was also miserable due to that. So, for many reasons after 17 years we parted ways and divorced – now 3 years ago. I’ve been single since and hope to eventually stumble upon a life-partner that supports, challenges, balances, and compliments me – and me him.

Friends – Supportive, Negotiate and Edit

This also goes for people you consider friends. As you start and work to grow your business, as mentioned you may be working long and irregular hours. You’ll likely often be stressed out. You may have financial struggles. Are your friends really your friends? Are they there for you as best they can be or are they superficial who will complain when you are no longer as accessible or don’t have the time or funds to join them all the time for activities like you might have before? If you value that person, at the first sign of them being frankly clueless and/or selfish, schedule a time to have an honest conversation. Then time will tell if they are a supportive friend or not. If need be for those that prove to be superficial as quickly and kindly as possible either edit them out completely or move them to the occasional acquaintance category.

It is perfectly fine if a friend doesn’t understand your business or why you work so much. But a good friend will strive to understand that it is important to you and be there when you are able to hit the beach, go out dancing, go on a hike or bike ride, and also lend an ear when you need someone to talk to.

Seek Out Other Entrepreneurs

As an entrepreneur it is a great idea to build a network other entrepreneurs who do get you and what you are going through. They might also be a great resource to bounce ideas off of. They could be a good barter partner for services your business needs and referral source. They can be a great business and community resources. They can become great personal friends. And who knows, if the timing is right a mutual attraction, who knows maybe become a life partner. Who better to understand your and your entrepreneur’s journey than another entrepreneur?

Your “Why” Is Your Strength

When you boil down to your “why” it will give you strength. When you whole-heartedly believe in your message and your mission it’s easy to stop feeling self-conscious and just do it! You, like me, have something more important than your own insecurities to share. Your audience, customers, clients, constituents, employees, members, life-partner, family, friends, and the community, need you to shake away the clutter, identify and live your why and be as awesome, amazing, inspiring, and as kick-ass as you can be. They deserve it. You deserve it. You have the potential to be a great LGBTQ entrepreneur but they’ll never know it if you don’t step up, own it, and grow into your “why’s” potential. Plan don’t get stifled in thinking perfection is needed before starting. Most entrepreneurs, if honest, learn as they grow, and grow as they learn. Your first step is “why”.

LGBTQ Entrepreneur Business Opportunity Your next exit exit to being your own boss

Channeling Your LGBTQ Entrepreneurial Spirit in the Face of Crisis

April 28, 2020 (updated April 20, 2021) Published by Craig Derene

We are facing unprecedented times, and the world may not look the same when we come out on the other side. But we will come out on the other side.

True entrepreneurs understand that opportunities are embedded crisis. You may have already been dreaming of business ownership or found yourself in an unanticipated career transition, but now could be the perfect time to make the decision to regain control of your financial future. We’ve already seen a shift in “essential” industries. We are all re-learning the value in sanitation and respect for senior citizens.

Entrepreneurship in the time of COVID-19 doesn’t just mean selling face masks (though we truly appreciate those). If opening a business to help rebuild the country’s spirit and enhance our found-again values aligns with your entrepreneurial dreams, then the right franchise could be your ticket to career freedom.

This crisis will end

Whether it ends in a few weeks or a few months, there will be life after lockdown. You’re taking precautions to make it through the pandemic, so why not take precautions to set yourself up for success after it? The journey to business ownership isn’t a fast one. In fact, the process of researching franchises to being awarded one can take between 8-16 weeks. The decision to embark on this path isn’t a purchase decision, but rather an education and timing decision.

At the end of this road, there will be business casualties. But rather than letting fear of that dead-end keep you from opening your own business, take advantage of it. Lean into the presented opportunities of prime retail space, a motivated workforce, and hungry consumers ready to resume life outside their own 4 walls.

You have support

You’ve received an email from a business or two (or ten) reminding you to support your local businesses. You could own one of those local businesses.

We acknowledge that sounds overly simple and is not intended to discount the hardships encountered over the past month. You’ve seen businesses forced to close. You’ve witnessed friends experience layoffs. You yourself may be a casualty of the economic times. We don’t say this to make light of your personal situation, whatever it may be. We say this to motivate. Humans are resilient and determined and come together most during hardship. As of right now, there are millions of Americans rallying to support each other. To support you.

In addition to the communities rallying to support local businesses, state and federal governments are falling over themselves to pass laws to increase the cash flow for businesses. They have already passed the unprecedented $2 trillion CARES relief act, with more money to follow. Also, the “Impact For Small Business Act“ has secured an additional $50 Billion in SBA funding for the remainder of 2020 alone*. SBA rates are currently extremely low, with additional incentives as well, making it an ideal time to explore funding.

Have Questions? Let’s Chat

Making Business Ownership Choices as an LGBTQ Entrepreneur

Uncover Your Next Step with Franchise Connect Pro

Craig Derene Partnered with OutBuro to Help LGBTQ Entrepreneurs Find Smart Businesses to Invest in as Franchises

It’s our passion to link professionals to a franchise perfect for them. As a Certified Franchise Consultant, I am passionate about helping everyone, including LGBTQ entrepreneur, find their best business opportunity match.

For insight on your next step, feel free to give me a call at 770-366-0715, send an email to craig@franchiseconnectpro.com, connect with me here on OutBüro, and/or check out our website to stay up-to-date with the latest trends and more.

We look forward to assisting you. Stay safe, healthy, and motivated!

click here to schedule a call

*as of the time of article publishing

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Be an LGBTQ Entrepreneur – Reduce Startup Struggles with a Franchise

April 14, 2020 (updated May 2, 2021) Published by Craig Derene

We’ve all been there—a tough day on the job that makes us eager for a new opportunity. Those periods at work can be frustrating, leading our minds to wander, longing for the American dream. Whether you’re stuck in a cycle of routinely sifting through job openings or you’ve just come to the conclusion that you need a fresh start, the idea of becoming your own boss is a refreshing thought. It’s common and OK to be dissatisfied with corporate America, feeling like you’re meant for so much more. You are reading this so YOU ARE MEANT FOR MORE. Own that, explore your options and take action toward making a change. A new opportunity might be on the horizon for you if you see it and seize it. So let’s explore the reality of opening a small business and how a Franchise Consultant can help guide you to a successful investment of your time and resources and if an established proven business model cutting your startup learning curve and increasing your chances of business startup sucess is right for you .

A great reason to start your own business is a recent study found that even being perceived as LGBTQ can impact your ability to get hired, get promoted and even if hired the salary the employer decides you are worth is typically less than what they’d offer a perceived heterosexual.

America has an estimated 1.4 million LGBT business owners as innovators, job creators, taxpayers, and providers of essential services that benefit our entire society. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender business owners are a vibrant, essential part of the small business engine that makes the U.S. economy run. That is why Franchise Connect Pro has partnered with OutBüro to help bring awareness and opportunities to the LGBTQ community.

Why owning a franchise may be the right choice for you

The truth about starting a small business

Many people looking to make a professional transition turn to starting their own business. Those who start a brand-new business offer unique products and services to the market, but the advantages of being an entrepreneur are usually exceeded by an overwhelming number of financial woes and time constraints.

While we definitely admire the drive and passion needed to start your own business, this might not be the most fruitful avenue for you, as shown in these facts of the reality of starting a small business:

Nearly 50% of new businesses close their doors after five years, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Less than half of small businesses are profitable, according to Small Business Trends.
Entrepreneurs typically work odd hours, exceeding 40 hours per week, according to Business News Daily.

Starting a small business might not be a practical option for you to invest your time and resources into, but there is thankfully another way: franchise ownership.

Investing in a Franchise

With a successful model and established brand in place, aspiring business owners can find success by becoming franchisees. Not only is franchise ownership successful in terms of finances in many cases, but it is also beneficial for your overall happiness and satisfaction with your career, as shown in these stats as reported by Small Business Trends.

90% of franchise owners enjoy their business, and 85% positively support their franchisor.
Nearly 75% of franchisees would choose this path again if given the option.
Nearly 80% of franchise owners would recommend franchising with their brand to others.

If you’re a pizza lover, then you might think that owning a nationally recognized pizza chain will be the perfect opportunity for you, but that isn’t always the case. Your professional strengths and desires might be calling you to own a business in a different industry. Guidance in finding the perfect brand is where a Franchise Consultant can help.

Making the Right Choice: Working with a Franchise Consultant

Your next step should not be a guessing game. Owning a franchise will be an investment of your time and money. When working alongside a Franchise Consultant, you’ll get intuitive advice and insight on what option is best for you and your family, factoring in your ideal schedule, income, and industry. A Franchise Consultant will carefully contemplate and evaluate your drive and passion, taking into consideration factors such as when you want to work, where you want to work, and what line of business you want to be in.

Pairing you with a franchise that’s the best match for your personal and professional needs, a Franchise Consultant will work alongside you to make the most of your next career path. And, much like working with a realtor to shop for a new home, working with a Franchise Consultant is no cost to you!

Have Questions? Let’s Chat

Uncover Your Next Step with Franchise Connect Pro

It is our passion to link LGBTQ professionals to a franchise business opportunities perfect for them. As a Certified Franchise Consultants, we are passionate about helping people like you find their best match and increase your chances of business sucess through established business models and brand with recognition.

To explore your next step, give me a call at 770-366-0715 or send me a message here on OutBüro. Connect with me on LinkedIn and check out the Franchise Connect Pro website to stay up to date with the latest trends and more.

5 Tips for LGBT Business Marketing Workouts for 2020

January 23, 2020 (updated April 21, 2021) Published by Dennis Velco

Now that we are well into January and so also into any renewed gym membership getting your body back into shape, it’s a good time to start planning your renewed business marketing workout strategy too. Technology and with it the world of marketing is rapidly advancing. If you want to stay ahead of the competition, you can’t keep doing the same things and expecting to grow your business. Just as in the gym you have to switch up your routine on a regular basis else your muscle will grow accustomed to your routine and not deliver results. The marketing that worked for your business a few years ago may not help you succeed in the future.

Below are a few of the biggest trends to get your LGBT business marketing pumped up this year.

If you’re passionate about what you’re doing, business will be much more fun. Connect with other LGBT entrepreneurs, startups, business leaders and professionals here on OutBüro – the LGBT business, entrepreneur, and professional global community.

1 – Enhance The Customer Experience with your LGBT Business

The phrase user experience or UX is often used in relation to software and web design. It’s the idea that features must be developed and designed with the site visitor and software user in mind. Customer experience or CX includes UX but also encompasses every touchpoint that customers have with your business. There are many ways to enhance CX, such as:

When a customer/client visits your location first impressions are lasting ones. Ensuring your place of business is fresh, clean, and conveys the image you want to portray. Review the clutter and either add storage onsite or consider off-site storage to make your space more inviting. Further, consider some updated furniture, fresh paint on the walls, maybe some new artwork (thrift stores are great resources and/or reach out to local art groups if you have lots of public visitors to offer your walls as display space), new area rugs, and some potted plants can go a long way in making your space inviting while being professional.
Keep your website visually and technically current. Revisiting the company website done many years ago to bring it up to date visually and functionally. I recently met an LGBT Business owner who provides great health products so his audience base is very wide. When visiting his website it was clear at first glance that he has not invested in a very long time. It may still function but as the main marketing and sales channel, it is a very old, clunky, and unattractive website. Today potential customers will quickly click away from super outdated-looking websites. I personally recommend having a steady stream of content regularly on a company blog. Further, the site should be a continue living entity being revisited regularly at a minimum annually from a design perspective yet monthly and quarterly from a system/plugin update perspective to reduce security threats. Your website should not be a “set and forget” entity.
Ensure all staff is trained to put the customer first. Really think about how this is done, documented, implemented, and practiced. This includes a friendly attitude and providing correct information.
Asking for feedback. Customer surveys, whether on your website or handed out in your store, are important for tracking satisfaction. Use these regularly and update them with new questions, such as how people feel about new products, features, and policies. If you’d like a really awesome way to survey your clients/customers try LoudReply for free today. LoudReply leverages NPS® – the gold standard in determining how to make your customers happier while fixing problem areas.
Add a live chat solution to your company’s website like LiveChat. LiveChat is a tool for online communication between a company and its customers. It easily integrates with platforms like WordPress, Shopify, AdWords, Mailchimp or Facebook. LiveChat comes with advanced reports, that give you the overview, as well as a detailed look at your customer service activities. Basic reports show you the number of chats you get, the tickets you receive, your response time, and your customer satisfaction score. If you run several websites, you can place LiveChat on each of them with no additional charge. Using the work scheduler, you can easily manage your team’s working hours for each day of the week. With LiveChat, you are all set to go and serve your customers. Sign up now for a free 30-day trial.
Put it on your daily/weekly calendar – engage actively on social media. Most businesses have a social media presence such as a Facebook page, Twitter, LinkedIn and for the LGBT Business community an OutBüro account. You can’t just be there, you have to create interaction. Post with regularity even if only monthly. If possible post original content created by you and your team about your business, products, services, client success, and your industry. When followers post “like” and/or make positive comments in a timely manner – within a day or two. If someone posts a negative comment post a positive comment thanking them for their feedback and the opportunity to improve while asking to communicate with them directly via direct messaging or better yet on the phone or in person.

2 – Use Location-Based Marketing in your LGBT Business

For companies where your clients/customers are within a geographic range of your physical presence geolocation or location-based marketing is a key component of differentiating your business from similar businesses outside your range. Simply put, this is the capability to target clients/customers based on their location using GPS tracking in proximity to yours. Customers/clients typically provide their consent to being location tracked by search engines and services such as Facebook and OutBüro. When prospective clients/customers are searching sites such as Google, Bing, and Yahoo for your services/products you rank high on the results due to the relevance of your service/products and your location. Say, someone who is in Phoenix, AZ is searching for a natural medicine practitioner and you are a natural medicine practitioner but your offices are in Tampa, FL. Likely your business is not a match for that person in Pheonix and the search engines realize this. Therefore, in this case, you need to be at the top of the search results rankings for people searching your services who also live within Tampa or a reasonable distance from Tampa. Your business location address, the phone number must be electronically and human-readable on your website. This means it must be in text form not hidden in a graphic image. Further, every social media account should have your location information and a website link. To really pump up your location-based search results you should also strongly consider a business citation strategy. Business citations are simply a listing of your business on business directory sites such as OutBüro and others. I’ve used a service call Bright Local to have business citations hand added to many sites and master directories. Give Bright Local a try with their 14-day free trial.

This enables you to send people extremely relevant messages when they’re close to your business or even that of a competitor. You might also alert people to a special sale or promotion when they’re in your store. As mobile technology gets ever more popular, location-based marketing will become increasingly powerful. OutBüro will be conducting reviews of solution offerings in this space. If you have suggestions please leave them in the comments.

Add Livestream Video – 6 Ways to engage

While video has been getting bigger on the internet for years, currently there’s a huge push toward live-streaming. Live streaming videos add an element of transparency and a sense of timeliness. Facebook Live and other services such as Twitter Live (formerly Periscope), YouTube Live, and Instagram Live are changing the way people watch videos. You can (1) interact with your audience in real-time and answer questions. Live-streaming is a powerful branding tool that helps you engage with your audience. You can (2) conduct client/customer short interviews taking viewer questions and comments real-time. You can (3) feature employees, (4) provide insights into how your product is made or how your service is performed. You can also (5) provide training. Consider using the platforms mentioned and then (6) posting it on your company website and reposting socially for longevity usage.

Use Micro-Marketing in your LGBT Business

As marketing gets more expensive and competitive, it’s increasingly important to target your audience and identify your customers’ unique needs. It’s also essential to segment your customers into appropriate categories. If you have an email list, you can separate it into several lists based on preferences and buying patterns. Use a similar approach to paid advertising. Don’t simply advertise to huge groups (macro) but to specific audiences (micro). For example, rather than having a huge sale on every item in your store (or website), focus on a specific line or type of product and target those customers who are most likely to buy these products.

Collect More Data

“Big data” has been a marketing buzzword for some time. While there are many uses for data, nothing is more useful than compiling information about your customers. The more detailed a picture you have of your target customers – the more effective and targeted your marketing can be. And if you know which individual customers are the most valuable, you can go that extra mile to encourage them to spend with your business.

Small businesses need data as much as their larger counterparts. Do your market research. Whether your business is web-based or brick and mortar, there are now more ways than ever to learn all about your customers — who they are, where they live and what they need. The best way to get information from people is to ask them for it. Not everyone will fill out your surveys but many people will, especially if you give them an incentive such as entering them into a contest.

All of these trends are likely to expand and morph in 2018 and beyond. Not every tactic, technology or approach is appropriate for every business. Pick, choose and explore what works for you, your budget, your company, and your target customer. Don’t just follow what’s popular. There may be different methods that are more appropriate for some businesses than others, so don’t implement something just because it’s popular. Explore and be open to change. You may find that one or more of these strategies is just what you need to take your business to the next level this year.

What marketing tactics and technology solutions have worked for you recently? What new tactics and strategies are you considering this year? Let us know in the comments below with a link to your OutBüro and company website / social media account.

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How to do great content marketing for LGBT business owners

January 16, 2020 (updated April 21, 2021) Published by Dennis Velco

Do you want to create brilliant content? Not sure where to start? Whether you’re writing a web page, a blog or a tweet, the right words will attract and keep customers. So let’s look at the ways you can up your content marketing game this year.

Your writing needs to speak to your LGBT business target audience

If you want to communicate with people, you need to know who you’re speaking to. You need to focus on your target audience and put them first. Try to get inside their heads and understand what makes them tick. The tone of voice and the words you choose speaks volumes. So take time to make sure everything you publish is well thought through.

Everyone is a publisher these days, whether it’s a blog post, a video or an email. So it’s never been more important to ensure that the content you create is quality. Writing well is a skill, so in this guide we’ll look at what it takes to produce great written content.

If you’re passionate about what you’re doing, business will be much more fun. Connect with other LGBT entrepreneurs, startups, business leaders and professionals here on OutBüro – the LGBT business, entrepreneur, and professional global community.

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Getting started – identify your target audience

As mentioned, you need to start by knowing who you are you writing for. Different audiences will respond well to different types of writing. Try to identify one or two audiences to target, as you can’t target everyone. Ask yourself:

Who will use your product?
What information do they need?
What language would they use when talking about your product?
Who is their tribe – who do they interact with?

Try to build up a mental image of the typical customer for your product or service. Use market research to help you create a clear picture of your target audience. Next, look at the actual words and what makes for content that surprises and delights people.

Eleven tips for creating content that rocks your LGBT business marketing

Business writing isn’t easy, and it takes practice to do it well. Your writing should be informative, helpful and authoritative, with a healthy dose of personality. And of course you need to also be able to get your message across. Here are some hot tips:

Keep it real
Write the way you would speak – be conversational and use the magical word ‘you’. What would you say to a customer’s face? Read your content out loud and pretend they are sitting across from you. Don’t be over-friendly or too familiar though, or you might lose some authority.
Make your content bite-sized
Little snippets of information are more likely to be retained in your readers’ minds. Aim for about 20 words per sentence and chunk your content into logical paragraphs and sections. The attention span of someone reading online is not that long. So you need to ensure you get your point across quickly.
Focus on a theme
Start with one or two related themes and stick to them. Focus will help you build up site authority, in the eyes of your readers and in search engine algorithms.
Make it scannable
Use short, punchy bullet points when it seems natural. Consider using numbered lists too. People love these because they’re easy to read and are memorable. Make sure you use easy-to-read design. It’s important you have enough white space around your text and avoid using distracting colors.
Pitch at the right level
Use language that’s suitable for your target audience. If your audience is large and diverse, use simple, familiar vocabulary and plain English. If your audience has a specific level of education you may be able to get away with more complex words.
Use meaningful headings and subheadings
Memorable headlines will encourage your readers to take note of what you have to say. For example ‘Bookkeeping’ is a pretty meaningless title. But ‘Basic bookkeeping to run your business’ tells the reader more about what they will be reading about.
Build in keywords so your content can be found
Know in advance which keywords to use to help with search engine optimization (SEO). Incorporate these into your writing as you go along – don’t try to add them later. Not sure what a keyword is? Read our guide on SEO writing for small business.
Test your writing in a reading app
Use online readability tests such as read-able.com to see whether your writing is pitched at the right level. If it’s not, shorten the sentences, simplify the vocabulary and try again.
Don’t duplicate your content on other sites
You run the risk of being penalized by Google in search rankings if you post the same content on another site.
Make it trackable
Use tools and link shorteners such as bit.ly or goo.gl to help track your readers. You’ll be able to find out where they come from, where they go, which articles are popular and which are not. This will help you create good content.
Make it easy to share
Use social media buttons to make it easy for readers to share your content. Target top social networks and actively try to spread the word about your business. Spend 15 minutes a day highlighting your content on social networks and let your work contacts know.

Category: Entrepreneur Resources