Bajan Blackout Day organisers claim success

It is not known whether there was any increased consumer spending in black businesses during last week’s Bajan Blackout Day, but more interest in those businesses was definitely shown, organizers of the event Marcia Weekes and Lisa Niles have declared.

They said a Facebook page created to raise awareness of black-owned businesses received tremendous support on July 7, the date internationally recognized as Blackout Day.

It was designated as a day shoppers were encouraged to buy from black-owned businesses only.

Niles acknowledged that the spending figure may remain a mystery.

“That is a metric that is difficult to gauge from the day. Businesspersons experienced several direct sales and several enquiries. The translation of said enquiries into actual sales may or may not have occurred after Tuesday,” she told Barbados TODAY.

But in a press release, the organizers said the Facebook group, Black Businesses in Barbados, has garnered much interest.

Another online directory for black-owned businesses, Backflip.co, also drew support, they said.

In the statement, the organisers said: “Analytics garnered from Blackflip.co, an online directory for black-owned businesses operating in over 30 industries and the Black Businesses in Barbados Facebook group, indicate that a major outcome was the engagement of over 1,000 black businesses operating within a broad cross-section of industry in Barbados from automotive sales and services, restaurants, farming, hospitality, beauty and fashion to technological and environmental services.

“Blackflip.co reported that almost 600 unique visitors amassed over 2,800 views on the website on July 7 alone. Engagement recorded on the Black Businesses in Barbados Facebook Group – created on June 30 – generated membership close to 1,200 and reported a high volume of conversation in the form of sharing of business information and word of mouth marketing especially on Blackout Day.”

The organizers said the creation of the Facebook group had raised awareness about the number of black-owned businesses on the island.

They said persons from across the world had expressed interest in those businesses.

“The event has triggered an awareness of goods and services available from within the black community. Visitors to both the Blackflip.co website and the Black Businesses in Barbados group were from Barbados, the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. Business traction was experienced by black entrepreneurs who have reported a high level of customer response including from outside Barbados. The hope is that these ‘leads’ translate into profitability after the Day,” the press release added.

Weekes and Niles said that while black businesses have often been criticised for poor customer services, feedback from customers had indicated a higher level of service excellence.

They explained that entrepreneurs had also identified the need for consumers to unlearn the perception that Black products and services equate “discounted, cheaper or free”.

Bajan Blackout Day, they said, had raised awareness and provided marketing mileage and traction for the disenfranchised segment of Barbadian entrepreneurs.
randybennett@barbadostoday.bb