BIZ Online NGLCC

The National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce is getting into the LGBT-consumer information business.

Starting in 2008, NGLCC will conduct the first of many syndicated surveys of LGBT consumer attitudes and behaviors, generating comprehensive statistics about the LGBT community that can be studied to learn more about LGBT consumers and their interests.

"This is the first of what we see will become an arsenal of LGBT consumer information," says Justin Nelson, president and co-founder of the NGLCC. "We're trying to beef up the original information and content that looks at LGBT consumers and the LGBT business community."

Nelson says that for years it has been nearly impossible to document the full economic impact of the LGBT community because there was little or no information available to back up anecdotal evidence. He says the chamber, as part of its mission, would like to build up a library of LGBT consumer information to illustrate the community's economic clout.

The first survey, which is being produced by award-winning marketing and polling companies Double Platinum and BC3 Strategies, will look at consumer attitudes and behaviors toward brands and products in the financial services sector.

"We're looking at buying habits in the financial services sector, which is an area where we feel LGBT consumers are major players," says Nelson. "It's a groundbreaking study. No one else has looked at this segment and this industry yet."

The survey will be conducted during the first quarter of 2008, and Nelson says he expects results to be released in the third quarter. Corporations that choose to subscribe to the survey can customize questions to explore consumer behaviors in specific areas of interest.

NGLCC isn't alone in surveying LGBT consumer attitudes. Two NGLCC-certified companies have studied LGBT consumer behavior in other sectors. California's Community Marketing, Inc. frequently surveys LGBT attitudes on travel, while Witeck Combs Communications, of Washington, D.C., has surveyed LGBT individuals on their use of technology and general buying habits.

Nelson says the NGLCC is interested in working with other companies and academic institutions to conduct additional surveys of LGBT consumer attitudes to fully flesh out the NGLCC's consumer information database and demonstrate the LGBT community's financial influence.