Discussing politics, religion or anything controversial in your marketing might be touchy subjects. It’s really important to know your customers before you bring these topics into the conversation. Why? Because you don’t want to turn people off, unnecessarily, with a difference of opinion. Marketing is all about connecting with your audience, so if you throw in a controversial topic without knowing how your audience feels, you might end up alienating them.
Know your audience
But what if your political opinions are integral to what you do? Well, that’s a different story. In fact, your views can help you niche down and appeal to your ideal clients. Politics in marketing can be a great filter to see if someone is the kind of person you want to work with!
My experience
I remember the time I was trolled online for being a ‘left wing waste of space.’ Why? Ok, I’ll tell you…
After the Brexit referendum, Barnsley felt divided and some friends felt they weren’t welcome here. My friend Kate and I wanted to bring some happiness to the town, so we started The Love & Unity Project. The idea is to help make people feel loved and accepted, no matter where they are from or which way they voted.
The press picked up the story that we were going to give free hugs and balloons in Barnsley town centre on a Saturday afternoon during the Mayor’s Parade, and we thought “Great! That will encourage people to come along”.
But, it also attracted the trolls. *sigh* Don’t get me wrong, most people were lovely and supportive, but it seemed to REALLY offend others. Seriously, what’s so offensive about hugs and balloons??? We laughed it off because getting all upset about people who do nice things is just, well, daft!
And it didn’t stop us from doing what we do. Just yesterday, The Love & Unity Project gave FREE HUGS at Barnsley Pride. We spread some love, encouraged human connections and accepted people as they are. It was joyous!
Clearly, those trolls are not my cup of tea when it comes to work partnerships (or partnerships of any kind for that matter!). If hugging people means that the trolls aren’t going to like me, or want to work with me then I’m not going to cry about that!
Politics in marketing
When I say politics, I’m not just talking about elections or government. I’m talking about the way that us humans live as a society. It’s about our values and how we treat one another.
If you find the idea of love, acceptance and joy offensive, I’m perfectly okay not working with you. And that’s the beauty of knowing your audience and staying true to your values. It helps you attract the right people and build a community that resonates with your mission.
But, of course, many topics aren’t as ‘cut and dried’ as hugging people. So, before you get stuck into any controversial topics in your marketing, make sure you know your audience.
Keep spreading the love!