It might be surprising to know that around one fifth of the Australian population – that’s roughly four million people – have a disability, yet that segment is widely ignored by marketers and businesses.
People with a disability may have many unique needs but they also share a lot of needs and wants that are common or adaptable. Not only is it unfair to overlook this community of people, but it is also not very business savvy. According to a NSW Business Chamber report (2017) the disability community holds around $100 billion of disposable income.
The size of this market is only a conservative estimate and could be much larger if various other criteria are factored in.
It may seem opportunistic to think about the dollar value of being more inclusive, but it is actually an act of offering parity to people who are often put in the “too hard” or “other” tray. There are many resources available to help your business be more inclusive, feel better and improve your bottom line.
Links for more information
Australian Human Rights Commussion – “Access for all: Improving accessibility for consumers with disabiltiy” https://www.humanrights.gov.au/sites/default/files/AHRC_2016_GPGB_access_for_all.pdf
NSW Business Chamber article – “Disabilities market a frontier of lucrative customers”
NSW Business Chamber Guide for small business – “Missed business – how to attract more customers through better access” https://www.nswbusinesschamber.com.au/NSWBC/media/Policy/NSWBC-MissedBusiness-Guide.pdf
Design for Dignity Retail Guidelines
https://www.and.org.au/pages/design-for-dignity-retail-guidelines.html
The Nielson Company “Reaching prevalent, diverse consumers with disabilities”