Homeless marketing: what is it?



Homeless marketing is probably not a term that many people are familiar with. After all, homeless and marketing are two terms that don't seem to intuitively go together. Marketing is an activity where marketing and advertising teams attempt to bring a product to the public's attention. This is usually done by pushing into a particular niche where people are likely to become more aware of it. However, there are several ways in which the terms "homeless" and "marketing" can be brought together, and this article will give you a brief overview of what this could possibly mean.



One sense of homeless marketing refers to using the homeless as part of a marketing campaign. While this may initially sound potentially unethical, we should take some time to pick apart what is meant by this statement. The term "homeless" can be a bit of an ambiguous one. The state of being homeless refers to having no fixed address for a period of time. It doesn't necessarily refer to people who are living on the street, but it may refer to those who are temporarily between homes, or who are moving between different places of residence. However, these people may find it difficult to obtain work. This is because many employers, as well as social services, require employees to have a fixed place of address, as well as other trappings such as bank accounts and so on. These can understandably be difficult things for a homeless person to organize.

However, there are outreach programs that aim to help homeless people gain a sense of agency and self-efficacy. You may have seen vendors selling magazines on street corners. These magazines are usually specifically targeted to homeless vendors. They are designed to give vendors a hand up in the world by giving them a chance at regular employment. Homeless magazine sellers are able to gain skills in customer service, and in magazine marketing by undertaking such a position. In addition, they receive a regular income, which is usually a percentage of the cover price of each magazine sold. These programs can be very valuable in helping homeless people develop valuable marketing skills, and in holding down a job as a stepping stone to more regular employment.

Another sense in which "homeless marketing" has been used is to describe the ways in which street vendors may market themselves to the public. Note that these individuals may not necessarily be homeless, and may include buskers or street performers. The term, however, is used to describe those whose primary goal is to get passersby to part with their spare change. Particular marketing tactics are used by these vendors that have parallels with the ways that products are marketed in the business world.