Census Bureau says . . . Personalized marketing = communicating in consumers' preferred language.

Let's start by examining the facts in one state, California, that has the largest GDP in the U.S. ($3 Trillion) and if it was a sovereign nation, would be the 5th largest economy in the world:

• 39 million people in California with a median household income of $72,000.

• 44% of consumers speak a language other than English spoken at home.

29% speak Spanish, 10% speak an Asian and Pacific Islander language.

39% of California consumers are Hispanic/Latino

• The 44% of consumers that speak a language other than English translates into 17M consumers, or on a household basis, 5.7M

What is personalized marketing? Personalized marketing, also known as one-to-one marketing or individual marketing, is a marketing strategy by which companies leverage data analysis and digital technology to deliver individualized messages and product offerings to current or prospective customers.

Missed Opportunities

• How effective is your personalized marketing that relies on data and digital tech if you are not reaching them in the language in which they are most comfortable?

• How many people are you missing, or worse yet, pushing away because you aren't communicating in the "appropriate language"?

• What if your competitors are reaching them in the right language, and you are not?

Cultural Cues

And, it's not just about language. It's also about using the appropriate cultural cues in your communications to the targeted population overall and to any targeted sub-audiences (e.g., young Latinos vs. older Latinos, etc.).

Implications

• The Census data is clear - there's no arguing with the numbers.

• Language matters. There are over 17M people in California who speak another language than in English.

• A company's personalized marketing efforts won't be effective if you aren't communicating to them in a language that they prefer or frequently use.

• In addition to language, use cultural cues to further improve your personalized marketing efforts.

Barraza & Associates, 650.539.9651