#49: Year in Review & the Key Lessons in 2014! [Podcast]
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http://traffic.libsyn.com/jenntgrace/epi_49_gay-business-and-marketing-8-lessons-of-2014.mp3 Podcast: Play in new window Subscribe: RSS In today’s podcast I talk about the 8 key lessons I learned in 2014. Each year I do an annual recap and there are 8 that stand out to me. As a listener you have been following my running journey throughout 2014 …
Read More“What should I call my family?” Should you define your LGBT family differently?
Previously I had a chance to speak at an LGBT Business Equality Conference. It was a wonderful experience that spawned many conversations about how to communicate properly with the LGBT community. I fielded many questions during my presentation but I had one stick out in my mind. There was a …
Read MoreCan I ask my lesbian neighbor about her pregnancy?
Quite sometime ago I wrote a blog post titled How Intimate is too Intimate in a Business Setting and in it I discussed how it can be awkward when you are being asked ‘Who gave birth?’ by someone you don’t know, who is trying to do business with you. I encourage you to read the …
Read MoreWhen to (or not to) use the word Queer? That is the question. [Podcast]
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http://traffic.libsyn.com/jenntgrace/episode-47-gay-business-and-marketing-made-easy-a-queer-question.mp3 Podcast: Play in new window Subscribe: RSS Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Today I’m pleased to share episode #47 of the podcast. In this episode I discuss what I am thankful for this year as well as tackling a listener question about the usage of the word Queer. It’s an interesting topic and one …
Read MoreCan I ask a transgender person what their ‘other name’ was?
Listen up. You know I love you. I appreciate you. I enjoy that you frequently read my blog and follow what I am doing. But sometimes I feel the need to pull a tough love moment with you. This is one of those occasions. A few months ago I was …
Read More#46: What is coming in 2015 and answering listener questions [Podcast]
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http://traffic.libsyn.com/jenntgrace/episode_46_gay-business-marketing-listener-questions.mp3 Podcast: Play in new window Subscribe: RSS Hi there podcast listener! Thank you for being here. I am delighted to share with you my plans for this podcast as I enter year 3 of doing so. I also discuss ways in which I will be improving my blog and …
Read MoreGet SMART about your progress: How to build a simple LGBT outreach plan (Part 5 of 5)
This is part 5 of 5 of the 5 part series of How to build a simple LGBT outreach plan. Wow, we are finally at the conclusion of the 5 part series about How to build a simple LGBT outreach plan. I have enjoyed covering the 5 parts of creating an effective …
Read MoreHave you ever thought about how ignorant you may sound to a potential customer?
No matter what part of the country you are in – even in really progressive areas – there will still always be someone who says something that will instantly make you think he or she is an insensitive jerk. I was having a conversation with a really close friend of …
Read MoreBuild meaningful relationships first: How to build a simple LGBT outreach plan (Part 4 of 5)
This is part 4 of 5 of the 5 part series of How to build a simple LGBT outreach plan. Thanks for checking out part 4 of 5 of the How to build a simple LGBT outreach plan. This has been such a great series of posts to write for you. …
Read MoreCan we no longer say ‘My Partner’? The differences between a romantic partner and business partner.
This topic comes from a direct conversation I was having with two women business owners. These two women are active allies and members of the local LGBT chamber of commerce. I’ve had a chance to sit down with them in their business, on multiple occasions to talk about how they …
Read MoreHow do I become more involved?: How to build a simple LGBT outreach plan (Part 3 of 5)
This is part 3 of 5 of the 5 part series of How to build a simple LGBT outreach plan. Thanks for stopping by to read part 3 of 5 on How to build a simple LGBT outreach plan. We first discussed the 5 questions to ask yourself to help create a …
Read MoreCan saying ‘Sissy Boy’ get you in trouble?
Yes. I was in a meeting with my marketing mastermind group. I love this group. We meet in person once a month to discuss what we are doing for our business in terms of marketing. We share strategies, tips and offer feedback to one another. It is a wonderful thing to …
Read MoreWhy are you better than your competitors? (Part 2 of 5)
This is part 2 of 5 of the 5 part series of How to build a simple LGBT outreach plan. This is the second post in a 5 part series. The first post was titled “How to build a simple LGBT outreach plan,” if you haven’t checked that one out, go back …
Read More#44: Expert Interview with Re Perez [Podcast]
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http://traffic.libsyn.com/jenntgrace/episode-44-gay-business-and-marketing-made-easy-re-perez.mp3 Podcast: Play in new window Subscribe: RSS I had a chance to recently sit down with Re Perez of BRANDING FOR THE PEOPLE. I’ve known of Re for a couple of years through our mutual relationship with the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce. At this past conference …
Read MoreHow to Reset your LGBT Customers Expectation of your Business
Every time I travel I witness something that sparks a new blog post. My trip to Kansas City to speak at the Mid-America Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce’s Business Equality Conference was no different. What an experience! I’ve heard that this chamber was doing some great things so it …
Read MoreWho is your ideal audience?: How to build a simple LGBT outreach plan (Part 1 of 5)
This is part 1 of 5 of the 5 part series of How to build a simple LGBT outreach plan. We are going to do a deep dive into defining your target market. In a post titled “How to build a simple LGBT outreach plan” we discussed 5 questions to ask yourself to …
Read More#43: Interview with LGBT travel & tourism expert, Colin Sines [Podcast]
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http://traffic.libsyn.com/jenntgrace/episode-43-gay-business-and-marketing-made-easy-with-lgbt-travel-tourism-market-expert-colin-sines.mp3 Podcast: Play in new window Subscribe: RSS Today’s episode was so much fun. I had a chance to sit down and speak with Colin Sines who wears many hats, all of which come back to LGBT marketing specifically in the area of travel and tourism. Colin and I met last …
Read MoreIf you’ve got it, flaunt it: How to be more effective in your LGBT Marketing (Part 5 of 5)
The last 4 posts in this series have run the gamut of things you can do to help improve your outward appearance to the LGBT community and be more effective. My message in this post is simple – don’t be shy! Far too often large companies, businesses, and individuals – don’t promote themselves …
Read MoreStereotypes are a Losing Battle: How to be more Effective in your LGBT Marketing (Part 4 of 5)
This is part 4 of 5 of the 5 part series of How to be more Effective in your LGBT Marketing. We are going to talk about how stereotypes are a losing game. Stereotypes are just plain bad news and you are damned if you do damned if you don’t, so …
Read More#41: Expert Interview with Jeff Berger [Podcast]
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http://traffic.libsyn.com/jenntgrace/epi_41_interview_jeff_berger_national-association-of-gay-lesbian-real-estate-professionals.mp3 Podcast: Play in new window Subscribe: RSS I had the great pleasure of talking with Jeff Berger on today’s podcast. Jeff is the founder of the National Association of Gay & Lesbian Real Estate Professionals (NAGLREP) and shared some great insights on more effective marketing to the LGBT …
Read More#40: Are we going to get to #1 on the Amazon Best Seller List? It’s book launch time! [Podcast]
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http://traffic.libsyn.com/jenntgrace/GBM-epi-40-book-launch-of-no-wait-you-do-look-gay.mp3 Podcast: Play in new window Subscribe: RSS This week’s podcast is all about my virtual book launch. A much shorter episode than usual, that is filled with so much love and gratitude to you the listener and reader. I really appreciate you! 🙂 Now through Friday is the virtual launch of my …
Read MoreIt’s Time to be Inclusive: How to be more Effective in your LGBT Marketing (Part 3 of 5)
This is part 3 of 5 of the 5 part series of How to be more Effective in your LGBT Marketing. Understanding how to put together an effective advertisement for your LGBT marketing can be tricky. We are going to talk about knowing when the right time to be inclusive in …
Read MoreThe Art of Being Subtle: How to be more Effective in your LGBT Marketing (Part 2 of 5)
This is part 2 of 5 of the 5 part series of How to be more Effective in your LGBT Marketing. Understanding how to put together an effective advertisement for your LGBT marketing can be tricky. We are going to talk about the Art of Being Subtle. When creating ads …
Read More#38: Storytelling with Stacy Morataya-Pilkington [Podcast]
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http://traffic.libsyn.com/jenntgrace/gbm-ep-38-interview-with-stacy-7-21-2014.mp3 Podcast: Play in new window Subscribe: RSS In this new podcast, I had the pleasure of interviewing a close friend and colleague on the show. I lovingly refer to her as an operational genius, but you can just call her Stacy (Morataya-Pilkington). This interview covers many topics and her …
Read MoreTailoring Your Message: How to be more effective in your LGBT Marketing (Part 1 of 5)
This is part 1 of 5 of the 5 part series of How to be more effective in your LGBT Marketing. Tailoring your message is one of the key things you must do to have success in your LGBT outreach. In my book “No, wait… You do look gay! The 7 …
Read MoreHow to be more Effective in your LGBT Marketing (A 5 part series)
Understanding how to put together an effective advertisement for your LGBT marketing can be tricky. There are a lot of factors at play. Below are my 5 tips to help you be more effective. Tailor your message If you are reaching out to the LGBT community, you need to …
Read MoreDeveloping Partnerships within the LGBT Community
In the blog post titled “Internally Communicating LGBT Marketing Strategies to your Employees” we covered a few critical areas. We touched upon the topics of external perception versus internal perception, we discussed the value of employee resource groups (ERGs) within your organization and I also demonstrated a real life example …
Read MoreWhat’s new in June for Pride Month?
So this Marketing Friday is going to be a little different than usual. I am hard at work preparing to launch the 30 days – 30 voices – Stories from America’s LGBT Business Leaders project. This means every single day in June there will be a new blog post and a new podcast for you to …
Read More#36: Storytelling with Dina & Dom of Teazled LGBT Greeting Cards [Podcast]
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http://traffic.libsyn.com/jenntgrace/GBM_epi36-Dina-Dom-Teazled.mp3 Podcast: Play in new window Subscribe: RSS This podcast interview is with Dina & Dom, founders of Teazled Greeting Cards, which is a company that focuses exclusively on creating cards for LGBT people and families. We talk about our families, how they came to founding their company and many …
Read MoreDo you only work with gay people?
This post is about an interaction I had with my Mother over the holiday. I was at my Mom’s with my wife and kids to celebrate the holidays. She had asked me how my book was selling so I started telling her and gave her a promotional bookmark. She leans in towards me and whispers …
Read MoreDefining what Inclusion Based Marketing is
In this post I want to discuss inclusion based marketing. The idea of inclusion based marketing is always on my mind because it is so vital to a successful LGBT outreach plan. In my book I spent quite a bit of time explaining what this is and why it is important. In episode …
Read More#35: Storytelling with Ann Jenrette-Thomas [Podcast]
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http://traffic.libsyn.com/jenntgrace/GBM_Epi_35_Ann-Jenrette-Thomas.mp3 Podcast: Play in new window Subscribe: RSS Today’s interview is with Ann Jenrette-Thomas of Esquire Coaching Inc. Ann and I had a great conversation around being an LGBT business owner, coming out to our families, how to leverage being a lesbian in business and all of the wonderful things …
Read MoreIs it really ‘just a phase?’ 3 ways you are offending LGBT people and don’t even know it.
For new readers and repeat visitors, I write about business etiquette and the nuances of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community. In this post I address the phrase, “It’s just a phase…” Most of what is written here is aimed to educate you on what not to say in a business …
Read MoreDeconstructing a Monolithic Myth from a Marketing Perspective
This is a guest post from Melanie McMillan, the Public Relations Director for Keiler (www.Keiler.com) Guilty as charged. I, a straight woman who works as a public relations professional, bought into the common assumption that gay Americans have a greater disposable income than the rest of the populace. In my …
Read More#34: How LGBT Chambers of Commerce can change your Business & your Life [Podcast]
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http://traffic.libsyn.com/jenntgrace/GBM_Epi_034_LGBT-Chamber-of-Commerce.mp3 Podcast: Play in new window Subscribe: RSS Today’s podcast is all about LGBT Chambers of Commerce. Yes, you’ve heard me talk about them in the past but today we do a deep dive in how they can change your business and possibly even your life. They have been a …
Read MoreWhen is ok to “come out” to your doctor?
This blog stems from a question from a friend who is a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) and has encountered a similar situation a couple of times when treating her lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) patients. To best understand the situation she provided me with a document from the Rhode Island Department …
Read More#33: Storytelling with Christin Mell [Podcast]
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http://traffic.libsyn.com/jenntgrace/GBM_Epi_33_Christin-Mell-Tello-Films.mp3 Podcast: Play in new window Subscribe: RSS I am pleased to bring you a fun episode of the Gay Business & Marketing Made Easy podcast! Today we talk with Christin Mell, the co-founder and CEO of tello Films. We discuss her film making calling at an early age, what …
Read MoreTax day is here. Thank you Edie Windsor!
Today is April 15th. It is the dreaded tax day for many. Fortunately I am not scrambling and did my taxes months ago but I know this is top of mind for many people. It is likely top of mind for many LGBT couples, as it is the first time …
Read MoreBe SMART: 5 steps to measuring your progress (Part 6 of 6)
Wow, we are finally at the conclusion of the 6 part series about Maximizing Your LGBT Outreach with a Solid Plan. I have enjoyed covering the 5 parts of creating an effective plan with you. From determining who you are marketing to, to figuring out how you are better than …
Read MoreRelationship Building Requires a Strategy (Part 5 of 6)
Thanks for checking out part 5 of 6 of the Maximizing your LGBT Outreach with a Solid Plan. This has been such a great series of posts to write for you. Many of you have taken the time to write to me and express how this has helped you and I …
Read MoreWhere do I begin my LGBT outreach efforts? (Part 4 of 6)
Thanks for stopping by to read part 4 of 6 on Maximizing your LGBT Outreach with a Solid Plan. We first discussed the 5 questions to ask yourself to help create a solid plan for your LGBT Outreach efforts. Then we took a dive into the question of who am I trying …
Read MoreThinking Outside the Box: How to Define Your Competitive Advantage (Part 3 of 6)
This is the third post in a 6 part series. The first post was titled “Maximizing your LGBT Outreach with a Solid Plan,” if you haven’t checked that one out, go back to it when you are done here. In that post we discussed 5 questions to ask yourself to …
Read MoreDefining Your Target Market (Part 2 of 6)
Today we are going to do a deep dive into defining your target market. In a post titled “Maximizing your LGBT Outreach with a Solid Plan” we discussed 5 questions to ask yourself to help create a solid plan. In that post the first question was “Who am I trying to market …
Read MoreMaximizing Your LGBT Outreach with a Solid Plan (Part 1 of 6)
Marketing to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community requires a plan. Positioning yourself as the go-to person for the community in regards to business transactions requires a strategy and a plan as well. You have to be logical in your approach. You can’t just put a rainbow sticker …
Read More#32: Storytelling with Mary Malia [Podcast]
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http://traffic.libsyn.com/jenntgrace/GBM_Epi_032_Mary-Malia.mp3 Podcast: Play in new window Subscribe: RSS This podcast interview is with the Gay Girl Dating coach Mary Malia. We cover all sorts of things in this podcast but really dive deep into the marketing concepts that can effectively reach a lesbian audience. We had a great conversation and …
Read MoreHow intimate is too intimate in a business setting? What questions are off limits?
This question from a friend comes from a lively discussion I was having with a handful of colleagues. As you may know by now I often dedicate blogs to answering questions that some may find uncomfortable to ask for fear of being judged or afraid they may offend someone if they do …
Read More#31: Increase Your Market Share Through Authentic Communications [Podcast]
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http://traffic.libsyn.com/jenntgrace/GBM_Episode_31_Webinar_recording.mp3 Podcast: Play in new window Subscribe: RSS So this weeks podcast is a little bit different. This is the audio recording of my March 19th webinar that I did. As you may know I do webinars every single month. I’ve heard from many podcast listeners that you just can’t …
Read MoreLGBT customers do not respond to assertiveness
Here we are in the final installment of the “The 7 Deadly Sins of Ineffective LGBT Communications.” I hope you’ve enjoyed this series and it proved to be valuable to you. By now you probably know this entire series came up because of my belief that 98% of miscommunication blunders …
Read MoreWhich lesbian is the ‘man’ in the relationship?
This blog post comes from a conversation I was having with a fellow lesbian. I was interviewing her for my 30 days – 30 voices – stories from America’s LGBT business leaders podcast project. I was telling her about my first book called “But You Don’t Look Gay…”, and explaining how I came up …
Read MorePeacemaking in the Gay Dog Wars…
This blog post is from a colleague of mine, Debra Vey Voda-Hamilton. She is a mediator who works with LGBT couples and their pets. She shares her perspective of what happens when married LGBT couples divorce and how that impacts the couple’s pets. She’s a wealth of knowledge so I …
Read More#30: Storytelling with Kathy Borkoski [Podcast]
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http://traffic.libsyn.com/jenntgrace/GBM_Epi-30_Kathy-Borkoski.mp3 Podcast: Play in new window Subscribe: RSS So we are talking to Kathy Borkoski today who in my opinion is the true definition of an entrepreneur. She focuses on building solutions to problems business owners face. We connected because I was researching proposal software for a client and previous …
Read MoreWhat’s the business impact of ridiculous proposed laws across America?
A few years back I was in a Facebook conversation with a friend about the ridiculous nature of Arizona’s Senate Bill 1062. I was so intrigued by her comments that I told her to head over to my Facebook page and post there so we could get the conversation going with other people …
Read MoreAre you insulting potential LGBT customers?
Welcome to part 5 of 7 of the “The 7 Deadly Sins of Ineffective LGBT Communications.” We are moving right along on all of the ways that you can improve your communication skills within the LGBT community. This whole series has been based on what simple idea – that I believe …
Read MoreWhat is Inclusion Based Marketing?
I want to discuss inclusion based marketing. The idea of inclusion based marketing comes up often in this blog and podcast. I first talked about it in episode 11. In this podcast I addressed diversity and inclusion and how those two play together in marketing efforts. Diversity and inclusion are very …
Read More#29: The Top 8 LGBT News Stories of February and Why They Matter [Podcast]
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http://traffic.libsyn.com/jenntgrace/GBM_Epi_029-8-great-things-in-3-weeks.mp3 Podcast: Play in new window Subscribe: RSS In the last episode of the podcast I made mention that the media is the gift that keeps on giving these days. There is so much going on for LGBT equality its hard to keep up with. Today I am going to …
Read MoreThe 3 Key Ways Coke Scored a Touch Down with their LGBT Marketing
Were you one of the 111.3 million viewers who watched the 2014 Super Bowl? According to Nielsen this was the most-watched U.S. TV telecast of all time. I watched it, like many, just for the commercials. Did you see the gay couple in the Coca-Cola “America the Beautiful” Super Bowl …
Read More#28: Storytelling with Leanne Pittsford [Podcast]
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http://traffic.libsyn.com/jenntgrace/Episode_028_Leanne-Pittsford.mp3 Podcast: Play in new window Subscribe: RSS So we are talking to Leanne Pittsford today who is a woman of many titles – she is an entrepreneur, risk taker and a queer and women’s rights leader. She is also the CEO & founder of Start Somewhere, which helps organizations …
Read MoreAn important letter of LGBT inclusion from a Straight Business Owner
I would like to share with you an incredibly heartfelt letter that I received from a fan of this blog. Don reached out to me after having attended my webinar. Don’s entire letter to me embodies the reasons why I do what I do. In an ideal world there would be …
Read MoreWhy does the LGBT community seemingly hate its allies?
A prior year’s Grammys performance sparked this blog post about something I had already been aware of, but was reinforced strongly during that performance – our LGBT allies are under appreciated. Thousands of people blogged about that performance a few years ago- this post isn’t like the others. Honestly, some LGBT folks are …
Read More#27: Duck Dynasty, A&E and Cracker Barrel: A Case Study [Podcast]
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http://traffic.libsyn.com/jenntgrace/GBM_Epi_027_Duck-Dynasty-AE-Cracker-Barrel.mp3 Podcast: Play in new window Subscribe: RSS Welcome to episode #27 of the Gay Business & Marketing Made Easy Podcast! This episode is going to look at Duck Dynasty, A&E and Cracker Barrel as a case study that you can learn from. I am going to frame up the …
Read MoreDo LGBT people really care about what companies are doing for their LGBT employees?
In previous blog posts I’ve discussed the two critical factors in effective LGBT marketing – the fact that you need to be authentic and be transparent. I explained that to have a truly successful LGBT marketing campaign you must embrace both of these core principles because LGBT consumers are savvy. …
Read MoreAuthenticity & Transparency: 2 words to help kick your LGBT marketing up a notch!
If you have found your way to this website it likely means we have at least one thing in common; you are looking to market to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community. Well, guess what? You are in luck because I am just the person who can help …
Read MoreIs asking someone “So, what’s your disability?” similar to asking “So, are you a lesbian?”
For the few years I have written blog posts that are related to effective communications with the LGBT community (and it’s turned into so much more! I’m not sure all of you are aware that this blog actually started off called “LGBT Questions from a Friend,” and I was answering questions from friends and …
Read MoreProud Offering: Get Your LGBT Marketing Critique Today!
I often take time at the beginning of the year to reflect on the previous year. In 2014 I found myself ringing in the new year 30,000 feet in the air en route to Las Vegas, Nevada to attend the New Media Expo. New Media Expo is a large conference where …
Read MoreAn LGBT Year in Review: 2013 was a good year
This past year has been a good year for LGBT equality. As with anything there is still so much more work to be done, but this year was something I am proud to have witnessed occur. You can see the shift in consciousness happening, in the United States. However, there …
Read More6 lessons from my past to help you
A few years back I wrote about all of the lesion I learned in 2012. Believe or not, all these years later, I continue to have a great response to that post, click here to take a look. Because of the response I received I decided to do it again and …
Read More#025: LGBT Year in Review & Key Lessons in 2013 [Podcast]
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http://traffic.libsyn.com/jenntgrace/GBM_Episode_025_Year-in-Review-Key-Lessons.mp3 Podcast: Play in new window Subscribe: RSS Have a listen to episode #25 of the Gay Business & Marketing Made Easy podcast! Today is a 2013 year in review. We’ll talk about all that happened for LGBT equality in 2013 as well as some of my personal and business …
Read MoreNot all LGBT people have a safe place to go for the holidays…
Tis’ the holiday season for many of us! I understand that not everyone celebrates Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanzaa or any other holiday pertinent to your specific culture, but I think it is generally safe to assume that this time of year, we are all in the holiday season – whatever that …
Read MoreFacebook Went Red for Marriage Equality: Here are the Results
This is another post where I get my ‘geek on’. I have a love hate relationship with numbers. I am notorious for transposing numbers when I am trying to dial a phone, seriously it’s painful to watch. However, I have a love for numbers and statistics especially when they are so …
Read MoreWhat is your ‘why’? How to create your story. Part 3 of 3
This post is the final installment of my”What is your why?” series. In the previous 2 posts in the series we’ve been covering reasons why the LGBT community matters to you. In the very first blog post I explained to you that the very first question I ask any potential customer is “Why do you …
Read MoreHow can I shop with LGBT-friendly businesses? Use the Buying for Workplace Equality guide
If you are a long time reader of this blog, or perhaps you’ve just found my site, either way you’ll understand real quick that I am a Dork – with a capital D. So each year when the Human Rights Campaign releases their Corporate Equality Index scores I am like a …
Read More#024: Expert Interview with Candice Czubernat [Podcast]
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http://traffic.libsyn.com/jenntgrace/GBM_Candice_Czubernat_Episode_024.mp3 Podcast: Play in new window Subscribe: RSS Have a listen to episode #24 of the Gay Business & Marketing Made Easy Podcast. In this episode I talk with Candice Czubernat the founder of The Christian Closet. We talk about the intersection of being Christian and LGBT and the struggle …
Read MoreWhat is your ‘why’? A poor why is a dead end. Part 2 of 3
This post is part 2 of a 3 part series that explores the reason why you are interested in marketing to the LGBT community. In part 1 I gave you a few things to think about and even provided a worksheet to help you through the process. You can go back and …
Read MoreAmerica’s LGBT Buying Power
In November 2013 we received word that the LGBT buying power in the United States has grown, again. This was no surprise as it continues to grow year after year. I’m happy to report to you that the buying power of America’s LGBT adult population was approximately $830 billion in 2013. That was up from the …
Read MoreWhat is your ‘why’? Why do you want to market to the LGBT community? Part 1 of 3
The past few years have been years of creation for me. I’ve written and published 2 books, which you can find here, and I created a series of online products to help you master your communications and marketing skills when working with the LGBT community. During this process I had a …
Read MoreHow to be more inclusive in your LGBT marketing… one small change (Part 2 of 2)
This is part 2 of a 2 part series. Previously I talked about one small change you can make in your LGBT marketing to be more inclusive of LGBT clients and potential LGBT clients. The one small change was to add LGBT imagery to your existing website or marketing materials. …
Read More#023: What I am Thankful For: Happy Thanksgiving [Podcast]
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http://traffic.libsyn.com/jenntgrace/Episode_023_WhatIAmThankfulFor-HappyThanksgiving.mp3 Podcast: Play in new window Subscribe: RSS Have a listen to episode #23 of the Gay Business & Marketing Made Easy podcast! Today is a shorter episode than usual as I just want to talk for a few minutes about what I am thankful for this Thanksgiving. I wish …
Read MoreWhat is a "Beard"?
This is a guest post written by Patrick Carland While LGBT rights have never been at a better point than they are now, many gay, lesbian, bisexuality and transgender people still suffer from discrimination, and the unfortunately widespread possibility of rejection from their families or loved ones should their sexuality …
Read MoreHow to be more inclusive in your LGBT marketing… one small change (Part 1 of 2)
This is part 1 of a 2 part series. I previously had a meeting with a small business owner in my area. We’ve known of each other for a while but we were gathering to understand more about each others business. This particular business owner has had a catering business …
Read MoreWhat do the Great Depression and LGBT equality have in common?
In many past blog posts the concept of generational differences within the LGBT community have come up. I’ve never delved deeper into it for a lack of a good way to compare and contrast the generations. In a post I wrote about the term Queer, the generational difference came up. …
Read MoreHow not to advise same-sex couples…
A quick note from Jenn – When my dear friend and colleague Diane reached out to me upset with what she had just read I was empathetic. However, rather than voice my thoughts on the matter I invited her to share her thoughts and opinion here on my blog. It …
Read More#022: Expert Interview with Joanne Sprague
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http://traffic.libsyn.com/jenntgrace/GBM_Episode_022_JoanneSprague-FriendFactor.mp3 Podcast: Play in new window Subscribe: RSS Have a listen to episode #22 of the Gay Business & Marketing Made Easy podcast! You’ll hear the story of Joanne Sprague, the Re-Founder & CEO of Friendfactor the “LGBT Rights Organization for Straight Friends.” Listen to the podcast, and sign up …
Read MoreA tale of "the ladies across the street…"
I grew up in a small town where diversity was scarce, really scarce. I’m not sure how or when being inclusive of everyone became such a part of who I was but I remember as early as 11 being inclusive regardless of race or religion specifically in my very non-diverse …
Read MoreHow do you recover from sticking your foot in your mouth?
I had the pleasure of previously speaking at the Travel Gay Canada conference in Niagara, Ontario. I had a great time presenting to a crowd of travel professionals who were eager to know how to communicate more effectively with their current and potential LGBT clients. Towards the tail end of …
Read MoreShould you ever say "those people" when talking about the LGBT community?
I’m a firm believer that the phrase “those people” should be banned from your vocabulary regardless of what group of people you are talking about. But since my blog is focused on the LGBT community we will talk about “those people” today. Did you see what I did there? All …
Read More#021: Expert Interview with Jodi Savitz [Podcast]
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http://traffic.libsyn.com/jenntgrace/GBM_Episode_021_Jodi-Savitz.mp3 Podcast: Play in new window Subscribe: RSS Have a listen to episode #21 of the Gay Business & Marketing Made Easy podcast! You’ll hear the story of filmmaker, Jodi Savitz. You’ll hear her story as an invisible feminine lesbian and her current documentary project, “Girl on Girl.” Below are …
Read MorePinkwashing: What does it mean?
This is a guest post written by Patrick Carland One thing that must be understood is that, on the whole, the LGBT community is far more cognizant of various social and political issues than the average population. This is on account not of any inherent intellectualism or erudition, but is …
Read MoreWhat do fanny packs and personal branding have to do with one another?
I am writing to you 38,000 feet above as I fly clear across the country to San Francisco, California. I started off my day in Hartford, Connecticut’s small airport, Bradley International. One of my favorite things about traveling is the seemingly unlimited amount of people watching I can do. I …
Read More#020: Expert Interview with Andrea Hays [Podcast]
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http://traffic.libsyn.com/jenntgrace/GBM_Episode_020_AndreaHays_OE_TGC.mp3 Podcast: Play in new window Subscribe: RSS Have a listen to episode #20 of the Gay Business & Marketing Made Easy podcast! You’ll hear a communications related near disaster after I attended a conference last week to speak about just that – avoiding communications disasters! You’ll also hear from …
Read MoreHotel check-in: Will that be one bed or two, ladies?
Annually, I attend the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce conference. I write about it, talk about it on the podcast and meet many of you there. The conference never disappoints, in fact each year I’m not sure how they are going to top the previous year, but somehow …
Read MoreMalesploitation – Revolutionary, or more of the same?
This is a guest post written by Patrick Carland Perhaps you’ve seen it in the Kraft Zesty Italian commercial, or on the covers of Abercrombie and Fitch bags and catalogs, but more and more, businesses all over are realizing that heterosexual men are not the only ones with sex drives, …
Read MoreAre you "happy to deal with LGBT people?" Err, what?
By now you know that most of my blog posts comes directly from experiences in my day-to-day life. As a very out lesbian and owner of a business catering to education about the LGBT community, I have an endless supply of things to write about, which I am very grateful for. …
Read More#019: Authentic Gay Marketing: Why Authenticity Matters… [Podcast]
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http://traffic.libsyn.com/jenntgrace/Episode_19_Authentic_Gay_Marketing.mp3 Podcast: Play in new window Subscribe: RSS After hearing so much chatter about the CEO of Barilla Pasta and his anti-gay remarks, I have my own thoughts on this. I take a different angle than you may expect and share it all in today’s podcast. …
Read MoreWhat exactly is a sexual preference?
As with almost every post I write, this topic comes out of a direct conversation I had with an old friend and colleague. She has been a proud supporter of the LGBT community for many years and has been very active and successful in doing so. We were talking about equality …
Read MoreThree Myths About Bisexual People
This is a guest post written by Patrick Carland It’s common to think of sexuality as being entirely dependent on one’s specific gender identity and outward indicators thereof, and mainstream culture has an unfortunate habit of reduce sexual orientation to the binary of straight and gay, ignoring everything in between. …
Read MoreAre you the only gay people in your neighborhood?
This question comes from a conversation I was having with a friend in San Francisco. I was in the Bay Area working on a client project and while I was at lunch one day we got to talking about the differences of the city and the suburbs. I think I live in …
Read MoreDealing with opposition when preparing an LGBT outreach plan
This post was prompted by a question I received from an Australian reader of this blog. After reading my book he reached out to me with the following statement – Thanks for creating this – lots of hard work have produced a great result. One thing I am curious about – …
Read MoreWhere are the lesbians? From a gay millennial’s point of view
This is a guest post written by Patrick Carland Contrary to popular belief, LGBT people do not have built in gaydars. Although sometimes we wish we did, as it would certainly make life a lot easier! One of the biggest struggles LGBT people go through every day is simply trying …
Read More6 ways using "Google Alerts" in your business can help you beat the competition
We live in a competitive world, right? Sometimes its a downright dog-eat-dog world. Each day as business owners and entrepreneurs we are trying to figure out what is going to make us better than our competition. In my personal experience understanding what is going on in your industry and knowing …
Read More#017: Expert Interview with Beverly Winters [Podcast]
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http://traffic.libsyn.com/jenntgrace/Episode_017_BeverlyWinters.mp3 Podcast: Play in new window Subscribe: RSS This was a great interview to do with Beverly Winters. She’s an amazing woman with some really concrete wisdom gathered from her eclectic background. I hope you enjoy this episode and please I encourage you to leave a comment below. Below are …
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