How To Market To Local Ethnic Groups To Increase Profits

Drakeshire Dental Center in Farmington, Michigan is doing something unique. It is making a concerted effort to market its dental services to the Japanese population.

One of the three partners, Karson Carpenter, DDS, explained that once they identified the fact that there was a strong Japanese concentra­tion located within a ten mile radius of their office, they knew they had a unique opportunity.

They capital­ized on that opportunity by catering to that particular ethnic group. Business cards and signs at the reception desk are printed in Japanese. Even the restrooms have both Japanese and American signage on them. Dr. Carpenter says that it is no accident that his clinic has established a positive reputation with the Japanese-Americans. Their Japanese clientele is now 5% of their total patient base and growing.

America is known for its highly mixed culture base. The ethnic pipeline within the different ethnic groups can be a very powerful marketing tool. If your company or organization does an outstanding job of servicing its customers, word will get around. If it goes a step further in meeting the needs of certain ethnic groups, word will get around even quicker.

How do you find out what a certain ethnic group prefers in the way of your product or service? Simple. Ask the ethnic customers you now have. Ask them what they like the most about doing business with you.

If there was one thing your organization could do to serve them better, what would it be? What would it mean to them if you could give them that kind of special service? Just because a person from another country has decided to move to the United States doesn’t mean that they have forgotten their homeland.

Think for a moment about your own childhood. Were there some unique characteristics about your old neighborhood that you really enjoyed? Maybe it was that quaint neighborhood grocery store. If some of those characteristics were present in a grocery store today, you would probably enjoy shopping there. You probably wouldn’t mind driving the extra miles to get there. You’d just feel more comfortable doing business at that type of store.

Remember, we human beings are creatures of habit. We prefer the familiar and the predictable. By becoming aware of your potential ethnic market, you may open up an opportunity to serve your real customer base.

1. What ethnic groups are predominant in your business area?

2. How can you find out? (Your local chamber of commerce is one good place to start.)

3. What are some questions you can ask the members of those ethnic groups that will help you identify their unique needs and wants?

4. Set up a “get acquainted” meeting with a few people from that ethnic group. Ask them how your business could better serve their ethnic group.

5.  Get together with some other local business owners and brainstorm how you could service this particular ethnic group.

6. What other kinds of things can you do to let a particular ethnic group in your area know that you have its different preferences in mind?

– Tom