2012 En Contacto Winter

Winter 2012

The Hispanic Chamber:

“Celebrating 30 Years�

Writing on the Wall

The Changing Landscape of America:

Hispanic Market Opportunity

Letter from the Executive Director Dear Readers,

W

e could not be more excited for the Hispanic Chamber’s 30th year, and the New Year is already off to a busy start! We hope to capitalize on the momentum that was created from an awesome 2011. Some of the most noteworthy highlights of the last year include welcoming new Board members Robert Clark, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Ed Gallegos, Centene Corporation, increasing our membership over 40% as well as hosting some great events and programming functions.

In our 30th year, we will continue to focus on adding value to your Hispanic Chamber membership. With this is mind, we will be adding a member listing on our website. We hope this listing will make it convenient to network among members and also make it easy for those searching for service providers within our community to find them at the click of a button.

I would also like to encourage you to take advantage of our monthly Educational Forum Series. This series is designed to share business knowledge and professional know-how from various experts in the community- for FREE! We have some great topics coming up in the next few months, so please consider attending this series- it’s a great benefit the Hispanic Chamber provides.

Please mark your calendars for our Job and Business Fair on Thursday, March 29 at the Drury Plaza Hotel at the Arch. We hope this Fair will be a great opportunity for job seekers and businesses to connect.

We are also looking forward to our Annual Adelante Awards that will be held on Friday, April 27. This is always a great event in which we can recognize those individuals and corporations who make an impact on the Hispanic community, as well celebrate the work the Hispanic Chamber has done in the Metro region.

The Hispanic Chamber exists to serve you and we hope that your membership with us connects you to the Hispanic Community in a meaningful way. Please do not hesitate to contact me to discuss how we can add value to your Hispanic Chamber membership.

Thank you for your commitment to the Hispanic Chamber, it is because of our membership that we are able to thrive.

Regards,

Executive Director Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan St. Louis

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In our 30th year, we will continue to focus on adding value to your Hispanic Chamber membership.

Welcome New Members!

By joining, the following individuals and companies have decided to make an investment in the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and our community at large. We encourage you to find out more about them and, whenever possible, to use their services. If you would like more information about any of these individuals or organizations, please visit our website: www.hccstl.com ¶ Armstrong Teasdale ¶ CB&E Construction ¶ Debra K. Schuster PC ¶ Department of Labor – OSHA ¶ Emmis Communications St. Louis ¶ Emerson Electric Company ¶ Ernest Martinez ¶ Gibson Printing, Inc. ¶ Hector Arocha ¶ Hilton St. Louis Frontenac

¶ L. Torres Contracting, LLC ¶ Maria Theresa Wasson ¶ MarketVolt ¶ McCormack Baron Salazar, Inc ¶ Parents as Teachers National Center ¶ Ranken Technical College ¶ Saint Louis University ¶ Señor Pique Mexican Restaurant ¶ St. Louis Minority Supplier Development Council

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HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

¶ Juice Plus

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When It Comes to Customer Service,

Small is Beautiful

Size isn’t everything, especially for providing value to customers.

This important fact can help distinguish small “mom and pop” businesses from big-box chain stores. It gives small businesses a powerful competitive advantage in an age when more consumers crave and expect a high level of service and responsiveness.

Your position at the “front lines” of your business gives you direct access to your customers’ needs, attitudes and opinions. You know the kinds of products or services they want, when they want them and how best to deliver them.

To gain these valuable insights, you need to proactively assess what you do and should be doing to keep customers coming back, rather than tempting them to try the “big store” down the street.

Start by putting yourself in your customers’ place. How would you like to be treated if you were a first-time customer or a “regular?” Also consider conveniences. What can you do to make it easier to find items and check out, rather than having to navigate a big-box store’s aisles and cashier lines?

Also, visit other stores and service centers, including those unrelated to your business. See what they do that you find appealing, and adapt those practices to enhance your business’s customer experience. Similarly, watch for aspects you don’t like, but be sure to understand the reasons behind problems or poor service, such as understaffing and limited inventory. This will help prevent similar problems from arising in your business.

How you connect with customers by phone or email will also help differentiate your small business from the sometimes bureaucratic nature of big-box chains. Answer calls promptly and with a friendly greeting. Avoid putting callers on hold for longer than a minute; take a message and respond as soon as possible. If you use an automated answering system, your customer service line should be one of the first options.

Although it may be impractical to handle email inquiries as they arrive, don’t let them sit for too long. Some email systems automatically generate a response to acknowledge the message has been received. Make sure the text is upbeat and friendly—again, the kind of message you’d want to receive. A promise to respond within 24 hours may not be enough. Designate certain times during the day to handle email queries, or assign the responsibility to an employee.

The best tactic for gaining a competitive edge is to contact SCORE “Counselors to America’s Small Business” sponsored by your Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, (314) 516-4220. SCORE is a nonprofit organization of volunteer business counselors who donate their time and talents to assist entrepreneurs in starting, growing and operating small businesses. The service is free and confidential. Call for an appointment or contact the St. Louis office of SCORE at (314) 539-6600 ext. 242 or by email at www.stlscore.org or www.score.org.

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AT&T Receives

High Rating for Inclusion of Hispanics AT&T has received the highest rating for all telecommunication firms on the 2011 Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility’s Corporate Inclusion Index (HACR CII). AT&T was one of only two companies to achieve a 95 rating, the highest in the 2011 HACR CII. The HACR CII rates Hispanic inclusion by Fortune 100 companies and its corporate partners in the areas of workforce, procurement, philanthropy, and governance.

“We are honored by HACR’s recognition of our holistic approach to diversity and inclusion,” said Debbie Storey, AT&T senior vice president of Talent Development and chief diversity officer. “At AT&T, diversity and inclusion are woven into all our business strategies and are key in achieving our business goals.”

Leading Hispanic advocacy group HACR recognizes AT&T’s inclusion of Hispanics in the workforce, supply chain, community and governance.

For employment opportunities visit www.att.jobs

Hilton St. Louis Frontenac

A special place to host your special event

Whether you choose the Ambassadeur or the Clayton Ballroom, your guests will be enchanted with our historic splendor, polished service and spectacular cuisine. Our well appointed guest rooms and suites offer comfort and style in one of the St. Louis’ most prestigious communities. Let the Hilton Frontenac cater your milestone event for family and friends. www.stlouisfrontenac.hilton.com

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HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Your Quinceanera is a life changing event and when the staff of the Hilton St Louis Frontenac caters to your needs you can be assured that your guests will leave with a memorable experience. Our staff is dedicated to flawless coordination and unmatched personal service and no detail of your celebration goes unnoticed by our catering professionals.

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Writing on the Wall Gilbert Bailon, St. Louis Post-Dispatch

The economic recession that began exerting its painful grip in 2007 continues today, although some indicators such as consumer spending and increasing employment figures provide signs that better days should be ahead.

For Latinos, the last few years have been rugged. Pew Hispanic Center survey showed that Hispanics suffered from higher unemployment, higher decreases in household earnings and more mortgage problems. The situation was rated even worse for immigrants, whose numbers have been decreasing as the recession affected the broader global economy.

Forbes magazine reported last December that Latinoowned businesses are growing more than twice as fast the national average and has been for the last decade. The report attributed that to the growing number of businesses and the growth in size of those companies. Census data showed from 2002 to 2007, Latino-owned business revenue grew by 55 percent to nearly $350 billion.

Many economists believe the country could be on the verge of turning a corner into better economic conditions, while globalization and technology continues to transform many enterprises - for better or for worse.

Latino-focused professional organizations like the St. Louis Hispanic Chamber of Commerce can be vital catalysts in two arenas: helping Latinos to create or expand their businesses; and helping larger established companies and corporations to connect with Hispanic audiences, whether local or across the globe.

The economic fate of America will be shaped by the Hispanic population, which now exceeds 50 million people who make up 16 percent of the U.S. population. Latinos drove 56 percent of all U.S. population growth from the 2000 Census through the 2010 Census.

The impact of the macrotrends is undeniable and will grow over this decade. The Bureau of Labor of Statistics projects that three quarters of the growth in the U.S. labor force will be among Hispanics. Rebuilding the country's battered economy will involve rallying all sectors of the population, including the critical and relatively young Hispanic workforce.

How the Latinos go, the U.S. economy will go. Numbers bear that out, regardless of political persuasion.

The national political discourse needs to tone down the divisive rhetoric that narrowly focuses on illegal immigration and border walls instead of embracing both the opportunity and challenge our country faces to renew its national prosperity.

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Betting on the Hispanic market is wise bet for those who like favorable odds. Although the St. Louis metro and Missouri have just a 3 percent Hispanic population, growth in Midwestern and Southern states among Hispanics is widespread and deep.

The Hispanic population in Missouri grew 79 percent from 2000 to 2010. Kansas City has large, long established Hispanic population and the numbers are growing in the St. Louis, bistate area. The area's growth is scattered and disparate across many cities and counties, but collectively the numbers are rising.

The presence of Hispanic-owned businesses, communitybased organizations and cultural associations is important to sustain the social cohesion and traditions for a wide array of nationalities here that roll up under the Hispanic umbrella.

More and bigger events will help the broader community take stock of the rising local Hispanic community.

Given the relative small numbers in the St. Louis metro area, Hispanic businesses and leaders must work against becoming invisible or narrowly cast as only ethnic restaurants, tiendas or special holidays that marketers love to exploit.

The St. Louis metro area has high potential because it is home to many multinational corporations with global operations, outstanding universities throughout the bistate region, world-class health care facilities and a community open to immigrants from throughout the world.

Hispanics themselves recognize that the term “Hispanic� is stew of distinct nationalities and traditions that often share a common linkage through Spanish using various dialects. We share many blended values and interests, yet we often define ourselves more specifically into a subgroup. The commonality is powerful, and the individuality offers great promise for businesses and services for Latinos who have defined interests.

The demographics demonstrate that the Hispanicization of America is no fleeting phenomenon. It offers great opportunity for new businesses or those existing ones searching for new customers. Latinos are young and more brand loyal than the average consumer. How to harness those variables?

Study the data and do your homework. The Hispanic market and consumers are a complex collage. It has many nuggets that should offer hope. But merely translating a website directly into Spanish doesn't mean you have made an effective outreach.

Who am I trying to reach, by which media, in which language and for what purpose?

Consider one fact in closing: the biggest driver of Hispanic growth in the United States is U.S.-born Latinos, not immigration. They are being born as U.S. citizens and attending schools here, meaning they will be English speakers and possibly bilingual speakers. The biggest driver of the Hispanic birth growth rate is Mexican-Americans.

If I operate a Hispanic-owned business, I don't market my products the same way to a first-generation immigrant as I do a Latina college student born and educated here.

Hispanic-aware businesses and business leaders will have advantages going forward. The writing is on the wall.

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HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

But Hispanics here or nationally should not rest easily and hope that demographic numbers alone will elevate their economic and political status. Hispanics must own their duty to prepare the workforce and help to encourage companies that embrace Hispanic audiences and business participation. Those are huge opportunities whose destinies the Hispanic community can affect itself.

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The Changing Landscape of America:

Hispanic Market Opportunity

During this challenging economic environment, businesses are searching to replenish revenues by exploring opportunities in new markets. One obviously new – and lucrative opportunity is the Hispanic market. It’s no surprise for most of us in business that our American landscape – and marketplace – is changing.

And leading the charge of change are Hispanic Americans!

Definition of Hispanic as used in the 2010 Census. “Hispanic or Latino” refers to a person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American or other Spanish culture or origin regardless of race.

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Martha Garcia-Kampen is the owner of Kampen Consultants, a Strategic Marketing Management firm specializing in Generational and Cultural Marketing Strategies. Garcia-Kampen is a member of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and will present a Hispanic Marketing program through the Chamber’s Educational Forum series on June 13, 2012.

Kampen Consultants, LLC 745 Craig Road, Suite 212, St. Louis, Missouri 63141. 888-887-6536.

Population Growth Data from the 2010 Census pro­vide insights to our ethnically diverse nation. According to the 2010 Census, 308.7 million people resided in the United States on April 1, 2010, of which 50.5 million (or 16 percent) were of Hispanic or Latino origin.

In fact, more than half of the growth in the total population of the United States between 2000 and 2010 was due to the increase in the Hispanic population. The number of Hispanic people increased from 35.3 million in 2000, a 43% increase.

A Diverse Market Business Leaders, who wish to remain relevant in this new marketplace, must have an understanding of Hispanic markets, and the opportunity they provide. Yes, the Hispanic market is actually comprised of several sub-markets; people from diverse backgrounds and origins. The Mexican origin population, the largest Hispanic sub-group, increased by 54 percent and had the largest numeric change (11.2 million), growing from 20.6 million in 2000 to 31.8 million in 2010 to represent 64% of the Hispanic population. Mexicans accounted for about threequarters of the 15.2 million increase in the Hispanic population.

The next two largest groups are Puerto Ricans representing 9% and the Cuban population 4% of all Hispanics. Among the 12.3 million remaining Hispanic sub-groups, 1.4 million were of Dominican origin, 4 million were of Central American origin (other than Mexican), 2.8 million were of South American origin, 635,000 were Spaniard, and 3.5 million reported general terms such as “Hispanic” or “Latino.”

Geographic Distribution Historically, Mexican-Americans have dominated the Southwest (and Chicago); Cubans, southern Florida; and Puerto Ricans, the Northeast. Hispanic Americans are now found in significant numbers throughout the U.S. In fact the highest growth is found in the southern and mid-western states; including St. Louis with a Hispanic population of more than 65,000 people.

Generations of Hispanic Americans Adding to the complexity of this market is the generational aspect. Many Hispanic Americans have been part of this country since colonization. Generations of immigrants since

then have made their homes and livelihood in America weaving cultural customs, music and foods into our American fabric. Interestingly, whether a more recent immigrant or a fifth generation Hispanic American, many similar cultural values remain consistent. Companies must have a clear understanding, respect and consideration of these values, if they want to successfully connect with this vital market.

Buying Power Hispanic buying power is expected to grow 50 percent from $1 trillion in 2010 to $1.5 trillion in 2015, which rivals the African-American buying power estimate, according to a report on minority purchasing power published in 2010 by the Selig Center for Economic Growth at the University of Georgia’s Terry College of Business. According to the Census, during the past decade, the Hispanic $110,000-plus households grew 221% compared to 87% for total U.S. $100,000-plus households. This has increased the penetration of Hispanic households among the total $100,000-plus households in the U.S. from 3.7% to 6.5% during that time. The Hispanic market offers increasing opportunities in a growing market.

Young Families vs. Aging Population While the Baby Boomers – those age 45 to 65 are making headlines (again!), the interesting fact is that while the majority of our U.S. population reaches retirement age, (with many new opportunities therein as well!!), the Hispanic market skews young, with a median age of 27. This market has been compared to the “Golden Consumer” Years of the 1950’s, purchasing everything from new homes and furnishings, to children’s education and entertainment to groceries and family fun.

Workforce Due to their young age, improved education and strong desire to achieve the “American Dream,” Hispanics will be a significant force in growing our economy. This will be the topic of a subsequent article in another issue of “En Contacto!”

Savvy marketers will recognize this next wave of “Flavorful Opportunity” with the Hispanic Market as they look for ways to increase revenues in this “stagnant and stale” economy… even here in St. Louis! For a free initial consultation on ways your company can gain from this growing market, contact Martha Garcia Kampen of Kampen Consultants, Your Hispanic Marketing Strategist. th 30anniversary

HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

A Common Denominator: Spanish language

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Mark your calendar for these

Hispanic Chamber

Contact 314-664-4432

for information on how you can get involved!

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events!

April 27

March

HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

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Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan St. Louis

Membership Sponsors PLATINUM Centene Corporation

DIAMOND Regional Business Council SILVER Anheuser-Busch, Inc.  Emerson Electric Company  Gonzalez Companies, LLC Monsanto  University of Missouri St. Louis

BRONZE AT&T  Hilton St. Louis Frontenac  Saint Louis University  State Farm  US Bank  Vision IT

FRIEND Ameren  Armstrong Teasdale LLP  CB&E Construction Group  Crown Linen Service Dean Team of Brentwood  Drury Hotels  Emmis Communications St. Louis  Enterprise Bank & Trust Enterprise Rent-A-Car  McCormack Baron Salazar, Inc.  Missouri Job Corps  Midwest BankCentre NextGen Information Services  People’s Health Centers  Prudential  Ranken Technical College Regions Bank  River City & Lumiere Casino  St. Louis College of Health Careers St. Louis Post-Dispatch  United Way