Companies that successfully reach consumers with disabilities understand it requires commitment, discipline and strategy. The truth is there’s such a barren landscape of companies speaking to them directly, that any company serious about penetrating the market has the opportunity to make the competition irrelevant. These disability inclusive companies know that moving beyond understanding to market penetration requires a well-developed game plan. A few things to consider as your organization takes actionable steps to engage people with disabilities, their families, and influencers are:

1. Make it Personal: Many companies get into a quagmire about what to offer and how to communicate with consumers with disabilities. Understanding who these consumers are and what drives their behavior provides insight into the opportunity to reach, employ and serve them. It’s imperative to create an efficient path for consumers to navigate so they understand how their needs will be met. Communicating with them consistently minimizes the number of information sources they must touch while moving confidently toward a purchase. The most successful brands achieve this by personalizing the route. A way to personalize the process is having customer service staff that understands how people with disabilities use products and services.
2. Offer Value: In many instances, people with disabilities, and families with a disabled child, live financially below their typical peers. They make their dollars stretch among the basics, with medications, therapies and medical supplies that also need to be purchased. Companies that simplify the purchase process offer bundled packages, incentive discounts as value-adds, which build loyalty and repeat sales.
3. Be Consistent: The general rule is prospects have to have 7+ interactions with a company before making a purchase decision. To make an impact, companies have to develop an integrated disability market strategy, which is implemented consistently, resulting in desired results. There can no longer be a scramble to develop a plan to reach people with disabilities in July (anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act) or October (National Disability Employment Awareness Month). Consistent implementation, with resources, is critical to make an impact.

If you are interested in developing an year-round, inclusive marketing and outreach game plan for your organization, get in touch to request your free 30-minute consultation.