Consider the importance and involvement of family in most purchasing decisions. Family is of great importance to most Hispanics. Family members (often multi-generational) may participate in both the shopping experience and decision-making process, so it’s smart to be respectful and polite to everyone, especially the elders.

Don’t be too informal. In general, Hispanics tend to lean toward formality. Keep this in mind when addressing them. For example, use Mr. or Mrs. (or preferably, Señor or Señora) instead of their first names if you’re unsure about how formal you should be.

Don’t try to rush deals or buying decisions. Most Hispanics prefer to build relationships with businesses and vendors over time, so don’t expect fast decisions, especially when major purchases are involved. The process of gaining their trust and confidence may take a little longer, but the reward is loyal customers who will tell others about your business.

Tap into the power of Hispanic referral networks. As noted above, Hispanics tend to be loyal to businesses that they trust, and they will tell others about these businesses as well. Satisfying these customers and meeting their needs can lead to positive word-of-mouth and lots of referral business from their family and friends.

Prepare your infrastructure for Hispanic customers. This encompasses every aspect of your business that touches customers, from taking great care in translating your marketing materials to training your employees in both language and cultural issues. “You need to have a specific process for all of your interactions with Hispanic customers,” says Kelly McDonald, president of McDonald Marketing and an expert who speaks frequently on the topic of marketing to Hispanics.

A good example is your telephone system. “Hispanics tend to be reluctant to leave voice mail messages,” notes McDonald. So make it as easy on them as possible to reach you, and give them the option of listening to your message in Spanish.

Don’t try to do it on the cheap. If you want to devise an effective Hispanic marketing strategy, you can’t cut corners — you have to devote the time and money required to do it right. Or as McDonald puts it, “you can’t do it with ‘leftover’ money.”