If you could easily expand your potential customer base by 20 million people, for a total of approximately $490 billion, would you do it?
What if the government pitched in and gave you a tax incentive to increase your business?
If you answered yes to either of these questions, it’s time you gave consideration to ensuring you reach out to the disabled market.
The buying power among the disabled
Consider this:
The total after-tax disposable income for working-age people with disabilities is about $490 billion, which is similar to that of other significant market segments, such as African Americans ($501 billion) and Hispanics ($582 billion)*.
By reaching out to the disabled market, you can increase your target market significantly! Here are some great examples of companies** that have realized the benefits of making sure their products work for the disabled community:
- Tommy Hilfiger, the clothing line, developed “an accessible clothing line that has design elements that are friendly to those with disabilities, including magnetic closures and adjustable sleeves and pant legs.”
- Nike developed shoes that offer a wraparound zipper and adjustable top, to help those who are disabled.
- Zappos launched a dedicated website for its shoes that is specifically designed for ease of use by people with physical disabilities.
Tax incentives for website compliance
You, too, can do what Zappos did – and the government is incentivizing you with up to $5,000 in tax credits to do it! I’m not an accountant, nor do I give accounting advice, so I recommend you speak with a tax professional about your particular situation. However, if you make less than $1 million in revenues or have fewer than 30 full-time employees, I recommend you look into this carefully.
By making sure your current website is ADA compliant, you’re not only doing the right thing – you’re expanding your potential client base. AND you’re sending a clear signal to the ADA community that you care about them and want their business. Here’s a great white paper about the purchasing power of this sometimes “hidden” community.
Beware the Widget
There are plenty of “widgets” out there, but none ensures that your website is globally compliant and updated yearly, as the regulations in 220 countries shift and change. In addition, using a widget doesn’t necessarily work with a lot of the software that is used by the disabled.
Our process ensures that your website is up-to-date because we utilize technologies that check for updates around the world. This means your website is updating on an ongoing basis.
If you’re still unsure about whether this is really an issue – and a concern for YOU – read an article from this past weekend, in the New York Times, written by a disabled woman, about her inability to use Facebook and other social media channels. The article is called: What It’s Like to Use Facebook When You’re Blind.
Not sure how to get started with making your website ADA compliant? Give me a call or email me and let’s talk.
*Source: https://www.air.org/resource/hidden-market-purchasing-power-working-age-adults-disabilities
**Source: https://www.air.org/news/press-release/meeting-needs-adults-disabilities-marketplace
