Guide to Marketing to Hispanic Customers

Learn first to whom you are talking

Just because there are many flavors of Latino life doesn't mean there aren't large groups with shared experiences who might buy your product or service. Typically, big metro areas have two or three nationalities that might give you enough focus to make broad marketing outreach worthwhile.

I recommend: The Pew Hispanic Center calls itself a "fact tank," and it does not disappoint, offering extensive surveys and reports downloadable for simply registering. It isn't directly actionable marketing research, but it's close and high quality. The U.S. Census Bureau, while overwhelming in detail and harder to use, can help you drill down to precise numbers by age, race, and income down to county subdivisions.

Nail the right medium, if you have budget

Spanish-language newspapers — not just Spanish translations of traditional dailies — are springing up across the country. Local Spanish-language TV is hugely popular and, often, cheaper than you'd expect. There are also plenty of high-end consumer and business magazines, mostly in English, aiming to make affluent Hispanic readers your customers.

I recommend: The National Association of Hispanic Publications has a good state-by-state database of Spanish-language newspapers and magazines. Marketing y Medios follows the Hispanic media industry, Latina aims at women, and HispanicBusiness is the leading business magazine.

Take it to the streets

Hispanics do consume mass media, but many marketing experts counsel street-level, face-to-face and direct marketing, through cultural festivals, sporting events and in the barrios themselves to reach your targets in familiar surroundings.

I recommend: America Online CityGuide maintains a detailed calendar of Hispanic festivals across the country.

Speak their language

It's not sensible to hire a Spanish-speaking marketer unless he or she is clearly the best choice. On the other hand, if you have Spanish-speaking customers and no bilingual sales help, why would they come back, or refer you? "Press two for Spanish" is just not enough.

I recommend: Latpro, Saludos and HireDiversity are job databases for employers seeking bilingual Hispanic professionals.