What’s in this article:
- The right preparation can save you from the most common mistakes that marketers make when going international
- Here are five essential tips for successfully taking your marketing operation global
The transition into international markets isn’t as straightforward as releasing your current campaigns in a new country. Each new territory brings with it unique linguistic, cultural, and market differences that impact how consumers will view your marketing methods.
Thoughtful preparation can save you from the most common mistakes marketers make when going international. This article will give you five essential tips for successfully taking your marketing operation global.
Know the language
During the height of the financial crisis, HSBC’s marketing department was having its own disaster. The “Assume Nothing” campaign the bank had spent years and millions promoting worldwide was a complete flop. The reason? The slogan was often translated as “Do Nothing.”
Few things put distance between you and a prospect like misusing their native language. Don’t underestimate this problem. It’s shocking how many prestigious brands have made this seemingly obvious error.
To avoid this pitfall, use the best translators you can on all your copy, and then have it vetted by local experts. Every language has its own idioms and figures of speech, and a literal translation of your ad copy might have embarrassing slang connotations. Have a clear plan for how you’re going to manage language differences across your digital properties, especially your social platforms.
It takes effort to make sure you’re communicating competently in an unfamiliar language, but there are worse things — like having to completely abandon a multi-million-dollar campaign.
Know the culture
This goes hand and hand with the last tip. You’re best able to bridge the language barrier when you understand the cultural differences you have to navigate. As seasoned marketing executive, Scott Kellner notes, “It is imperative to study the culture and the way people communicate on a daily basis, and to also ensure you have people on the team who know the culture you’re marketing to inside and out to ensure your message will be interpreted in a way that resonates rather than upsets.”
BMW made a huge blunder when it failed to anticipate how a UAE audience would feel about mixing national pride and marketing. Their commercial showed the local football team sprinting from the field of play — in the middle of the Emirati national anthem with a packed stadium — when the players detected the rev of the German cars over the roar of the crowd. While BMW intended to convey the message that the players loved their automobiles, the Emiratis took it as a slap in the face.
What’s acceptable in one culture is taboo in another. Once again, relying on local experts is fundamental here, but there is no substitute for getting personal experience right with the audience you’re trying to reach. Start learning the language, chat with locals, watch a few films, and read up on some history. Every ounce of effort here will benefit your campaign.
Know the market
When you’re expanding internationally, it’s easy to forget how much you’ve optimized for your current market. But the number of variables can be as long as the constants. To make it easier, here’s a short list of key market differences to be mindful of:
- Communication channels. Example: If you’re advertising in China, include Renren instead of Facebook.
- Laws and regulations. Example: Many countries require pharmaceutical campaigns to be vetted by health officials.
- Economic systems. Example: The mix of private and public share of commercial activity changes from nation to nation.
- Pain points. Example: What is positioned as fast food in one region may be a status symbol in another.
- Pricing. Example: The average expendable income per consumer varies widely depending on the country.
- Demographics. Example: Average household sizes differ dramatically across the world.
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Start strong
A few years ago, I was tasked with pitching an AI application to a room full of bankers at a conference in Tokyo. My material — especially the opening story — was battle-tested, so I felt confident. Then I realized that I had that impression only because the people I had presented to before were largely American. Nothing in that opener spoke directly to this audience and their values. So, I rebuilt the entire deck with a beginning built around a popular Japanese folk tale.
After the presentation, I received numerous thanks from normally reticent professionals for my use of the myth. They were flattered that I had done so much work to earn their attention.
When breaking into a new market, it’s critical to make a great first impression. You’re a cultural outsider, and it is human nature to distrust what you don’t know. Assume you’re marketing to a highly skeptical audience as you build your campaign and come at your campaign from a position of winning them over.
For more on creating a genuine connection with your customers, read this article.
Go the extra mile
If you’ve mastered the language and the culture, accounted for the market differences, and you’ve come up with the perfect way to introduce your brand, you’ve built a strong foundation for a successful international launch. But competition is fierce. More brands than ever are looking to grow their business through global expansion. These final tactics will help you set yourself apart.
- Are you adapting your SEO? From specific keywords to the search engine itself, SEO changes when you go overseas. While Google is monolithic in the West, marketing in many countries may require mastering their local search platform’s idiosyncrasies. Your keyword research will likely need to be tailored to the region as well, so it’s best to work with native speakers to build and maintain your keyword list.
- Are you using data to localize your marketing? Virgin Atlantic discovered that Brexit made tourists uneasy about visiting England, but it also made it cheaper. So, the company created a hugely successful targeted campaign — The Brexit Calculator — to spread the word about the savings. The moral? Data has revolutionized the precision of marketing efforts. Make sure to take an in-depth look at the breakdown of consumer needs, habits, beliefs, and sentiment in the area you’re targeting. It will likely lead to an opportunity.
- Are you creating a local presence? It’s hard to connect with a brand that isn’t even in your country. Consider building partnerships with local organizations or businesses — opening up an office or setting up a storefront. In any case, developing roots in an area lets locals know that you’re invested in them and their community. It communicates a sincerity that advertising alone cannot.
Adapting marketing to suit new markets can be a daunting task, but it all comes down to thinking like a local. Do the work to understand their culture, and you’ll fit right in. Once your customers feel like you understand them, you’ll be able to form strong, long-lasting relationships – and remember – existing customers are the secret sauce of growth.