Pride Month Ecommerce Tips: How To Support Your Customers Authentically

Donating your time, resources, or money to an LGBTQ+ charity is one of the most authentic ways to showcase your support. For ecommerce businesses, this could include fundraising events, handing over a portion of your profits, or gifting charities relevant products, such as clothes or food.

Always do your own research to choose the charities that align best with your brand and audience. Some great options include:

• The Genders and Sexual Alliance Network
• The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center
• Point Foundation
• The Trevor Project

When done right, Pride-themed products can be a brilliant way to celebrate LGBTQ+ history. However, with lots of brands being accused of “rainbow washing” (profiting off the month without showing meaningful support), it’s vital that you only go ahead with creating products if they’re the right fit for your brand.

I’ve seen countless online debates and discussions around this topic, and the general consensus is that Pride-themed products are acceptable if your business:

• Has a long-standing relationship with the LGBTQ+ community
• Is founded by or serves the LGBTQ+ community
• Gives back to LGBTQ+ charities year-round

If you do decide to create Pride-related products, it’s best practice to donate a portion of the profits from each sale to a Pride charity. Make sure you signpost this clearly on product pages and in any promotional materials so that customers know that their money is going towards a good cause.

Dedicating your email marketing to Pride Month will show your subscribers that you value and prioritize the celebration. Plus, it’s a great way to promote any of the initiatives you’ll be running throughout the month.

The way you communicate this will vary depending on your industry and the style of newsletter you run. Effective strategies include:

• Directly addressing your LGBTQ+ subscribers
• Providing information on any supportive actions your business will be taking during Pride Month (and, hopefully, year-round)
• Promoting your Pride-related products
• Sharing information about LGBTQ+ news, history, and industry trailblazers

Dedicating your email marketing to Pride Month will show your subscribers that you value and prioritize the celebration. Plus, it’s a great way to promote any of the initiatives you’ll be running throughout the month.

The way you communicate this will vary depending on your industry and the style of newsletter you run. Effective strategies include:

• Directly addressing your LGBTQ+ subscribers
• Providing information on any supportive actions your business will be taking during Pride Month (and, hopefully, year-round)
• Promoting your Pride-related products
• Sharing information about LGBTQ+ news, history, and industry trailblazers

If you have an online presence of any size, now is a good time to use your platforms to spotlight LGBTQ+ voices. Invite relevant public figures and online influencers within the community to use your platform to share their stories across your key platforms. If you’re stuck for content ideas, you could create:

• Podcast interviews
• Social media live streams
• Guest blog posts

If your business does influencer marketing, consider highlighting the work of LGBTQ+ creators by solely partnering with creators in this community.

Put Your Customers in the Spotlight

If you’re looking for a way to share the love with your customers more directly, it’s a good idea to seek out user-generated content (UGC) made by your LGBTQ+ audience. Lego went a step further by inviting its LGBTQ+ customers to share their Pride-themed creations alongside inspirational quotes about their identity.

Pride Month is a time of celebration, but it’s important that businesses taking part continue to engage with the LGBTQ+ community once the month is over. Simply sticking a rainbow in your bio minimizes Pride to a profitable trend, which will do your brand image and reputation more harm than good.

Instead, try to form long-lasting connections with the community. Take meaningful actions such as donating to charities, educating your audience, and lending your platform to LGBTQ+ voices.

🏳️‍🌈How is your business celebrating Pride Month? Let us know in the comments! 🏳️‍🌈