|
Your foundation should begin with research
If your job description involves direct marketing, odds are this year's marketing plans include reaching one or more multicultural audiences. And if not, it's likely that you'll be faced with the task very soon. The question is—are you prepared?
Many of those charged with the task of multicultural marketing lack the skills, and the appropriate resources, to effectively reach diverse markets. But with the multicultural population presently reaching nearly 100 million in the United States, multicultural marketing isn't just a buzz term anymore. In fact, marketing products and services in culturally relevant ways may just be the key to building tomorrow's most successful brands.
So, where's the logical place to begin when it comes to reaching multicultural audiences?
Know Your Target Market
Any good multicultural marketing program begins with one key step— research. As is the case with many research-intensive programs, this process starts with asking a good deal of questions. Specifically, there are three relevant issues that will guide the ROI of your programs:
< What are the underserved markets that are ready to be tapped? Are there diverse markets you've always wanted to address, but haven't had the capacity?
< What is the market potential of the audience you're trying to reach? What group represents your greatest potential revenue streams?
< How will you communicate with your target audience, win its business and gain its loyalty? Is the wisest approach direct mail, advertising or other methods?
You may have clear answers to some of these questions, while others may take some more digging. The good news is that the quality of market intelligence available today regarding diverse populations is increasingly sophisticated. Research firms like Geoscape International give companies a comprehensive understanding of their multicultural target audience, making the campaign-planning process easier than ever. For instance, you may know how many Hispanic consumers are in the greater Los Angeles area, but of that group, how many are of Cuban descent? What about Puerto Rican? The cultural variation is vast, and your marketing strategy must reflect those differences.
Another example is generational acculturation. Acculturation refers to the process of adopting the behavior patterns of the surrounding culture. The more advanced the generation is (e.g., first vs. fourth generation Asian-American), the more the acculturation process has progressed. This concept is especially relevant when selling to diverse populations inside the United States. Before attempting to target a group of Asian-Americans in the Pacific Northwest, measure the cultural nuances specific to that group, and how important they are. Dig as deep as you can. The last thing you want is to spend thousands on developing a multilingual ad campaign, only to find that the audience is fourth generation and may not even speak the native language.
Companies Mentioned:
 |
|
|
|||
|
|
