By Clair Jones
It has been projected that by 2050, Latinos will account for over 30 percent of the population of the United States, making them the largest ethnic or race minority with unparalleled buying power and consumer influence. Huge corporations like DISH, Pepsi and McDonalds are leading the Latino marketing charge, launching Spanish-language versions of their websites, expanding their bilingual workforce and re-thinking their sales tactics to better target this emerging demographic. Small businesses should be following suite, and fast. But what rewards will you see from proactively hiring bilinguals and how can your small company go about finding these qualified, Spanish-speaking employees?
Why Are Spanish Bilinguals Beneficial to My Business?
Hiring bilinguals makes it possible for your business to take on new clients, improve sales, and offer superior customer service. Latino clients are often more comfortable doing business with you if they know you have a translator on staff, especially if their English is not perfect.
You can improve B2C sales similarly in this way. A Spanish-speaking customer is much more likely to buy a product from a sales representative who can communicate the benefits of the product effectively in their language. Some customers may not speak English at all, and by hiring a sales associate who can communicate with them you are opening an entirely new market for your business.
Having Spanish-speaking customer service agents is also highly beneficial. It doesn’t matter how great of a solution you have to your customers’ problem if you cannot communicate it to them effectively. Assuring consumers that they can speak with an agent who will fully understand their concerns could be the difference between loyal, repeat business and losing a sale.
How Can I Find Spanish-Speaking Employees?
A great way to begin searching for Spanish-speaking job candidates is to post positions on Hispanic job search websites like iHispano and Latcareers. These sites make it easy to vet applicants for a surprisingly minimal fee. Also consider adapting the job descriptions advertised on your company website to include desired or mandatory language skills.
The Latino market is an exciting expansion opportunity for small businesses that you can now tap into with minimal investment and effort. Bilingual job boards make it simple to connect with qualified Spanish-speaking job candidates, so carry your business into the future and hire a bilingual today!
Clair Jones is a journalist and business strategy specialist who loves to write about small business social media tactics, hiring trends and career advancement. Check out her other work on BusinessBee.com, and stay in touch with Clair on Google+ or Twitter.
