| Does the number 569 million sound like a lot to you? | | | | realize is that Spanish language television networks in |
| This is the population of Latin America. How about the | | | | the U.S. were also reporting on the event. It was |
| 46.9 million Hispanics living in the United States? | | | | interesting to note one unique element that |
| Hispanics already comprise the largest U.S. minority. If | | | | distinguished their reporting. |
| you want to attract the increasing purchasing power | | | | Before beginning the news update, each on-the-scene |
| of the Hispanic consumer, learn more about the culture. | | | | reporter was first asked how they were feeling, and |
| Here's a good start. | | | | secondly, whether they had any family members |
| Misconception #1: Hispanics are one homogeneous | | | | affected by the attack. Curiously, although none had |
| group. | | | | family members directly impacted, each came up with |
| Reality: The U.S. Census Bureau came under fire a | | | | a relative who lived or worked in the city and, upon last |
| while back for choosing "Hispanic" as an ethnic | | | | report, were safe from the fallout. |
| category representing U.S. residents originating from | | | | Family holds the highest priority, even over one's job. |
| Spain and Spanish-speaking America. Why the | | | | Family unity and respect are held as core values in the |
| clamor? Well, "Hispanic" is a cultural term, not an ethnic | | | | Hispanic culture. You may be surprised to learn that in |
| group. To varying degrees, Hispanics originating from | | | | a job interview in Latin America, it is expected that the |
| Latin America are descended from European, Native | | | | candidate will talk about his family along with other |
| American and Black African groups as well as Asian | | | | personal information during the interview process. This |
| and other mixes. The U.S. government has had to | | | | gives the interviewer a notion of the candidate's family |
| modify this position. What assumptions should you | | | | lineage to discover if he comes from a decent |
| modify? When you are offered a "tortilla," do you | | | | background. Inversely, a job candidate is advised never |
| imagine a flat corn wrap (Mexico) or an omelet | | | | to speak poorly of or complain about his parents for |
| (Spain)? When you meet "Spanish" people, are they | | | | this would leave a bad impression. A Hispanic is a |
| truly from Spain or are they Spanish speakers from a | | | | member of a family and a community first, and |
| Latin American country? Does every Hispanic sing and | | | | second, an individual with specific capabilities and |
| dance salsa, merengue, samba, mariachi, cumbia, | | | | talents. |
| flamenco and the tango? | | | | Lesson: Be inclusive of all family members, whether |
| Of course all Hispanics are not the same. They are | | | | you work in a physician's office, a social service or |
| Guatemalans or Cubans or Chileans or Spaniards. The | | | | government agency or you are a retailer looking for |
| term "Hispanic" refers to anyone originating from a | | | | the right promotion to attract Hispanic customers. |
| Spanish-speaking country. This extends along a wide | | | | Misconception #4: All Latin American immigrants are |
| range of ethnicities, cultural traditions, regional dialects, | | | | poor, uneducated and untrained. |
| diets, political and social backgrounds. In the U.S., | | | | Reality: Statistics may show that the majority of |
| immigration patterns from Latin America are heavily | | | | immigrants from neighboring Latin America come to |
| influenced by economic and political factors. People | | | | the U.S. seeking opportunities for employment that |
| coming to the U.S. from the same regions often share | | | | don't exist for them at home. Many are poor. Some |
| common cultural characteristics, customs and | | | | are here illegally. Many seek manual labor. Some lack |
| behaviors but Latin America comprises incredible | | | | formal education. But there is a difference between |
| diversity. Even more important that their country of | | | | formal education and occupational training. |
| origin, families migrating from Latin America are | | | | In Latin America, the old-fashioned concept of learning |
| distinguished in their behavior by the socio-economic | | | | a trade through apprenticeship is still a viable alternative |
| class they belong to. Some are poor; some are | | | | to academic schooling. Many Hispanic workers are |
| wealthy. Some speak English; some do not. Some | | | | talented builders, mechanics and tradesmen. Some |
| seek employment opportunities; others are refugees | | | | accept jobs that they are overqualified for because |
| seeking political asylum. Others come to join family | | | | they are undocumented or because on paper, they do |
| members already living in the U.S. Each group is | | | | not officially qualify for better positions. |
| influenced by distinct experiences and cultural | | | | Some may have entered the U.S. due to political |
| backgrounds. | | | | instead of economic circumstances. Among the highly |
| Lesson: Identify your Hispanic employee, neighbor, client | | | | educated immigrants, some are not permitted to |
| or business partner as a unique individual first, and then, | | | | practice the professions they otherwise qualify for due |
| as sharing some common characteristics with | | | | to bureaucratic obstacles. For example, expertise with |
| compatriots of a similar background. | | | | the legal systems in Latin America would not qualify a |
| Misconception #2: Hispanic families have lots of | | | | foreign lawyer to practice law in the United States. |
| children. | | | | Doctors, judges, engineers, scientists and |
| Reality: U.S. statistics do show that birth rates are | | | | entrepreneurs count among their numbers. There are |
| higher than the average for Hispanic immigrant families. | | | | laws of employment prohibiting a foreign citizen from |
| One could argue that since the majority of Hispanics | | | | occupying a job position for which a U.S. citizen would |
| are at least nominally Catholic--and that many devout | | | | as easily qualify. |
| Catholics do not practice modern forms of birth | | | | Lesson: Get to know your Hispanic employees and |
| control--that this would explain why Hispanic families | | | | their particular capabilities. You may have a hidden pool |
| are so large. But that would be jumping to conclusions. | | | | of special talents to tap. |
| Hispanic households typically are larger than average | | | | Misconception #5: Hispanics don't spend much money |
| U.S. households; however, this is not because Hispanic | | | | here in the U.S. |
| couples have more children than Anglo-Americans. | | | | Reality: During the recent U.S. housing crisis and |
| Imagine that a friend or acquaintance inquires about | | | | economic downturn, many homeowners underwater |
| your family. Who are you then thinking about? Your | | | | on their mortgages abandoned their properties. An |
| spouse? Your children? Perhaps your parents? Now | | | | interesting statistic emerged among the data. On |
| ask a Hispanic how her family is doing. You will likely | | | | average, less Hispanics walked away from their |
| hear news about parents and siblings, but also the | | | | mortgages. Why would this be true? For them, real |
| vacation trip her grandmother took with her aunts, her | | | | estate represents a home, not an investment. Once a |
| newborn niece, a cousin who was just married, the | | | | family has worked and saved enough money to |
| uncle who got a new job, and about any other relative | | | | purchase a home, it is the place where the family |
| with news to share. | | | | shares their lives together. Additional family members |
| Hispanics do not distinguish between 'nuclear' and | | | | will find more revenue streams to contribute to keeping |
| 'extended' family. Every relative is part of the family. | | | | the house payments current. |
| Unless there is a compelling reason to move out of a | | | | Hispanics are not impulse buyers. They will look for |
| family home, even grown children will remain. Often a | | | | value when spending their discretionary money. Even if |
| widowed grandparent, unmarried aunt or cousin | | | | it takes time to amass enough money, they will spend |
| attending city college will also live with the family, | | | | to purchase something they really want. It is true that |
| forming a multigenerational household. The great | | | | many immigrants will send some of their earnings |
| advantage is always having someone available to take | | | | home to their country of origin to help support those |
| care of babysitting and housekeeping duties; having | | | | left behind. But this demographic's earning power is |
| additional sources of household income; and, when | | | | growing steadily if only due to the increasing number of |
| there is a repair needed, there is always a talented | | | | Hispanics in the U.S. Those transplanted families |
| cousin or nephew to help out. It makes the yellow | | | | continue to raise ever increasingly acculturated children |
| pages obsolete! | | | | who will adopt more of the typical North American's |
| Lesson: It would be a mistake to ignore how close the | | | | spending habits. Consumerism is inevitably going to |
| Hispanic family is, which leads us to the next point... | | | | grow among Hispanics in the U.S. |
| Misconception #3: Hispanics share the same priorities | | | | Customer loyalty is high among Hispanics and brand |
| as Anglo-Americans. | | | | loyalty among acculturated children will expand later if |
| Reality: On the fateful date of September 11, 2001, all | | | | captured early. But they must be won over by value |
| eyes were glued to the horrific image of the New | | | | and good customer service. |
| York Twin Towers collapsing over and over again on | | | | Lesson: Don't underestimate the purchasing power of |
| the television networks. Many North Americans can | | | | Hispanics. Discover their buying habits. Target your |
| recall where they were on that day and can just as | | | | marketing efforts to them, and offer them value in |
| easily recall the visual images and the reporting on the | | | | your products and services. |
| aftermath of the terrorist attack. What many don't | | | | |
