Juan Alanis is co-founder of Big Oak Tree Media

Juan Alanis co-founded Big Oak Tree Media in 2016, a Houston-based public relations and digital marketing agency. One of the key focus area's for the small business is Hispanic marketing and community engagement. 

On this episode of the Small Biz Insider podcast, we talk with Alanis about keys to successfully reaching Houston's Latino population and why businesses should steer away from "Latinizing" their messages and products. Highlights from this episode below.

On recommendations for businesses to effectively reach Houston's Latino market

Alanis said these three points are critical to consider for any campaign:

• Understand the demographics of the community and who you’re targeting. Are you talking more to the Mexican-American community? The Puerto Rican community? The Cuban- American community? There are slight differences, and in these differences are opportunities to hit a message home to the targeted demographic.
• Be sure your campaign is inclusive or consider creating a separate campaign altogether. Are your efforts inclusive of the Latino market? Are you making the same investments in the Latino campaign as you are on your general market campaign?  These are things consumers care about.
• How you show up really matters. Really think about how you’re doing that and if you’re doing it authentically.

On inclusive representation vs. "Latinizing" a product or message

Alanis said it's important to consider how Latinos are represented in your campaign. 

“It’s not necessarily just about “Latinizing” the product, but in some way we do like to see ourselves reflected, or the things we care about  reflected, whether those are values, whether those are just cultural experiences, whether that’s language – we like to see ourselves reflected in those things," said Alanis.

On emphasizing more on culture than language

Alanis said marketing toward Houston's Latino market is becoming more about culture versus language. 

"Culture is the new language because culture is the way we communicate," said Alanis. "Regardless of country of origin, there are some things common in the Latino experience, so culture is increasingly becoming the language to reach a broader segment of the Latino audience without focusing so much on language."

Small Biz Insider is presented by: 

Disclaimer: Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas is a client of Big Oak Tree Media.

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The Small Biz Insider podcast is part of our digital series highlighting entrepreneurs in the greater Houston region who are making a big impact in the small business community. Subscribe to Small Biz Insider through these popular podcast players so you never miss a new episode: 

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