Solutions Marketing Group

Providing clients with innovative strategies that position them to understand, penetrate and retain the disability market.

  • Home
  • About
  • What We Do
  • Blog
  • Learn From Us
    • Boot Camp
    • eBook
  • Contact
  • Home
  • About
  • What We Do
  • Blog
  • Learn From Us
    • Boot Camp
    • eBook
  • Contact

#SmallBusinessWeek Resources to Grow

May 2, 2018

#smallbusinesweek resourcesI started Solutions Marketing Group in 1998, when I saw the need for businesses to target people with disabilities, as consumers. As an African-American woman, companies marketed to me, but not as a person with a disability. I determined what services I was able to provide, and made a prospect list of clients to target. I had collateral designed and printed, and I began speaking at conferences to get ‘out there.’

At that time, there weren’t a lot of resources for entrepreneurs with disabilities. And honestly, I didn’t know what I didn’t know. All I had was seed money and a vision to help make corporate America disability inclusive.

I’ve made mistakes. I’ve tried to learn from them and course correct and refine my systems and processes. As I’ve grown as a business owner, I’ve discovered information and organizations which have impacted my business. Periodically, entrepreneurs with disabilities contact me for advice and, since it’s #SmallBusinessWeek it seemed a good time to share some of my go-to resources with you.

Whether you call yourself a CEO, president, founder, consultant, or small business owner, these tools will help expand your vision, create new networks, and potentially scale your business.

  • Alice: Alice connects every entrepreneur, regardless of gender, ethnicity, disability, geography or stage of growth, with the programs, people and opportunities they need to succeed. Alongside business owners, investors, government institutions, Fortune 100 companies, startup organizations and industry leaders, #TeamAlice is enabling global accessibility to the intellectual and financial capital that helps all founders build the businesses that will change the world.
  • Disability Supplier Diversity Program: The Disability Supplier Diversity Program (DSDP) is the leading third-party certifier of disability-owned business enterprises (DOBEs), including service-disabled veteran-owned business enterprises (SDV-DOBEs) promoting their utilization and growth.
  • Facts About Disability-Related Tax Provisions: The Internal Revenue Code has three disability-related provisions of particular interest to businesses as well as people with disabilities.
  • JPMorgan Chase’s Report – Cash is King: Flows, Balance and Buffer Days: In this inaugural report on the small business sector, the JPMorgan Chase Institute explores the financial lives of small business through the lens of cash inflows, outflows and account balances.
  • Procurement Technical Assistance Center: Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (PTACs) provide local, in-person counseling and training services for you, the small business owner. They are designed to provide technical assistance to businesses that want to sell products and services to federal, state, and/or local governments.
  • Service Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Program: The government limits competition for certain contracts to businesses that participate in the Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business program. Joining the disabled veterans’ business program makes your business eligible to compete for the program’s set-aside contracts. You can still compete for contract awards under other socio-economic programs you qualify for.
  • 3 Tips for Starting a Small Business with a Disability [Updated 2018]

I hope these resources help you grow your business, team and impact.

Here’s to your success!

 

Carmen

Carmen Daniels Jones

Filed Under: Notes from the Founder Leave a Comment

Tags: disability inclusion, small business

find this post helpful? Try these:

Default ThumbnailDisability Inclusion Done Right! Zappos is Getting Disability Inclusion Right
share

Convo Connects the Deaf Community to the World by Making Conversations Happen

March 8, 2017

By Joan Leotta

When hearing customers call San Francisco based Mozzeria Pizzeria to place an order, they probably do not realize they are phoning a Deaf-owned, Deaf-staffed eatery. Melody Stein, Mozzeria’s owner, manages her restaurant by concentrating on the business at hand: the pizza. No stranger to the business, Stein explains, “my family runs restaurants and I have always wanted to open my own restaurant. Russ, my husband hails from New York City and he loves eating pizza. We compromised by serving Neapolitan pizza in wood burning oven.”

Overcoming communication challenges with hearing customers, however, required thinking out of the box. So, the enterprising restaurant owner used the same communication model of restaurants serving non-native speaking clientele: “When you visit Mexico, a non-English speaking country, how do you communicate with Mexicans? Point to the item on the menu. Gestures. We also offer paper and pen on each table. We use video relay communication and email to communicate with our customers. Technical aides (from Convo) help us get more customers (especially with phone reservations). And of course, video relay helps with phone-in orders. It makes for a practically seamless interface between the two worlds—Deaf/Hard of Hearing (D/HOH) and the hearing worlds.”

Mozzeria and Convo

Wayne Betts, Jr.

Convo Chief Strategic Office and Co-founder Wayne Betts, Jr.

Wayne Betts, Jr., Chief Strategic Officer and Co-Founder of Convo, insures that the Convo products work for Mozzeria’s successful interaction with its customers. In an interview with SMG, Betts shared additional insights into his company’s relationship with the Steins and the larger scope of his efforts to support D/HOH-owned businesses.

The partnership with Mozzeria has showcased Convo’s 21st century innovation and communication possibilities. According to Betts, “Owners Russ and Melody Stein made requests focused on enhancing their restaurant-operating experience. For instance, they kept missing their calls due to the ringing technology they had at the time, with a different provider, and it was distracting and irritating to their patrons. They eventually made the decision to remove the device and as a result, lost the ability to receive incoming call notifications. They wanted a type of visual ringing that would grab the employees’ attention and at the same time remain discreet to patrons. We developed a customized blueprint for their restaurant, strategically placing Convo Lights in specific spots. The solution has proven to be effective with Russ and Melody reporting that their percentage of missed calls has reduced from 50% to 5%.”

He adds, “Convo has supplied 560 various businesses and organizations in the U.S. with Convo Lights, the visual ringing system that Mozzeria uses in its restaurant. We also have a Community Directory which our callers can access via our Convo apps to find Deaf-owned businesses in the nation. Over 250 businesses are currently in that directory and many of these business owners are Convo users.”

Above and Beyond:  Convo’s Commercial Applications

Providing commercial applications capable of maintaining seamless interaction between the Deaf and hearing worlds is not just a business objective. For Betts it is just as much an aspect of the company’s core value to “ensure that our products and features are sign language-centric and Deaf-centric”. Convo Announce is the first such product to deliver communication accessibility and increased safety for D/HOH people. Released in November 2015, Convo Announce enables schools and programs to have a dedicated platform capable of receiving simultaneous emergency and public announcements, both in text and in video, for people who are D/HOH. Prior to this innovation, there were no functionally equivalent emergency and public notification systems for the 420,000 D/HOH students in the United States.

Q & A with Wayne Betts, Jr.

In an interview with SMG, Betts gave further insight into the how’s and why’s of Convo’s success in creating a connection between the hearing and Deaf/HOH worlds.

SMG: How has Convo evolved since its founding in 2009? What features have enhanced the technology and the communication products you offer?

Betts: Since 2009, Convo has changed a lot. Today we are a bigger company with bigger challenges, and we are more ambitious. The first few years our priority was laying out the foundation, which meant growing our pool of interpreters and obtaining FCC certification, and proving ourselves as a competent—and the only—Deaf-owned video relay system (VRS) provider in the industry. After we fleshed out the engineering and marketing teams, which were (and still are) full of Deaf and signing employees, we asked ourselves: “What can we do together? How do we want to shape the world? ” From there, we developed our core values as a company, and created a movement that stemmed from our passion for the Deaf Ecosystem. Our Community Directory grew out of this. The Directory is a feature in our apps that allows users to connect with other local Deaf-owned businesses and Deaf-related organizations, schools and services.

In the future, we want to create new technology in untouched domains. We want to offer a different and better take on the old technology. The question we often ask ourselves is: “How can we change the world with our technology?”

SMG: What percentage of your staff are people from the Deaf community?

Betts: Nearly all of the staff is from the Deaf community. A lot of our interpreters have Deaf parents, and many of them have been heavily involved with the community over the years. Not counting the interpreters, most of us are Deaf ourselves and have been a part of the Deaf community our whole lives.

SMG: Does the fact that Convo is Deaf-owned and staffed contribute to the success of its products? If so, how?

Betts: Without a doubt! I’ve worked for companies in the past where the upper-level people weren’t customers of their own products. Their hearts may have been in the right place, but innovation comes from direct experiences. People who are not Deaf or HOH cannot fully understand what customers need and a lot of their ideas often originate from a business perspective. That approach rarely creates the best experience for the customers.

As a Deaf-owned company, our ideas come directly from real experience. In addition, the working environment in an all-Deaf employee company means that when teams meet, there is less explaining on why this idea works or why that idea doesn’t work because we are all coming from the same place. We have shared experiences, values, and language. We understand each other on an intuitive level. Less time spent on discussions means more time for exploring new ideas.

SMG: How does Convo recruit interpreters? Do they receive training from the company?

Betts: The approach we take in recruiting interpreters is different from the approach of other companies. Early on, we established clearly the traits we seek in our interpreters and we have a screening process that measures the level of an interpreter’s reception, voicing, and signing skills. This process is overseen by a panel of people of different backgrounds, qualifications, and roles in the community. Some other companies may review certifications and years of experience and hire only based on those criteria. We believe that the true measure of the quality of interpreters goes beyond what is on their resume, which is why we also put emphasis on the real experience of the calls that they experience. We often pair up the more experienced interpreters with newer interpreters for mentorship opportunities and professional growth. We also provide continuous in-house training.

SMG: How are you planning to grow the business and increase the number of interpreters?

Betts: Our guiding North Star is to always remain Deaf-owned and sign language-centric. We are less concerned about competition with other companies and more focused on doing the work we believe in. This approach is what sustains us as a business and sets us apart from others.

We’ve seen great growth over the past eight years and a lot of it has to do with our connection with the Deaf and signing community. The community— which also includes interpreters and allies as community members—values our integrity and commitment to what Convo stands for. Many interpreters attend our events to learn more about us and from there, we initiate, build, and maintain our relationships with them. We also maintain contact with interpreters who did not succeed in passing our screening process because we care about and want to encourage the positive progression of their professional development. All interpreters, whether they work for Convo or not, are members of our community and we make every effort to treat them as such.

As we grow, we are continuously hiring employees. We are now a mid-sized company and see many ways we can continue to thrive and grow.

SMG: An article featured in the June 2016 issue of WIRED highlighted that many other businesses are now beneficiaries of this new relay technology. Can you elaborate?

Betts: As a Deaf-owned business, Convo has a firsthand understanding of the unique needs of a Deaf-owned and run business. We work closely with each one to provide the technology, resources, and support they need to thrive in a hearing world.

SMG: What do you forecast as the impact of these new video relay service (VRS) applications on the dynamics of communication between Deaf and Hard of Hearing customers and businesses? Do you see new VRS applications making this interaction easier?

Betts: We can definitely see the positive impact VRS has on the relationship between Deaf and Hearing people. There’s no doubt that many Deaf-owned businesses benefit from VRS. Not only do we benefit from VRS but we also make sure that VRS is shaped and designed to meet Deaf businesses’ needs.

Because of VRS, Deaf people are now on an increasingly equal footing. Deaf people are able to do much more than they ever did before with ease and higher efficiency. For example, Deaf business owners can now make their own calls rather than hire a hearing person to shoulder that responsibility. Not only does this give the business owner autonomy but it also creates opportunities to form direct connections with customers.

As a result of this equal footing, communication barriers are being broken through and we have an increased access to information. Ease of access equals opportunities and clearer channels of communication between Deaf and Hearing people mean that Deaf people can better share their unique signing-centric perspectives on all sorts of things. This makes the world a more interesting place.

SMG: Thank you!

Here is a collection of places you can buy bitcoin online right now.

Filed Under: Profiles in Excellence 1 Comment

Tags: assistive technology, Convo, Mozzeria, small business, technology

find this post helpful? Try these:

Photo of Dragon Naturally Speaking software packingJust Say It!
share

SMG Tip: Disability Marketing is for Small Business, Too!

July 7, 2015

Did you know that small businesses make up 23% all business in the U.S., but they employ 50% of the working population? In an environment where companies – large and small – are trying to be heard and seen in a crowded marketplace, small businesses have an opportunity to stand out when reaching an untapped consumer group – people who have disabilities, their families and friends.

The truth is that people who have disabilities and their family and friends need the same products and services as non-disabled people. So if you own a carpet cleaning business, a service station, beauty salon, or dry cleaner, there are some things you can do to connect with this market to build a life-long relationship with them. The payoff is big and can result in increasing impact and your company’s income. We suggest small businesses consider micro targeting the disability market so the impact can be measured and you understand what works.

Here are a few tips to get you started:

Define your Ideal Audience
One in 5 people have some sort of disability or chronic health condition, according to the US Census. It’s safe to say that many people are your email list, or that come into your business are, or have someone in their lives who has a disability. Find out which of your existing customers is impacted by disability. Find out what’s important to them and zero in on creating your product/service offering on the right niche of consumers. It may be parents who have a child with a disability, or adult children who are primary caregivers for aging parents. We suggest you get as specific as you can and target your ideal customer.

Determine How to Find Them
Once you’ve identified your ideal customer/s, it’s important to know where they hang out or congregate. One tip is to identify many disability organizations in your city or region and contact them. Or, you may consider contacting the school districts where you live and building relationships with the Special Education department to begin the process of being a trusted company for families to rely upon. This process may take time to nurture, but it’s the best way to build credibility, by gaining access to your ideal customers through a trusted organization.

Provide Unique Value
Nobody likes to just be sold to. Determine what your company can do to provide unique value for customers who are impacted by disability. You may include information on your website, or host a day for them where they can obtain value-added information that is unique to their circumstances. Whatever it is, be sure to provide content (on your website or your email list) or an additional service that is life enhancing. For example, if you are a dentist and you specialize in providing caring services for kids with developmental disabilities and oral aversions, you may provide an email that includes dental hygiene for the kid who doesn’t want a toothbrush in his/her mouth.

Or, if you own a hair salon you may consider targeting Mothers who have kids with autism or other developmental disabilities. You know that these women want to be pampered like Moms of typical kids. You could reach them through schools, or local disability organizations and dedicate a Saturday each month where they and their kids can come in and get their hair cut in a safe environment where they won’t be stared at, and any behavioral challenges are handled well.

Be Consistent
Lastly, the key to successfully reach and serve customers with disabilities is to be consistent by creating a schedule that keeps your efforts on target. Start by adding value and building the relationship. Once customers have a good experience with your company, they will tell their friends.

Gaining a new customer base doesn’t happen overnight. But with just a little effort, your business can gain a new, loyal customer base. Ready to get started? Contact Celeste Beaty at cbeaty@disability-marketing.com to schedule a 30-min consultation with Solutions Marketing Group.

Filed Under: SMG Tip Leave a Comment

Tags: disability marketing, marketing, small business

find this post helpful? Try these:

Image of a man walking away from a table with stacks of money on itHow Much Money is Your Company Leaving on the Table by Not Reaching the Disability Market? hand-drawn graph showing increasing bars and a stack of moneySMG Tip: Make a Smart Budgeting Choice for 2016
share

Welcome

Whether you are interested in breaking ground in the market as a company, you are living with disability or love someone who is, we’re committed to keeping you abreast of what matters to people with disabilities—and why—so stay with us.

SIGN UP

Get the latest SMG updates in your inbox!


Categories

  • Featured
  • General
  • Notes from the Founder
  • Profiles in Excellence
  • SMG Tip
  • Video

Archives

  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • May 2019
  • January 2019
  • November 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • May 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • July 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • October 2014
  • July 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • March 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • July 2012
  • April 2012
  • December 2011
  • October 2011
  • August 2011
  • April 2011
  • February 2011

Contact Us

Quick Facts

The disability market consists of 56M people, representing an annual disposable income of $544 billion.

The disability market is more than twice as large as the tween market (20M), and has almost 3X the disposable spending power ($180B).

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, of the 69.6 million families in the U.S., 20.3 million families have at least one member with a disability.

A University of Massachusetts Boston survey found 92% of consumers felt favorably toward companies hiring people with disabilities; 87% prefer to do business with such companies.

By the year 2030, 71.5 million Baby Boomers will be over the age of 65 and demanding products, services, and environments that address their age-related physical changes.

Featured Clients

Darden Restaurants
American Express
AT&T
Sodexo
Bank of America
Wellcare
BlueCross BlueShield
ESPN
Zappos
Nike
Hilton
Get the latest SMG updates in your inbox!

678-805-7091 | info@disability-marketing.com

© 2023 Solutions Marketing Group

| a doodle dog creative website and brand