“We are interested in reaching the Hispanic market – can you translate these for us?”
We get this often by companies who have developed an interest in the booming Hispanic market and feel like the natural first step is to get their English materials and put them in Spanish. Maybe your company is doing this too.
Our response: We will be glad to do it but translating English executions into Spanish is not going to get you the growth you are looking for (either on sales or workforce recruiting).
“Then what?”
Focus on Culture First > Language Second. Find what your brand or strategy offers to this audience that particularly speaks to them and then deliver that more relevant message in their language of choice (it could be Spanish, it could be English or perhaps Spanglish -a mix of both!).
“How do I find that out?”
Work with experts in this field who can help you understand your Hispanic target audience (because not all Hispanics are the same 😉). Find out what’s important to them, what they need from your brand, and how they prefer to be engaged.
“Ok great. Then we are ready to roll!”
Not quite. As you are preparing to obtain the necessary insights to connect with your potential new audience? Take a good look at your operations and see what adjustments you can make to get more people knocking more often at your door and telling others about you. Can you make your products, services, and processes even more relevant and attractive? Do you have the necessary systems in place to take care of them (in-person, online, over the phone, etc.)? Make your first engagement a meaningful one. It’s not about creating a transaction as much it is about creating a meaningful relationship.
“Can you help us?”
We’ll help you look at the marketplace to understand the Hispanic opportunity. Look at yourselves to ensure you’re ready to maximize that opportunity. Have a dedicated strategy to connect with your new audience.
You need to be visible in the Hispanic community and become involved. Start making your brand part of the daily life of Hispanics in your service areas by doing something meaningful. Join a Hispanic business association, fund a Hispanic scholarship, donate to organizations that improve the lives of people in Hispanic communities, know the issues that affect Hispanics, empower Hispanics within your company. All these things are in your power right now.
“Ah! That makes so much sense…!”
It does, and it will take a purposeful investment in time, effort, and money. The rewards at the end of this journey will make you glad you did. Unfortunately, many will stop short and say… “But can we just get these translated for now?”
Of course! But we recommend against it. It’s a start, but it may not deliver results… or at least not the results you might hope for or desire. The worst part is that it may lead you to make a false assessment of your Hispanic opportunity should results fall flat. You could end up not just walking away from potentially significant growth and letting your competitors grab the market. How far will YOU go to engage with the Hispanic audience? Many rewards await those who are willing to commit to this journey. Relationship > transaction.
Hispanic Marketing Partners
At Puente Marketing, we’re here to partner with you and guide you along the journey. Every step of the way. Since 2003 we have helped companies discover, understand, and realize their growth opportunities in today’s Hispanic market. We’re an independent, Hispanic-owned agency headquartered in Kansas City. Our fully bilingual and bicultural team of Hispanic Market experts reflects the diversity of the marketplace.
Puente Marketing provides consulting, research, marketing and creative services in English and Spanish, and ensures cultural relevance in strategy and execution alike. As Hispanic experts, we help our clients understand the Latino consumers and engage with them in respectful and relevant ways by providing genuine insights and advice, rooted in cultural knowledge.
