Build Your Business by Marketing To the LGBTQI+ Community

Merrick, NY--In today’s marketplace, more jewelers are actively reaching out to the LBGTQ community, especially to connect with those who have weddings in their future. The Centurion spoke with experts (from left in image below) Matthew Perosi, Jeweler Websites, Inc., Severine Ferrari, Engagement101. com, and Phillip Bosen, Bosen Associates.

Perosi remembers when the United States Supreme Court legalized gay marriage nationwide in 2015. “ There was a flurry of interest from all areas of the jewelry industry because of the idea that there would suddenly be a new type of customer walking into every jewelry store.”

The realization of that new business never lived up to the expectations, he acknowledged, but says most jewelers didn't understand how to attract this potential new client segment, nor was it understood that this client segment also needs to feel safe while shopping.

Inclusivity And Wants

Ferrari, founder of Engagement 101, a consumer website of all things engagement, embraces inclusivity also. “The language we use is understanding of younger generations’ approach to gender identification and gender roles. It is our understanding after speaking with a lot of couples, that they want to feel represented and included, but they don’t always want to feel ‘different.’”

George Blair IV, Jeweler Websites Inc., explains that, "Jewelers must be part of the community if they intend to serve it. Language and behavior must be explicitly open and affirming, which may seem like a simple idea, but it really isn't. Understanding what it means to be explicitly open and affirming isn't just the notion that a jeweler instructs all employees to treat all customers with respect. It's the express practice of showing the local community that LGBTQ customers are welcomed into their store.”

Finding the right jewelry. While there are some jewelry lines designed to appeal to same-sex couples, jewelers will do much better by just thinking “couple,” not “same-sex couple.”

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