Want to Reach Diverse Small Business Owners? Try Audio

Small businesses power the economy, yet many of these hardworking entrepreneurs feel fundamentally misunderstood by the institutions meant to support them. There are currently 36M small businesses operating in the US 1, but only 37% of small business owners feel that banks fully understand their unique needs and daily challenges. 2

For these entrepreneurs, the relationship they have with their financial providers is deeply personal, rather than a simple transactional exchange. To bridge this gap, financial services marketing teams need a better way to communicate. That’s where audio comes in.

Audio advertising provides a high-trust, high-attention channel that cuts through the noise. It allows brands to build genuine credibility and lasting connections with small business owners at scale, reaching them right where they are most engaged.

For small business owners, business is personal

To truly connect with this audience, financial marketers must understand the cultural lens through which these founders operate. Currently, one in five small businesses are minority-owned. 3 For these multicultural entrepreneurs, business ownership represents far more than just generating revenue: it signifies legacy, representation, and community impact.

Consider the data:

• 74% of multicultural small business owners say their business is a way to give back to their community 3

• 72% say their culture directly shapes how they run their business 3

• 65% state that connecting with people of their own background matters significantly to their work 3

Multicultural marketing in the financial sector requires moving past generic messaging to acknowledge the community-driven goals of diverse founders. Financial services brands that show cultural awareness and an authentic understanding of these motivations have an opportunity to differentiate themselves in a crowded market.

Small business owners are deeply engaged with audio

Entrepreneurs work long, demanding hours. For them, music and podcasts are rarely just background noise. They serve as essential tools for stress relief, motivation, and inspiration during the grueling entrepreneurial grind. Nearly 80% of listeners say music improves their mood, while 74% note that it helps them relax, and 65% of listeners find that podcasts entertain them and keep them engaged. 4

And as the largest audio advertising ecosystem in North America, there’s no better partner to help you meet this powerful consumer segment where they already are than us. We offer four exclusive music platforms (Pandora, SoundCloud, SirusXM, and Audiomack), 200+ ad-supported SiriusXM channels, and over 1K podcasts. This incredible scale offers a direct line to small business owners who are plugged in throughout their workday.

They listen beyond business

It’s easy to assume entrepreneurs only consume business-centric content. However, the truth is that business owners fuel their daily routines with a wide variety of content that match their personal interests. 

For instance, just take a look at some of the top podcast genres they tune into:

• Arts

• Health and fitness

• Self-improvement

• History

And when it comes to music, their tastes are just as varied, with the top genres being:

• Rock

• Oldies

• Pop

• R&B

• Hip hop

This wide range of genres and topics offers a broad and strategic opportunity for financial brands. And your brand can seamlessly integrate into their chosen moments of focus, motivation, and inspiration. By aligning your messaging with the content they already love, your financial institution becomes a supportive presence, forming positive associations.

The next wave of founders is already listening

Reaching today's established business owners is only part of the equation. To build long-term growth, financial services brands must also connect with tomorrow's innovators. Platforms like SoundCloud serve as a massive, vibrant ecosystem for future founders and creator-entrepreneurs.

Advertising within these creator-heavy audio environments is a smart, forward-thinking growth play. Engaging with SoundCloud listeners allows financial brands to introduce their resources to an audience that is actively building the next generation of small businesses.

Audio builds trust—and trust drives conversion

Audio advertising is a powerhouse when it comes to driving actual business results. The intimate nature of the medium creates a level of trust that visual ads struggle to replicate.

Nearly 80% of listeners trust podcast hosts, viewing them as credible authorities and friends. 5 Because of this parasocial relationship, 90% of listeners take action after hearing a podcast ad. 6 Furthermore, small business owners are highly habitual listeners, being 29% more likely to tune into SiriusXM seven days a week compared to the average consumer. 6

This data supports a highly effective strategic funnel for financial brands:

• Discovery: Introduce your financial tools, credit cards, or business services to an attentive audience actively discovering new products.

• Trust: Leverage the built-in credibility of podcast hosts to position your brand as a reliable partner who truly understands the unique challenges of running a business.

• Conversion: Turn that high engagement into actual banking relationships, capitalizing on the massive post-listening action rates.

Audio advertising does not just generate top-of-funnel awareness. It actively accelerates brand consideration and drives measurable, bottom-line business outcomes.

Meet them in the moment with SiriusXM Media

Small business owners are economically essential and culturally influential. They are deeply engaged audio listeners who trust their favorite podcast hosts and readily take action after hearing relevant, well-placed advertisements. Yet, many still feel that banks simply do not understand them.

Financial services brands can build lasting loyalty by showing up authentically when small businesses need relief, motivation, and inspiration most. When they do, they create relationships that go well beyond a single transaction.

We provide the high-trust, culturally resonant, and performance-driven channel you need to connect with small business owners of today and tomorrow. Let's talk.

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