Maverick of the Morning: Solutions Marketing Group

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RHONDA SCHAFFLER, CNNfn ANCHOR, MARKET CALL: It's estimated there are at least 10 million viable consumers in the US who are disabled, but many fortune 500 companies do not market to them directly.

That's where our "Maverick of the Morning" comes in. Carmen Jones is the founder of Solutions Marketing Group, a firm which advises companies that expanding their reach to people with disabilities is a bigger asset than they perhaps realize. She joins us as our Maverick.

Carmen, welcome.

CARMEN JONES, FOUNDER, SOLUTIONS MARKETING GROUP: Thank you for having me.

SCHAFFLER: It seems it wasn't too long ago that we started to hear buzz that suddenly corporate America woke up and did find there was a group of consumers that had been ignored in the past. We saw, for instance, some advertising to include people with disabilities. But has it gone far enough, as far as you can tell?

JONES: Well, I really don't think it has. There are very few companies that are seizing an opportunity and reaching this new segment. The Census Bureau data indicates that there are 54 million Americans in this country living with a disability. And they also have one trillion dollars to spend in aggregate income. So, I do think that companies are missing an opportunity to reach a new market.

TONY DWYER, KIRLIN SECURITIES: I would imagine - this is Tony Dwyer. I would imagine that Internet marketing has become a topic of discussion in this arena. What are your thoughts on that?

JONES: It definitely is. Because people with disabilities often utilize the Internet as means of connecting with other people, and also communicating and purchasing products. The data indicates that there are some 15 million people in this country with disabilities with access to a computers. So there in-lies another way to reach the market.

SCHAFFLER: And tell us a little bit about how your firm came to be and what you've accomplished.

JONES: OK. Well, I became disabled, a paraplegic, in 1986 as a result of an automobile accident. And as began to venture out into the community and shopped and traveled, I really felt overlooked as a consumer. And because no companies were extending a message to me that was welcoming my business and letting me know that my unique needs would be taken care of.

And so, that really did plant the seed for the business. And then I decided to do some research and again found that wonderful census data indicated that there are 54 million people in this country who have a disability. And people with disabilities want the same products and services as non- disabled people, but the message is a bit different in reaching them.

SCHAFFLER: Carmen, can you give us an example of a company that's doing it right, perhaps, after talking to you?

JONES: Sure. Among my clients are American Express (Company: American Express Company; Ticker: AXP ; URL: http://www.americanexpress.com/) and Darden Restaurants (Company: Darden Restaurants Inc.; Ticker: DRI; URL: http://www.darden.com/). And what we've is we've met with the leadership because without real leadership buy-in, a disability marketing initiative will fall flat. After taking a look at some of the advertising mediums used and some of the promotional strategies, to reach other market segments, we then tweak it and try to modify it to reach with people with disabilities. And we've had great success.

SCHAFFLER: It's been said that times of economic hardship causes some companies to pull back spending, really across the board. Are you finding that this is more of a struggle to try to convince companies that there is a another group to market to? Or does it perhaps become a more urgent issue since we are in a situation where companies are looking to make as most as they can, since they have seen sales drop off?

JONES: Well, I often see that companies do try to place people with disabilities in the foundation, or in a charity model. And once I share the demographic information with them, and make it a business imperative, and then try to eradicate any perceptions that people have of disabled people. We then begin to see great advances.

SCHAFFLER: And when we talk about some changes being made this is obviously more than making sure people are - have wheelchair access into restaurants. You're talking about bigger issues?

JONES: I'm sorry, Rhonda, I couldn't hear that-

SCHAFFLER: You're talking about far bigger issues than what, perhaps, people might think of like wheelchair access into a restaurant.

JONES: Most definitely. Again, people with disabilities want the same products and services as non-disabled people. And it's not just people in wheelchairs. It's people with hearing impairments, and visual impairments. And also cognitive disabilities. And also people with mobility impairments. It is broader than just physical access. It's making sure the staff can take care of the people with people with disabilities coming in to patronize their business.

SCHAFFLER: Carmen Jones of Solutions Marketing Group. Thanks for sharing your story. Appreciate it.

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