Politics can be an extremely tricky subject to handle as a small business. Conventional small business wisdom is to stay completely clear of anything political. The risk of alienating people is too great. Yet, in a world where society is becoming increasingly polarised by politics, we see more and more pressure on companies to take stances on political issues.

Don’t mention Brexit

Brexit is one of the most businesses centric political events in recent years. It was (and remains) a prominent concern for many business owners. Yet it is a topic very few businesses owners want to bring up.

Anyone who attends networking meetings regularly will have experienced a moment when someone mentions Brexit. The conversation pauses as everyone starts to squint at each other, waiting for someone to say which way they voted. If you were lucky, the moment would pass, and the conversation would move on. If you were unlucky, someone would pull that trigger and declare their allegiance to one side or the other. You either found yourself in the minority, feeling like everyone else in the room (incorrectly) thinks your a fool, or you were in the majority, feeling sympathy for those who have just found themselves outnumbered and outgunned.

Politics and the ideal customer

While avoiding politics may be a good general rule of thumb, there are exceptions. One big exception would be if a political stance matched up with your target market. In this instance, taking a political stance might help you avoid people outside your target market and focus in on the people you should be focusing on. If your business is selling environmentally conscious products and services, taking a public stance on political issues relating to climate change is just going to help reach your target market. Ultimately, it is a question of connecting with people. Will voicing a political opinion help your business connect with more of the people you are trying to connect with.

Standing out from the crowd

Often, it can be easier to target a small subset of your target market. You may have heard of the term “niching down”. Essentially the idea behind niching down is that by focusing on a smaller subset of potential customers it becomes easier to connect to customers within that subset. You can focus your marketing efforts on that specific niche, giving you an advantage over your competitors who are more general. While the number of potential customers might get smaller,

You may have heard of the term “niching down”. The idea behind niching down is that by targetting a smaller subset of your target market you make it easier to stand out from the crowd. You can focus your marketing so it has a better chance of connecting with customers within that specific niche compare to competitors whose marketing is more general. While the size of your target market may be smaller, your actual customer base should grow because your marketing will be so much more effective.

Niching down is generally talking about industry niches, such as accountants or restaurants, but the same principle can apply to other characteristics, such as political affiliations. Younger people tend to lean more left-leaning when it comes to politics. If you are trying to target a younger audience, but are having trouble getting noticed, taking a political stance in one direction or the other might help you get noticed.

Controversy has it’s uses

Love it loath it, controversy marketing is a thing, and it works… sometimes. There is no doubt that being controversial can be a powerful way of getting attention, and politics is packed with opportunities to be controversial. If you can then capitalise on that attention being controversial can generate, it can give your business the rocket fuel it needs. However, misjudge it and that rocket fuel will blow up in your face.

Politics is always going to be a minefield

Even if you decide that taking a political stance will help your business, you still need to tread carefully. There are always going to be risks that you will need to be aware of.

If you or your business voices an opinion on one topic, most people will make assumptions about your views on many other topics. While the opinion you have voiced may be a perfect match for your business, the assumed opinions that come along for the ride may not be. The assumptions people make about your other political views can also lead them to have certain expectations. Failing to meet these expectations could lead to feeling let down or betrayed.

It is also important to be aware that for many people, just voicing support for a given cause may not be enough. Most causes have their fair share of fanatics. Taking a political stance could get you on the radar of people who will criticise you for not going far enough.

Don’t discount it, but be careful

Mixing politics and business can be a risky endeavour, but it shouldn’t be dismissed without consideration. The simple fact that so many small businesses avoid talking politics means there could be significant benefits for those that do. However, if you do, be careful. There could be gold in those political hills, just make sure you survive long enough to bank it.