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| Cultivating Sales Across Cultural Lines: How to Maximize Your Yields from California’s Growing Diversity The Minority to Get the Majority of Business by Phil Wilkins More than 1 million new immigrants enter the United States every year. When you add to that the nearly 80 million multicultural Americans who are already here, you have a tremendous group of potential customers and clients who can benefit your business. But, do you know how to reach, identify with, and sell to them? Many firms are struggling with demographic changes in America. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the U.S. population will grow 50% by 2045 and 90% of that growth will come from the minority community. In order to stay profitable, companies will need to adapt their marketing, selling style, and products or services to appeal to the emerging demographic groups with different preferences and buying styles. If you want to attract a diverse customer base including African Americans, Hispanics, and Asians, you need to attract a diverse workforce. As much as managers hate to admit it, many people are not comfortable dealing with clients of a different background. Yes, we're all just people, but certain cultures have distinct buying styles. Your firm is headed for trouble if your salespeople and managers can't sell to them. The real question is not how to sell to minority communities, but how to attract minority workers and help them become successful. After all, continual turnover is expensive and it hurts the firm's brand image. No firm wants to spend needlessly or appear that it can't retain qualified staff. To establish your firm as an employer of choice within a particular demographic, you must demonstrate your commitment to diversity. Look for minority organizations with a presence your community. Do more than just write a check to the group; get involved. Sit on the board of directors; participate in fundraisers or events; or speak to the group on some relevant topic. Your firm could sponsor an event put on by an organization, such as The Urban League, which has branches throughout the country. Rather than placing an employment ad in the Sunday newspaper, advertise with professional groups, such as the National Black MBA Association or the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers. There are Websites for minority associations in just about every industry, including healthcare, financial, and law. Also, consider recruiting at historically black colleges and universities or in areas that are dense with certain minority populations. Go to neighboring communities with a large minority population and ask the local Chamber of Commerce for assistance. Find out how you can get involved and share the opportunities your firm has for minorities. Look for people who can help spread the word on your behalf. Word of mouth advertising is often the most effective. To hire and retain diverse workers, managers must encourage mentoring and professional development. Research has proven that people who have mentors and strong professional networks are more successful; make more money; and are more loyal to their firms. Mentoring often provides the informal one-on-one coaching and access people need to progress through the organization. Many companies can’t keep employees from diverse backgrounds if they don’t see the subtle forms of exclusion that occur in offices. This subtle discrimination can include small things, such as leaving someone off of a distribution list or not including them on projects or voicemails. Over time, these small oversights tell the employee that they are not valued. But, there are steps you can take to ensure you don't exclude anyone. For example, simply having empathy for the employee, including them on projects, and regularly touching base with everyone in your office regardless of their background sends a message that you're compassionate, engaged, and interested in everyone. How will your firm be positioned when the minority groups become the majority? Will you have the staff to relate to and sell to the desired demographic? The sooner you start catering to these key demographics, the more time you'll have to build customer loyalty, which will position you as tomorrow's market leader. –––––––––– Phil Wilkins is the author of “Own Your Business, Own Your Life!” and the CEO of Diverse Wealth Systems – a sales training and diversity consulting firm that helps companies sell more by leveraging diverse ideas, people, and systems. He can be reached at phil@philwilkins.com or 888-663-6254. |
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