Entrepreneur Plus - Short White
For Subscribers

The 1 Rule You Need to Follow to Authentically Build an Inclusive BrandFollow Rihanna's advice to win diverse and niche customers.

BySonia Thompson

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Dimitrios Kambouris | Getty Images

In the wake of the murder of George Floyd and the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter Movement, many companies have gone to work ramping up their diversity and inclusion efforts. I've talked with a number of brands during this time, and one area many of them have been struggling with is how to authentically build an inclusive brand.

Many of these companies had made statements back in June taking a stand against racism and declaring their support for the Black community. Some had even made donations to causes and started down the path of cleaning up their internal policies and practices around diversity, inclusion and belonging. But figuring out what more to do, particularly around building a brand that consistently wins diverse and niche customers, is an area they found themselves getting stuck, which limited their forward progress.

They wanted to engage but weren't sure what to say. They were nervous about making mistakes. They didn't want to come off as performative, opportunistic, disingenuous, offensive or hypocritical in the way many brands had been called out for in their attempts to engage diverse customers.

This is a subscriber-only article. Join Entrepreneur+today for access

Related Topics

Business News

Knaus Berry Farm Will Reopen on Halloween, 8 Months After Brutal Attack on Co-Owners

The reopening is marked by tragedy, as the co-owners, Herbert and Rachel Grafe, were victims of a vicious assault in February, resulting in Rachel's passing.

Business News

'Stupid Idea Overall': McDonald's Is Making a Major Change to the Beloved McFlurry

The sweet treat has been a staple at the fast-food chain for decades.

领导

5 Books That Will Change The Way You Think About Being an Effective Leader

Want to improve the way you lead? Learn from those who blazed the trails you hope to follow.

Business News

Ford Is Putting Off Its $12 Billion Electric Vehicle Investment

Meanwhile, BP is buying EV chargers from Tesla.

Growing a Business

Waiting For a PR Crisis Is Like Wearing a Bullseye On Your Back. Here Are Some Proactive Steps You Can Take That Could Save Your Brand.

A PR misstep or outright crisis is becoming increasingly common. Regardless of the years open, entrepreneurs, startups and businesses must start preparing and building a solid public reputation for their companies. Reputations can be threatened or severely damaged instantly, and likely out of no fault of your own. Prepare now.