Author: Lisa Chapman

Resources for Demographic Market Research

Looking for credible, relevant FREE data sources to research the US Latino population? It’s an important demographic, and growing. If your marketing plan targets the general population, you may want to take a few minutes to dig a bit deeper into the US Latino niche.

Link around and learn – get acquainted with this population’s size and consumer trends. It may be an eye-opener, or simply a way to reinforce or redirect your marketing expenditures.

I’ve compiled a few rich sources to direct you. Special thanks to the Pew Hispanic Center, which provided a host of resources, as noted.

US Latino Demographic Profiles

Browse and download latest data on the detailed characteristics of the Latino and foreign-born populations in the U.S.

Pew Hispanic Center’s Statistical Profile of the Latino Population

Statistical Portrait of Hispanics in the United States, 2008
“This statistical profile of the Latino population is based on Pew Hispanic Center tabulations of the Census Bureau’s 2008 American Community Survey (ACS). The ACS is the largest household survey in the United States, with a sample of about 3 million addresses. It covers virtually the same topics as those in the long form of the decennial census.” While this source is dated 2008, it is still relevant, with the highest degree of relevance and confidence.

Latino Population, Growth and Dispersion
“Color-coded interactive maps show the Latino population, growth and its dispersion across U.S. counties since 1980.”

Election 2010 State Fact Sheets

“The state fact sheets below contain data on the size and social and economic characteristics of the Hispanic and non-Hispanic eligible voter populations.”

Mapping the Latino Vote: Latino Eligible Voters by State and Congressional District

Here are just a select few states’ stats:

Arizona
There are 766,000 eligible Hispanic voters in Arizona, 18% of all eligible voters in the state.

California
There are 5.4 million eligible Hispanic voters in California, 24% of all eligible voters in the state.

Colorado
There are 434,000 eligible Hispanic voters in Colorado, 13% of all eligible voters in the state.

Florida
There are 1.8 million eligible Hispanic voters in Florida, 15% of all eligible voters in the state.

New Jersey
There are 645,000 eligible Hispanic voters in New Jersey, 11% of all eligible voters in the state.

New Mexico
There are 525,000 eligible Hispanic voters in New Mexico, 38% of all eligible voters in the state.

New York
There are 1.6 million eligible Hispanic voters in New York, 12% of all eligible voters in the state.

Ohio
There are 140,000 eligible Hispanic voters in Ohio, 2% of all eligible voters in the state.

Pennsylvania
There are 289,000 eligible Hispanic voters in Pennsylvania, 3% of all eligible voters in the state.

Texas
There are 3.8 million eligible Hispanic voters in Texas, 25% of all eligible voters in the state.

Virginia
There are 183,000 eligible Hispanic voters in Virginia, 3% of all eligible voters in the state.

Washington
There are 217,000 eligible Hispanic voters in Washington, 5% of all eligible voters in the state.

View MORE state statistics.

The next post will look at the Hispanic lifestyle information sources.

The Pew Hispanic Center is a project of the Pew Research Center, a nonpartisan “fact tank” that provides information on the issues, attitudes and trends shaping America and the world. It is supported by The Pew Charitable Trusts.

Have you found any great resources for US Hispanic market research?

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For more resources, see our Library topics Marketing and Social Networking.

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ABOUT Lisa M. Chapman:

Ms. Chapman’s new book, How to Make Money Online With Social Media: A Step-by-Step Guide for Entrepreneurs will be available very soon. With offices in Nashville Tennessee, but working virtually with international clients, Lisa M. Chapman serves her clients as a business and marketing coach, business planning consultant and social media consultant. As a Founder of iBrand Masters, a social media consulting firm, Lisa Chapman helps clients to establish and enhance their online brand, attract their target market, engage them in meaningful social media conversations, and convert online traffic into revenues. Email: Lisa @ LisaChapman.com

Guest Writer: Michelle Tennant Nicholson

Press Release or Not?

I’ll tell you this as gently as I can: Press releases don’t always work. So don’t send them out thinking they’re going to get you on Oprah, The Today Show, Good Morning America or CBS Early Show. A lot of people still think press releases are the best way to get the media to notice them, but to the busy media professional, press releases say: “Here’s something everyone is going to get at the same time as you. No scoop for you!”

When Press Releases Work

Now I’m not saying they don’t work for search engine optimization purposes. Press releases are great for that. They:

• build links back to your site
• build your branding and messaging online and
• increase your credibility.

You may want to send out press releases if you’re a corporate entity and need the message to be searchable on news wire services in the future. And reporters are not likely to ignore your press release if you have true breaking news, such as a plant expansion that will add hundreds of jobs in a local coverage area.

Relationship Building

But sending out press releases is not the most effective way to score the coveted news features that you’ll want. That is done with relationship building. Nothing beats “dial and smile” phone calls, personalized emails and perfect pitches.

Organizing an online press kit with ready-to-use story ideas, quotes and background will help you get your message out and make it easier for the media to cover you. And making it easy for the media will definitely boost your odds of being chosen as a source in articles, TV segments and radio broadcasts.

Social Media

Also, with social networking sites, it’s easier than ever to build a buzz about your product or service. You can take your message direct to the audience you seek with a great website, some search engine optimization or a Facebook friends link.

To score media coverage and build credibility though, there’s still no substitute for personal contact with your target media. Get to know them and make them feel special. Read their articles and tune in to their shows. Educate yourself on the different specialty or niche areas they cover.

Your Story

Dig in. Most businesses have untold stories that are interesting. It may be something about how they got started or how they developed a new product or service. So find the compelling story about your business or product.

Then make a list of those media people you would like to cover your story and begin building relationships with them — send them the press release before everyone else gets it. Give them the scoop before you announce it to the world. Making the media feel special is a sure-fire way to have them come back and ask for more scoops from you.

Have you found a way to make the media feel special? Share your tips!

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For more resources, see our Library topics Marketing and Social Networking.

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Twenty-year PR veteran Michelle Tennant Nicholson is Chief Creative Officer of Wasabi Publicity and co-founder of www.PitchRate.com, a free media tool that connects journalists, publicists, and experts. Called a five-star publicist by Good Morning America’s Mable Chan, Michelle specializes in international PR, working regularly with the likes of Oprah, Larry King, BBC, The Today Show and other major media. Contact her at PR blog http://www.StorytellerToTheMedia.com where she teaches tips from the trade.

Guest Writer: L. Drew Gerber

Breaking News Drives the Media

Breaking news is news in the truest sense of the word — from “hard” news about national and world events, politics or major scientific breakthroughs, to entertainment news about celebrities or sports stars. Breaking news is what drives the media; and tying your pitches to breaking news is a great way to grab the media’s attention for you or your client.

What’s great about breaking news is that it answers the “Why now?” question for the media and increases your chances to share your or your client’s insights, commentary or expert opinion. Breaking news also answers the “Why should I care?” question for media. In news meetings, editors and producers constantly ask their reporters to answer one question from the point of view of the reader, viewer or listener: “Why should I care?” As an expert or publicist, you’re there to serve the media and help them media answer that question. After you pitch, be prepared to jump when the media calls. The earlier you can get involved with the story, the greater your impact in the conversation and the greater your chance to be part of the follow-up.

Key Things to Remember:

1) Give the media your cell phone or other numbers where they can contact you 24/7. When they call, pick up. If you can’t pick up, call back ASAP!

2) For TV interviews, you or your client often must be available to fly or travel on short notice. The travel may be local or you may have to fly across the country. Be prepared for spur-of-the-moment schedule changes and be ready to make travel arrangements before you pitch.

3) Print and radio interviews can often be done by phone. Make sure the most reliable landline is used and that all sound bites are practiced and prepared in advance.

4) Provide a link to your or your client’s online press kit so the interviewer can prepare and familiarize themselves with your expertise. Online press kits are one of the most convenient and useful resources for print, broadcast and online media.

5) Expect to be thrown a curve. You can ask the media for a list of questions they plan to ask, but be prepared for spontaneous questions too. This is where media training ahead of time can be very valuable, because there is little time to train once you get the call.

6) Think like a journalist. The more you watch, listen to and read the news, the more you can anticipate and prepare to comment when news breaks.

A lot of this may seem like common sense. But when it comes to PR, it’s usually the smallest things that determine whether or not you land that placement. So being prepared and making sure you’re on top of all the details will do nothing but increase your chances of shining when news breaks.

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For more resources, see our Library topics Marketing and Social Networking.

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L. Drew Gerber is CEO of www.PublicityResults.com and creator of www.PitchRate.com, a free media connection service for journalists, experts, and publicists. Sign up now for free publicity advice including a free online marketing course. Gerber’s business practices and staffing innovations have been revered by PR Week, Good Morning America and the Christian Science Monitor. His companies handle international PR campaigns and his staff develops online press kits for authors, speakers and companies with Online PressKit 24/7, a technology he developed (www.PressKit247.com). Contact L. Drew Gerber at: [email protected] or call him at 828-749-3548.

Best Gen Y Bloggers

As part of their ongoing efforts to attract their target market, including Gen Y, OnlineDegreePrograms.com maintains a value-packed blog, including the post: “50 Best Gen Y Bloggers”.

In this post, Gen Y professionals from a wide variety of fields share their views and preferences, advice and insights. By reading these blogs, your market research becomes much more than research. It becomes a window into the Gen Y consumers’ thoughts.

Topic categories include:

• New Grads
• Entrepreneurship
• Business and Marketing
• Finance
• Life
• Women
• Politics and Society
• Technology.

If that’s not enough, I quote the list below, posted by Rebecca Thorman on Modite.com. Thorman’s blog posts are well-respected sources for giving the ins and outs of Generation Y.

Favorite Gen Y Bloggers
”These people make me think or laugh. Sometimes both.” – Rebecca Thorman

• Brazen Careerist
• Elle La Mode
• Employee Evolution
• McKinney Oates Cereal
• Owl Sparks
• Personal Branding Blog
• Politicoholic
• Quarter Life Lady
• Rehaul
• Sam Davidson
• Small Hands, Big Ideas
• Smile Like You Mean It
• Social Pollination

Another Viewpoint: Gen Y and the Easter Bunny

According to Ian Watson, “Gen Y doesn’t exist – This is a list of interesting people with interesting views but Gen Y are as real as the Easter Bunny!”

In his own post, he offers the perspective; “There are records of Dutch priests in the 18^th century that lament the lude and drunken behaviour of the young people in his parish. Have young people really changed? I think not – it is our perception that changes as we grow older.”

So, after processing some of these resources in your Gen Y market research, what do you think? Are they REALLY different? How do YOU use differences to capture their attention and engage them?

(Thanks to Online Degree Programs for the inspiration.)

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For more resources, see our Library topics Marketing and Social Networking.

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ABOUT Lisa M. Chapman:

Ms. Chapman’s new book, How to Make Money Online With Social Media: A Step-by-Step Guide for Entrepreneurs will be available very soon. With offices in Nashville Tennessee, but working virtually with international clients, Lisa M. Chapman serves her clients as a business and marketing coach, business planning consultant and social media consultant. As a Founder of iBrand Masters, a social media consulting firm, Lisa Chapman helps clients to establish and enhance their online brand, attract their target market, engage them in meaningful social media conversations, and convert online traffic into revenues. Email: Lisa @ LisaChapman.com

Meet Gen Y

Many professional marketers find themselves with extraordinary career experience in traditional strategies and media, but a bit challenged with the task of reaching Gen Y. They’re the individuals born between 1980 and 1995 – though many references dispute these dates. There are about 80 million of them, and they’re often the children of Baby Boomers. This important demographic is also called the “Millennials”, “Echo Boomers”, “Generation Next”, and “Net Generation”, among others.

Reaching Gen Y consumers is critically important to the growth of most businesses. Marketers must figure out how to reach them. Because Gen Y grew up with technology, they’re leagues ahead of the rest of us. Many of them simply don’t pay attention to traditional media. They’re ONLINE. But WHERE?

Start By Listening to Gen Y

Before actually reaching out to Gen Y, companies must first spend time listening and learning what’s important to them, how they think, and what they like (and dislike!) Gen Y is a distinctively different generation, much tuned into things like the carbon footprint and liberal political/social views.

According to Wikipedia: “The rise of instant communication technologies made possible through use of the internet, such as email, texting, and IM and new media used through websites like YouTube and social networking sites like Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter, may explain the Millennials’ reputation for being somewhat peer-oriented due to easier facilitation of communication through technology.” (So, we gather that they’re a fairly insular bunch.)

Top Gen Y Social Networks

Facebook, of course, is the obvious leading platform. But a company committed to learning about these special individuals will greatly benefit by spending “fly-on-the-wall” time at these Gen Y dominated social networks:

BrazenCareerist.com

Promises to help you build a network in 30 minutes. “Thousands of people use Brazen Careerist to build their professional network every day. Whether you’re looking for a new job, new leads, freelance work, or funding for your new business, Brazen Careerist introduces you to the people who can help you find a job or advance your career.” Watch the intro video on the Home page.

20Somethings.Ning.com

For people in their twenties with a blog. “Today, 20 Something Bloggers has brought together thousands of bloggers from all over the world, and spawned a vibrant community of like-minded, fascinating people who thrive on one another’s support and feedback. The network includes an active forum, more than 250 subgroups, and an endless stream of community events.”

myYearbook.com

“myYearbook is the best place to meet new people. We have more than 20 million people making friends, playing games, and even falling in love. We build the most innovative social games that are all tied together by a single virtual currency called “Lunch Money.” You can earn Lunch Money playing Games, wagering in Battles, or playing Match, and you can spend Lunch Money making a real difference for your favorite Causes or by buying the best virtual gifts for that special someone. We focus on listening to what our members tell us and building the most cutting edge social applications available anywhere.”

CoolPeopleCare.com

“Just like we believe that caring is much more than one, 5-minute task, Cool People Care is much more than a Web site. We’re a growing lifestyle brand, helping people live a more caring lifestyle.”

MakeMeSustainable.com

“MakeMeSustainable was created to fill the void between how we feel about our environment and what we do about it. We bring you the tools to take action. Our Carbon and Energy Portfolio Manager enables you to visualize and contextualize your individual impact. MMS’ sustainable solutions empower you to act upon your knowledge. We can help you to become a more environmentally conscious and efficient individual or business. MMS empowers you to spread the word and encourage friends, family, and co-workers to join the collective effort.”

Your Next Steps

So, with these resources, you can jump in, tune in, and begin to engage in a way that’s meaningful to Gen Y!

Have you found any great places to connect with Gen Y?

(Thanks to Dan Schawbel for the inspiration)

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ABOUT Lisa M. Chapman: With offices in Nashville Tennessee, but working virtually with international clients, Lisa M. Chapman serves her clients as a business and marketing coach, business planning consultant and social media consultant. As a Founder of iBrand Masters, a social media consulting firm, Lisa Chapman helps clients to establish and enhance their online brand, attract their target market, engage them in meaningful social media conversations, and convert online traffic into revenues. Email: Lisa @ LisaChapman.com