Top Elements to Include in a Multicultural Marketing Plan

As a marketer, manager, or business owner, one of the most important elements for success is having a good marketing plan in place.   A marketing plan is your guiding light, your map, a fresh living document that needs improvement constantly, and even more so if you are targeting a multicultural segment in the US.  As I prepare to teach a multicultural marketing class next Fall, I put together a project for the students to work on, and it prompted me to think of the basic elements that need to be included in the marketing plan to cater to a multicultural environment.  An environment that has been shifting in the past decades and is becoming more interesting as time progresses.

The unprecedented growth of multicultural markets in the US has come with many opportunities for marketers to cater to consumers with their products and services.  These include Hispanics, Asians, African-Americans, and LGBTs.  Thanks to their spending power, these groups can increase the bottom line of practically any business if it manages to speak to their hearts.  These groups tend to reward businesses that take notice of them, take time to get to know them, and serve them.

Throughout years of business experience, which includes marketing, management, and advertising, and the endless information that I have been able to garner about multicultural markets, I believe that these are some of the most important elements to include in a marketing plan in order to execute and obtain your marketing goals.  So, in this blog, I will go through the top elements that need to be included in your marketing plan to get you to where you want to go directly: their purchases and loyalty.

1) Research your segment well and include this information in your plan.  
One of the primary areas of a marketing plan includes the definition of your market segment.  Who is your customer?  What do they do?  How much do they make?  Where do they shop? So in this case you need to research your segment very well, aside from basic demographics, and be able to paint a picture of who she or he is.  Does she live in a multicultural segment of the city? Does he enjoy time with his family?  Chances are, she does.  Most multicultural groups tend to live in clusters, and they value family.  Who do they look up to?  Who are their reference groups for purchases?  This will help you to develop communication and products and services that are relevant to these groups.  You might think this is a no brainer, but many people don't conduct enough research, or the proper research of their potential market to be able to get the right feel for it.

2) Include technology and social media in your plan. 
Hispanics, African-Americans, Asians and LGTBs are very savvy consumers and tend to be early adopters of technology and ways of communicating.  Include a strong communication component for your segment via Social Media, which is a catalyst for PR and direct conversation with your consumer.  These groups love to share and talk about what they like and-don't like, so keep in mind that Social Media is your friend if you know how to use it well.  Find out which are the best social media sites for your consumer and type of business to reach these savvy and entertainment powered consumers.

Making your website mobile friendly is also a great way to keep them engaged since they tend to purchase smartphones and digest media via mobile at a higher rate than their non-multicultural counterparts.  Including this in your plan will pay off. 

Don't be afraid to also include elements of traditional media with new media.  A lot of them tend to mesh media, which means they consume multiple media at once.  For example, engage them through a TV spot and point them to use social media to gain more information or to get them to take action.  

3) Include language and other cultural elements that speak to the heart of the group. 
Hispanics are not all created equal.  Some like to be talked to in Spanish, some in English, and some in both.  Make sure you know and detail how you will communicate to them and the cultural elements that are necessary to draw their attention.  Whatever media you use to communicate, TV, radio, Internet, print, or grassroots, make sure there is a cultural component that is natural, and not overly used. 

Asians also comprise a cultural market that enjoys being spoken to in their mother language.  If catering to them, especially in print, they are more likely to respond if it is written in their language and in English.  This will make sure several generations will be covered in the household, which is usually comprised of different family generations.

Conversely, African-Americans can best be reached through the English language, however, they still need the cultural element added to their communication.  Again, make sure these elements are not overly done or stereotypical.  Just because they value family doesn't mean that you need to include a family in all of your communication. 

And finally, the LGBT market is so broad that it may include any race and ethnic group, any language, and culture.  So this is a very interesting and wide segment to look at.  The elements for this market are unique and should be addressed in detail on your plan. 

So, if you need to breathe new life into your current marketing plan or create one from scratch, these elements are the most important to keep in mind for a  successful multicultural marketing approach.  I hope this was of help to you and can steer you in the right direction when creating a plan.