For some companies the Hispanic market means an opportunity to expand their businesses. For others it is the million-dollar question: should they do something now or wait until they have to?
As the Hispanic community is the 2nd largest consumer market in the USA, you must have a true understanding of their culture and how to engage with them.
Other than the right form of advertising, one of the most effective ways to be successful in this market niche is community outreach. You must make a genuine effort in being part of and giving back to this community. For example: Sponsor Hispanic festivals, provide some scholarship opportunities, participate in events and others. Your company needs to show the appreciation for their trust and business.
Sometimes, companies look at community outreach as a quick way to generate revenue. They become members or sponsors of some Hispanic non-profit organizations. They sponsor a couple events during the year but they don’t fully embrace the effort by making an impact in the community. They don’t even have a marketing strategy or media buy in place to reinforce these half-hearted efforts.
If you really want to make a significant impact to your bottom line by connecting with this loyal consumer group, you must know who Hispanic consumers are, understand their unique differences, how they naturally think, and what cues trigger their behaviors. So, Keep these 4 key tips in mind:
• Avoid being aggressive: Hispanics only will engage and buy from you once you gain their trust. You need to educate them respectfully about your company and product benefits. Then you have the opportunity to gain a very loyal customer.
• Designate a brand ambassador: Some companies decide to support a Hispanic non-profit organization but they do not have a bilingual person or somebody on their executive team that speaks Spanish. Basically, they do not have a brand ambassador that can be the voice and face of the organization and identify how the company can benefit from the relationship besides their contribution/donation. If you don’t have a member on your team, hire one or ask for guidance and help from your Hispanic advertising agency.
• Be social: Being in the community gives you the chance to start a dialogue with Hispanics through social media and email marketing. This is a great opportunity that will give you more touch points to connect with this growing community.
• Create a lasting impression: Make sure you have a media plan and strategy in place to support your community outreach efforts during the year. Also, have some collateral pieces with culturally relevant messages in both languages. Do not simply translate your English materials into Spanish. Trans-create them. Make your effort relevant to this community. Your success depends on it.
