Editor’s note: Zamir Lima is the managing director, U.S. and LatAm Sample at ThinkNow. This is an edited version of an article that originally appeared under the title "A Simple and Effective Guide to Segmenting Your Hispanic Market Research Sample."

Conducting market research in the Hispanic market can be challenging, especially for researchers unfamiliar with the community or living in another country. Here is a quick guide to building a representative sample and obtaining accurate results. 

Before you begin, establish clear research objectives. Determine the information you need and the questions you want to answer. This will help you focus the study and determine the aspects of the Hispanic community you want to investigate.

The Hispanic community is diverse with varying cultural, linguistic and geographical characteristics. To better understand their needs and preferences, consider segmenting the Hispanic market into more specific groups based on factors like country of origin, generation, income level and geographic location. This segmentation will allow for a more comprehensive analysis of each segment. 

Hispanic people are geographically distributed throughout the country, with certain areas experiencing higher concentrations: 

Create a questionnaire that aligns with your research objectives and is tailored to the Hispanic audience. Use clear and understandable language, avoiding jargon or complex concepts. Translate the questionnaire into Spanish for those who prefer to respond in their native language.

Culture plays a vital role in the Hispanic community's attitudes, behaviors and preferences. When conducting your research, consider relevant cultural aspects like family, traditions, values and festivities. Doing so will help you understand how these cultural nuances influence Hispanic consumer purchasing decisions and behavior. 

To ensure a representative sample of ...