Going on the global market is a huge step for every business. This process requires lots of resources and careful planning. If you want to market your company abroad, you must be ready to face cultural, economic and legal challenges. Here are some basic things to consider before advertising your company in a different country.
More Insight into Different Cultures
Selling a product abroad means adapting to a different market. You need to act cautiously and be well documented. Your research should start with a common-sense argument: the country’s culture. How much do you know about the foreign markets you target? Each public has its own peculiarities that are triggered by collective mentalities. The way you market your services and how you conduct business are tightly connected to your own cultural stereotypes.
You shouldn’t expect foreign investors or customers to adhere to your logic. It’s better to be prepared before misunderstandings and confusion strike. Try to adapt to their needs and anticipate their moves. Several simple techniques will help you understand their culture better:
- Read more about their culture
- Try to learn some basic phrases and idioms
- Read the local news
- Find relevant marketing research based on this audience and their purchasing habits
Not learning enough about your prospects adds to common marketing mistakes you should avoid.
Learn More About the Prices
Before you decide which markets worth investing in, you need to make a cost-revenue prediction. You don’t just want to increase brand awareness; you also want to increase your profits. This means you need an accurate market research that would point out the purchase tendencies in the countries you prospect. Gather as much information as you can about the prices your competitors set for similar products. Get used to express these amounts directly in the country’s currency.
You will need to form this habit for every foreign market you launch your products on. While you learn more about these aspects, also take into account your negotiation techniques. You will need to adjust them according to the cultural stereotypes of this country. Before you meet with any foreigner investor, make sure you are aware of the basic common sense rules in that country.
Get Information about National Laws
The laws that regulate that foreign market should not be new to you. It would be a shame to get everything done, logistics, distribution, etc. and stumble upon legal impediments. Your products will be subject to different laws than those you are already familiar with. You should gather insightful information about substances regulations, packaging rules and safety standards.
The advertising laws will also differ. Your products might require additional evaluation and acknowledgment. You should also know what kind of approvals are necessary to be able to market your items in that country. Online advertising is not less rigorous, so do your homework before you proceed.
Sales strategies should also be adapted to the local laws. It’s vital to have the necessary approvals before you launch any campaign. Otherwise, you might be subjected to penalties.
Find a Local Distributor
Finding a trustworthy distributor is another central point on your to-do list. Before you market, you must make sure you can distribute, so choose someone to work with. A foreign distributor knows the market better than anyone else. You can sell your products to this company and allow them to proceed with the rest of the sales cycle. Distributors can ease your work and place your products on the market efficiently.
They are usually used to negotiate with foreign businesses, so you won’t need to worry so much about intercultural comprehension. Another big plus in working with distributors is that you get to sell large amounts of products at once. These people can also provide you first-hand tips and techniques that will help you grasps a better understanding of your targeted niche.
Adapt Your Online Content
If you want to go beyond your borders, you have to implement clever marketing strategies online and offline. Your site must be translated into the languages of the new market’s you prospect. Mae sure you work with reliable, preferably native translators. The content needs to be translated into those foreign languages but also adapted.
Many idioms simply don’t have a correspondent in the target language. You might need to give up those paragraphs or replace them with other suitable text. Another important rule is to adapt the images. Some nations might consider certain images offensive. Consult with a native before you update the content of your website.
Moreover, your marketing content should always be adapted to your target audience. Whatever you post on social media or magazines has to make sense for your audience. Certain jokes or puns can seem irrelevant or nonsense. Avoid them with the help of a local consultant or marketer.
There are plenty other things to consider before you expand your business. What we pointed out in this article are only the basics. Start handling these aspects. The next steps and necessities will be triggered automatically.
________________________________
About the Author
This article was written by Dwayne Weiser. Dwayne is a programmer with a great interest in marketing. He thinks he can combine his two passions while working for Login Wizard as an editor.
