Beyond Bodegas: Developing a Retail Relationship with Hispanic Customers [Hardcover]

Jim Perkins (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0972529039 | ISBN-13: 978-0972529037 | Publication Date: November 2004

The real competition for Hispanic market share takes place at the local level. Regardless of the nature of your business--retail, convenience stores, banks, supermarkets--if you want to be a successful and profitable player in the lucrative Hispanic marketplace, you need to understand the dynamics of the community at the local level. In this ground-breaking book, retail expert, Jim Perkins, offers scores of insights into the mindset and shopping behavior of Hispanic consumers.

Discover why a sleek mo dern store may turn off Hispanic consumers. Learn the importance of diversifying the workforce in your retail store. Listen in on neighborhood conversations around the simple pleasures of ice cream. Learn about cultural nostalgia, and when and when not to rely on Spanish as an advertising language.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Jim Perkins takes us on a compelling and informational journey through the backstreets of Hispanic culture. -- Beverly Pollington-Sirjani, Editor-in-Chief, Convenience Industry News

Jim Perkins' cultural sensitivity and mastery of how to attract Hispanic consumers, comes through in eight areas of proven practices. -- Carlos Santiago, President/ CEO, Santiago Solutions Group

About the Author

Jim Perkins spent 15 years in the corporate world prior to founding his own business, ÚLATAM Solutions Group, a firm which helps organizations build a Hispanic offering for their retail unit. While with ExxonMobil Corporation and 7-Eleven of México, S.A. de C.V., Mr. Perkins marketed to various cultures in a number of cities. But it was on the streets of Miami; Los Angeles; Chicago; Monterrey, Mexico; Caracas, Venezuela and Seville, Spain that he learned to better build a retail unit in which all are welcome and the product desired is available.

Mr. Perkins has written articles on topics ranging from language acceptance, to confection preferences of Latinos, to tobacco and Latinos. He currently guest lectures to university students and business leaders and often suggests to his audience, "This Latino explosion is not coincidence, if you have not started you may be somewhat behind!"

Mr. Perkins began studying Spanish at the age of 11 and is a student of the Spanish language and Latin Cultures. A graduate of Purdue University and current student at the University of California at Berkeley, Mr. Perkins applies time spent in Spain, México, South America and the Caribbean as well as his education, to his study and analysis of the multicultural marketing space.

Mr. Perkins, born in Indiana, currently lives in Chicago, Illinois.

To learn more about Mr.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 168 pages
• Publisher: Paramount Market Publishing, Inc. (November 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0972529039
• ISBN-13: 978-0972529037
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #878,386 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beyond my expectations, November 30, 2006

By 

RCF (Chicago, IL United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Beyond Bodegas: Developing a Retail Relationship with Hispanic Customers (Hardcover)

I work for a Fortune 500 company, although we already market in the US to the Hispanic community, we strive to stay ahead of the trends. "Beyond Bodegas" was recently recommended to me by a fellow marketer who attended a retail conference where the author, Jim Perkins, had not only spoke, but also conducted a retail tour providing attendees hands-on experience within the stores. I'm sorry to say I missed out on the opportunity to attend. Skeptical as I am that there's much more to learn beyond what my company has accomplished, "Beyond Bodegas" -- with its excerpts to other companies' practices and in-depth insights to cultural sensitivities that impact a consumer's purchase decision -- proved otherwise. Extremely legitimate, relevant and timely, an excellent read for marketers in all phases of business. I hope to read more from this author.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Seasoned, practical, tested advice, February 7, 2005

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Beyond Bodegas: Developing a Retail Relationship with Hispanic Customers (Hardcover)

In Beyond Bodegas: Developing A Retail Relationship With Hispanic Customers, author Jim Perkins draws upon his affinity for Spanish culture as well as his many years of experience working in the retail business in Mexico and the United States to offer seasoned, practical, tested advice to materially assist retailers of all kinds to learn more about what their Hispanic customers may expect from them. Such retailers are provided with strategies to attract Hispanic customers ranging from creating a store-within-a-store, to stocking known Hispanic brands alongside their U.S. counterparts, to making certain their signs are in Spanish and a bilingual staff is on hand to assist their Hispanic clientele. Also covered in detail are Hispanic brands, elements in creating warm and friendly exteriors and interiors, the importance of faith and religious holidays in the Hispanic community, and the necessity of making a commitment to the Hispanic community in order to be successful marketing to an Hispanic customer base. With the growing Hispanic population within the United States, Beyond Bodegas is significant and highly recommended reading for anyone seeking to market a product or service to Hispanic consumers.