How to Market to Diverse Populations

If you've been concentrating your marketing efforts on the mainstream, consider changing your methods to appeal to a wider variety of customers.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Foreign Language Phrase Books
• Newspaper Ads
• Promotional Items
• Art And Graphics Software
• Foreign Language Software
• Research Software

1. Do your research in order to formulate a plan to best reach your target market (see "How to Conduct Market Research," under Related eHows). Different cultures and groups perceive and react to advertising in different ways, so make sure you know enough about your target market to create an effective marketing strategy.
2. Avoid using ads that are stereotypical, racially or otherwise. All women are not mothers and housewives, and all senior citizens aren't meek grandparents rocking away their retirement on the front porch. Aside from being insulting and alienating, this type of ad only helps to proliferate stereotypes and biases.
3. Place advertising with media that reach your target group. This includes outlets such as foreign language newspapers and radio.
4. Leave your promotional material with businesses that already have a high percentage of customers from the group you're trying to target. For example, if you're trying to target the Asian market, ask to leave your advertising in grocery stores that specialize in Asian foods.
5. Sponsor an event that will have a special impact on your target market. If your goal is to appeal to the gay community, sponsor a fund-raiser for AIDS research. Want to appeal to senior citizens? Support Alzheimer's disease research. This is a great way to appeal to the market, and you'll be doing something positive for your community as well.

Tips & Warnings

• If you already have a few customers who are in your target market, ask them for input on how you can better reach potential customers. If your existing customers are happy with the products and services you provide, ask them to help you spread the word. Even offer a referral fee or future discounts in return for sending customers your way.
• If the market you're pursuing is an ethnic group that speaks a language other than English, write all your ads and display signs in that language.