How to Market to People Not Like You: "Know It or Blow It" Rules for Reaching Diverse Customers

Chapter 10. Immigrants: It's About Acculturation, Not Assimilation

All over the world, people are moving. Every day, immigrants arrive in every country and begin to establish their lives there. There are many reasons why people move: for educational opportunities, for love, for family reunification, and for economic reasons, just to name a few. And it's easier than ever for people to move because of the convenience and low cost of travel. Now, more than ever, it's possible for many people to live wherever they choose to in the world, and people relocate in numbers that previous generations never did.

Whether they stay for a few months, a few years, or for the rest of their lives, immigrants are an important part of every country's economy. New arrivals to a country buy goods and services. And if you treat immigrants as welcome customers to your business, most of the time you will be rewarded with loyal customers who will bring you even more business through referrals. Imagine yourself moving to a foreign country and really not knowing your way around, where to shop and do business, even basic things like where to get your hair cut or where to do your grocery shopping. What would you do? How would you begin to figure it all out?

One of the first things you might do is find out the communities where your fellow countrymen live. In almost every city and country, there are communities of immigrants who live in close proximity to one another. When you think about it, it's quite logical: ...