Why sell your services or products in Spanish?

Not only is Spanish the second most spoken language worldwide, and is the most commonly taught foreign language in the United States. Because of the Hispanic population living in the US now reaching millions, Spanish is recognized in many states at the government level.

The term Hispanic refers to a person of Latin American or Spanish culture or origin. As such, Hispanic does not refer to a racial group, but an ethnic category of people shares similar cultural traditions. Persons of Hispanic origin may be of any race, and come from different countries, yet the uniting factor is the Spanish language. Thus, bilingual marketing efforts in Spanish and English will continue to become more valuable for U.S. businesses over time.

The Department of Labor’s most recent Survey of Consumer Expenditures shows Hispanic households spent more on groceries, communications, and apparel than non-Hispanics. Also, Hispanics spend greater percentage of their money on housing and vehicle purchases, and they spend similar amounts as non-Hispanics on restaurants, household supplies and personal care. As such, Hispanics are a segment of the market that is worth targeting just as much if not more than other ethnic groups.

The 2006 American Community Survey shows that one out of every seven people who reside in the U.S. is of Hispanic origin. And this does not refer simply to those who have migrated from Spanish-speaking countries. In fact, three out of five Hispanics residing in the U.S. were born in the United States. According to the Pew Research Center in their April 2009 study, 22% of infants born in the U. S. are Hispanic. The statistics also show that approximately half of all U.S. immigrants are from Latin America.

Because of the high birth rate and increasing immigration, the Hispanic population is growing at a rate much faster than the total U.S. population, a trend anticipated to continue. Between 1990 and 2008, the Hispanic population has increased by 107% compared to 14% for the non-Hispanic population.

There are an estimated 44 million Hispanics in the U.S. as of 2009. This means the United States is home to the world’s fifth largest Hispanic population (trailing Mexico, Colombia, Spain and Argentina.) The US Hispanic population is projected to grow exponentially to over 100 million people by 2050, which will be approximately one quarter of the total U.S. population.

California is home to the largest population of Hispanics in the U.S., 13 million, one-third of the state's population, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Therefore, California businesses are taking note of the economic influence of Hispanics by designing products, services and advertising that appeals to them. More than 50% of Latino adults respond best to advertising when it is presented in Spanish.

© Sofia E. Keck 2009 – sofia.keck@sellitinspanish.com