"Diversity"-How the Growing Hispanic Influence is Impacting the Meeting Industry

With the excitement surrounding the confirmation of Justice Sonya Sotomayor, we are seeing an increase of ethnic diversity in the business world. As her story of hope unfolds - growing up in a Bronx housing project, being raised by a single parent after her father died, we see her overcome the odds to become the nation’s first Hispanic on the Supreme Court. A huge milestone for Hispanics! Companies are becoming more aware of the need to recognize this segment of the population. We, at Executive Speakers Bureau, have seen an increase in the number of requests for Hispanic speakers.

Hispanics have been dubbed as American’s fastest growing market segment for a good reason. Hispanics are fast fitting that definition. The U.S. Hispanic purchasing power has been estimated at a staggering $870 billion in 2008, and continues to grow. By the end of 2015, it is estimated to reach as much as 1.3 trillion… And that’s when only targeting the Hispanics!

There are 44.3 million Hispanics in the United States today and that is a number that no one should underestimate. The power of Hispanics in the United States is reflected well by the large number of Hispanic-owned firms, which continues to increase.

By taking note that the Latino population is going to triple by the time 2050 rolls around, one can be assured of a constantly growing market. Soon, there will be one Hispanic for every three white Americans. – According to Hispanic Population.

Following is a list of a few of the top Latino Speakers:

Dr. Joachim de Posada

Fluent in English and in Spanish, Dr. Posada specializes in sales, management, leadership and team building , has worked in more than fifty countries including the United States. Noted author of best selling book “Don’t Eat the Marshmallow…Yet: The secret to sweet success in work and in life”

Jimmy Cabrera

A dynamic and energetic speaker, riveting his audience's attention through the very last sentence, Cabrera seeks to fulfill the need for communication, education, and a positive influence in the lives of all individuals.

Maria Marin

Marin is a national newspaper columnist, who writes on personal growth topics for women. She is the author of the self-help book “Secrets of a Confident Women” where she inspires women to believe in themselves. Her column “Mujer Sin Límite” (Women Without Limits) is published weekly in the top markets throughout the U.S. & Puerto Rico. She appears weekly in the TV program “Despierta América” as the motivational expert of the show. Maria Marin is considered one of the leading motivational trainers on the subject of “Personal Empowerment” and “The Art of Negotiation”.

Victor Gonzalez

From food stamps and welfare to being the CEO of a multimillion dollar High Tech equipment His book “The Logic of Success” is about the ‘logic’ of why some people fail while others succeed. Whether in sales or any type of leadership position, Victor will walk you through the steps of what it takes to make "SUCCESS HAPPEN".

Carlos Conejos

Carlos Conejo is an expert on the rapidly growing multicultural marketplace. He assists organizations through this current evolutionary change developing sound values-driven business strategies for penetrating and growing these multicultural markets. Conducting major work in the area of economic development, lean manufacturing, and workforce development in either English, OR Spanish, Conejos has shown organizations how transformational changes can be used as a competitive weapon in an ever-increasing global society.

Staying Connected: Successful Strategies that Work

Why is it imperative to stay in close contact with your customer base especially in economic turbulent times?

1. It is less expensive and more time productive to keep existing customers than to build new relationships with new clients.

2. It is more important than ever to know the current needs of your clients. This is only possible with open and close communication.

3. Out of site is out of mind. It is important to stay up front and central in the clients sphere of influence

4. This is a good way to provide current and updated information to your clients about new and innovative solutions/products that you offer.

5. The best way to develop loyalty with clients is to care about them in the good times and in the bad times. Communication is key.

6. Make sure you are currently meeting their needs and will continue to do so in the future. This is impossible to do if you don’t know their ongoing needs and if you can’t convey the message of how you will continue to provide solutions for those needs.

7. Open and frequent communication opens additional windows of opportunity.

Effective ways to stay in close contact with your client base

1. Direct phone calls – nothing replaces the personal touch. Not the hard sell, the actual conversation connection.

2. Monitoring social networking sites that are industry and company specific to determine trends, company feedback and product satisfaction.

3. Ask productive questions during calls so that you gain information about the client, not merely impart a sales pitch

4. Send a note or other small gesture to let client know they are valued and appreciated.

5. Send out customer surveys

6. Email helpful suggestions that relate to the industry but that are not product specific. It will gain you credibility as being an expert in your field even if you aren’t currently “asking” for new business.

Jill Buck Talks on Going Green and the Need to Go Green in Schools:

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the world population is expanding at a mind-boggling rate. The world reached 1 billion people in 1800; 2 billion by 1922; and over 6 billion by 2000. It is estimated that the population will swell to over 9 billion by 2050. That means that if the world’s natural resources were evenly distributed, people in 2050 will only have 25% of the resources per capita that people in 1950 had.

The world has a fixed amount of natural resources – some of which are already depleted. So as population growth greatly strains our finite resources, there are fewer resources available. If we intend to leave our children and grandchildren with the same standard of living we have enjoyed, we must preserve the foundation of that standard of living. We save for college educations, orthodontia, and weddings, but what about saving clean air, water, fuel sources and soil for future generations?

Some of the greatest threats to future resources come from things we throw away everyday. Household batteries and electronics often contain dangerous chemicals that may, if sent to a local landfill, leak through the bottom barrier and pollute the groundwater. This can contaminate everything from the soil in which our food grows, to the water which will eventually come out of aquifers and into our tap water. Many of these chemicals cannot be removed from the drinking water supply, nor from the crops that are harvested from contaminated fields. The risks to human health are tremendous.

Throwing away items that could be recycled diminishes energy, water and natural resources that could be saved by recycling.

Did you know…

• For every ton of paper that is recycled, the following is saved: 7,000 gallons of water; 380 gallons of oil; and enough electricity to power an average house for six months.
• You can run a TV for six hours on the amount of electricity that is saved by recycling one aluminum can.
• By recycling just one glass bottle, you save enough electricity to power a 100-watt bulb for four hours.

The more we throw away, the more space we take up in landfills. When a landfill becomes a “landfull”, taxpayers have to build a new one. The less we throw away, the longer our landfills will last. The amount of taxpayer money we save by extending the longevity of our landfills is an important community benefit.

Go Green Schools

Schools in all 50 states, 14 countries and on 4 continents have adopted the Go Green Initiative. They are making great strides in teaching their students to be good stewards of our planet’s natural resources. Tons of paper, plastic and other materials are being recycled, and in many cases, schools are earning money for recycling. Go Green communities are finding creative ways to teach children earth-friendly habits while reducing their contributions to the waste stream. Take a look at the Go Green Initiative

For more information on Jill Buck