As advocates for the growth and development of black businesses in black communities, it comes with great joy to witness the number of young people starting their own businesses no matter how big or small. Entrepreneurship is becoming something that which almost every black person considers, for the betterment of their individual lives, economically and the collective social lives of our communities.
With this in mind, as advocacies for such progression, supporting one another has become of paramount importance, it has essentially become something which one gets not just to be proud to see but also be proud to be a part of.
In business in general, a particular service or product is created or speaks to a specific demographic and psychographic, which is what is called a target market. Entrepreneurs create products or develop services with a specific market in mind, a market that is or would be in need of that particular product or service.
For me, as an individual that likes to see the development and independence of young black people, whether your product is targeted to me or not, just by virtue of you starting and doing your business, it automatically translates me into your supporter.
Even though I may not need your product at the moment, but for the fact that you are independently doing something for the advancement of your life and understanding that the success of your venture will likely lead to the success of our society at large, if I have means to purchase your product or service, I will.
This brings me to the title of this piece - "I am not your target market, said no friend nor family." I believe if everything you have read above is true and a factual reflection of my beliefs, there should not be a moment where I feel like products of those around me aren't targeted to me, and therefore not to engage with them. Even though I may not be classified as part of the targeted market, but purchasing (real support) is my positive contribution to your hustle as a fellow black man or woman trying to advance your life. For people in far proximity or strangers, it is an entirely different thing.
I have personally purchased things I do not need from young black independent entrepreneurs, purely for the sake of supporting a fellow black man or woman. Even if I may never use the product, the product can be used as a gift to those that may need it. In that way, I have literally supported a black man/woman, and the product reached the actual targeted customer/client.
This is by no means an attempt to guilt-trip people to support people when they do not want to, but it speaks to those who believe and advocates for black business support as much as I do.
If you share the same beliefs I have shared in this post, it is of no significance to post #supportblackbusiness on social media when you fail to support the same black businesses in real life, even when you have means to do so.
For the development of our black economies, unwavering support is something we must unashamedly be doing, whether one is a target market or not. In so doing, we would inevitably be fast-tracking the advancement and progression of black-owned economies.
To those whom I am close to, no matter your product or service, I AM your target market!
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