By Ed Avis
June is Pride Month, and many communities across the United States are holding parades, parties and other events to show their support for the LGBTQ community. What can your store do to help? Here are five ideas.
1) Don’t think about Pride Month only in June. Naturally, creating a store that supports the LGBTQ community – or any community – during one month of the year actually means welcoming all individuals, regardless of who they are, year round. Let your store become a space where everyone is comfortable. Make sure your staff understand the importance of being a welcoming store, and take the time to learn about the LGBTQ community in your town and see if your store can fill a need. Are there products they can’t find elsewhere? Do they need knowledgable advice on certain topics that you can offer? Do they need a space for events? If you can fill these needs, everyone will benefit.
2) Offer Pride-related products. Many NCA Vendor Members offer products that are perfect for Pride parades and other events. Multi-colored wigs, fun make-up, rainbow flags, supportive banners and colorful costumes are just a few ideas. Take a minute to browse the NCA Buyer’s Group to see what other ideas you can come up with. And remember, Pride-related merchandise may sell all year round, not just in June.
3) Sponsor an Pride event. There’s no better way to show support for Pride Month than to become a sponsor for a parade or other public event. These events count on businesses to sponsor them to cover the expenses for logistics, security, space rental, food/beverages, etc. Being a sponsor is a worthwhile way to show your support and introduce your store to people who may be unfamiliar with it.
4) Show your support via social media. Facebook and Instagram are probably the go-to promotions for your store, so use them this month to tell your community about Pride Month events, to highlight organizations and other businesses that support the LGBTQ community, and to promote the Pride-related products your store offers.
5) Keep the spirit alive by building long-term alliances. As you celebrate Pride Month, see if there are organizations, charities or LGBTQ-owned businesses that you can support year round. Consider co-sponsoring events – maybe a Halloween party promoted by your store and your partner organizations/businesses. Or maybe you can share referrals with these businesses and organizations, or make regular donations. If you incorporate LGBTQ-related groups and businesses into your network, your community and your store will benefit.
Bottomline: Pride Month comes only once a year, but the spirit of inclusion does not need to end on July 1. Make a commitment to year round support!