How Fractional Talent Can Transform Your Brand's Storytelling Strategy
Faye McCray I 7.16.2024
Did you know...
By 2045, the U.S. white population will dip below 50% for the first time in history.
The number of American adults identifying as LGBTQ+ has more than doubled over the past 12 years, with over 20% of Gen Z adults identifying as LGBTQ+.
Approximately 13.5% of the U.S. population is living with some form of disability.
These demographic changes herald a transformative period for businesses and storytellers alike. While the efficacy of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) efforts is increasingly politicized, one fact remains indisputable: investing in an authentic, inclusive strategy is a moral and business imperative. The realization that diverse talent is essential to reach diverse audiences should not be a far-fetched conclusion. However, many industries still lack a strategic investment in nurturing and amplifying inclusive perspectives. Here is where the value of hiring fractional talent for inclusive storytelling becomes evident.
Fractional talent, which refers to part-time or project-based professionals, offers a fresh reservoir of perspectives crucial for modern storytelling. These professionals bring varied experiences and insights often missing from traditional, homogenous teams. When organizations are entrenched in their routines, blind spots magnify. This is where fractional talent can provide the necessary shake-up, ensuring that campaigns and narratives resonate with a broader, more representative audience.
Employing fractional talent to support your inclusive storytelling allows you to benefit from a neutral third party who can identify blind spots and bring in diverse perspectives. For instance, in the beauty industry, when curating commerce and sponsored campaigns, does that mascara handle work well for someone living with cerebral palsy? Does the sunscreen create a white cast on Black and Brown consumers? Or does the language of a highly visible campaign alienate price-conscious consumers? Fractional inclusive storytellers have the expertise to ask the right questions and curate effective solutions and partnerships, creating richer and more authentic stories with a wider reach and maximum impact.
In my consulting work, I regularly advise clients to "kill their darlings"—remaining open to critically examining a campaign and discarding elements that only speak to a narrow audience in favor of those that could engage a wider, decision-ready audience. I recognize that taking a conscious step back from campaigns may seem counterintuitive in our go-go-go culture. However, this pause for reflection is essential. The returns can be substantial, leading to campaigns that pay dividends in both market impact and cultural relevance.
To guide this reflective process, I utilize the SEE approach: Stop, Evaluate, Empower.
SEE: Stop, Evaluate, Empower
Stop: Plan to stop… just for a moment… and take the time to reflect. In a fast-paced environment, it's easy to miss nuances. Stopping allows for a more thorough examination of current practices and any missed potential for impact.
Evaluate: Look around and see who is missing from the conversation. Identifying gaps in representation is the first step toward addressing them. It involves recognizing which voices are absent and understanding the value they could bring to the table.
Empower: Where focus groups and partnerships are cost or time-prohibitive, nurture an internal culture of truth-telling and authenticity. Addressing blind spots requires an environment where talent feels empowered to speak up and contribute. The missing perspective could be a junior-level employee or an ERG leader. A culture of authenticity ensures that all perspectives are valued and considered in decision-making processes.
Years ago, I led a campaign to reach consumers interested in heart health. While our team patted ourselves on the back for crafting a campaign that spoke to the standard solutions: curated diets, exercise, and regular check-ups, a junior teammate challenged us to pause and consider that our campaign neglected to speak to an audience with strong genetic predispositions whose health was minimally impacted by weight, those with culturally influenced diets, and people who may not have access to cardiac care. We stopped, evaluated, and empowered missing voices. Our revised campaign was well-reviewed, tested positively with consumers, and resulted in a six-figure pharmaceutical sponsorship.
This approach emphasizes the importance of deliberate actions to maximize impact and authenticity in storytelling. By integrating fractional talent into their teams, organizations can better prioritize inclusive stories that resonate more deeply with all audiences. The demographic changes on the horizon demand that businesses evolve, as old methods of homogeneous thinking and storytelling are no longer sufficient. Fractional project-based talent empowers companies to position themselves at the forefront of this cultural shift, ensuring they remain relevant and impactful in the years to come. Investing in inclusive storytelling isn't just a moral imperative; it's a strategic business decision that will pay off in myriad ways.
