If you do any networking or business at all you know that people come from all walks of life. Just as important as understanding where they are coming from and their personality it’s also important to understand cultural differences.
In a recent article with Jeffrey Gotimer, Eddie Mayen shares his perspective:
Do you know what they call people from Colombia in Colombia? They are called Colombians. Similarly, people from Guatemala in Guatemala are called Guatemalans and in Panama they are called Panamanians. You get the picture.
You see, all the people from Latin American countries do not become Hispanic until they come to America. Hispanic is a general term used in America to identify anyone who speaks Spanish or comes from a country where Spanish is spoken.
Why is this important? According to the US Census, there are almost 50 million Latinos in America who come from over 20 different countries that have Spanish as their official language. Latinos in America represent an annual purchasing power of $1.2 Trillion. It is a huge, starving, underserviced market that is ready for anyone looking to make more sales.
Be careful, however –and this is my point — that it will be difficult to effectively reach all Latinos with an all-encompassing message. What is important to Costa Ricans might not be as important to everyone else. For example: While Cinco de Mayo (May 5th) has become a cause of great celebration in America, it is of relative insignificance to Latinos who are not of Mexican origin.
Here are some ideas of how you can separate yourself from being just another sales person to Hispanics:
- Your marketing pitch in other languages should be just as good as your “good stuff” in English. Expect 2nd rate results if you put forth 2nd rate effort.
- When networking with Hispanic clients, never open with or say, “Let me get right down to business”. As a matter of fact, don’t even think it. In Spanish, it translates to “no gracias!” Latinos are about friendship first and business second. Build a friendship and there will be plenty of time to get down to business.
- Nothing is more important to Latinos than family. It is a bond that connects them to their heritage and who they are. Sharing a fun story about your family is the quickest way to establishing rapport and it will show them who you are – not just what you are selling.
