Expanding to international markets and focusing on enhancing your customer experience is a logical step to grow your business.
It can increase your customer base, produce significant growth, dramatically increase your yearly revenue, and greatly affect your customer retention rates.
You can offer your products and services to customers in another country but learning the culture in new markets is the key to an exceptional experience.
You can introduce your products and services to those living in another country by creating a strong online presence, but learning the culture in new markets can be a challenge.
Know Their Social Media Preferences
Knowing a country’s habits, cultural preferences and social media trends will make it easier for your business to make a mark. A study conducted by Convonix found that Sweden is the most connected country in the world, Vkontakte is Russia’s largest social network and Japan prefers Twitter over Facebook.
You can optimize your marketing strategies by knowing your target country’s preferred way to network. You should also learn about other cultures to help localize your brand’s message, notes Mashable. Overcoming cultural barriers will enable you to gain the trust and loyalty of your new customers. Plus, advertising your products and services on a preferred social media site will undoubtedly improve your reach.
Speak The Language
Speak your customer’s language, both literally and figuratively. Connect with your international visitors by giving them the option to view your business’ website in their dialect, creating a Facebook business page specifically for them and tweeting in multiple languages. Used car dealership networks and automobile finance companies like DriveTime typically include the words “Hablamos Español” on their main websites, letting Spanish speakers know that they can be helped in their native language.
This strategy is common among the automobile business, which oftentimes has to communicate with non-English speaking clients. However, speaking a customer’s language doesn’t end there. Being aware of a country’s subtle verbal nuances, slang and cultural etiquette are all also part of effective international online communication.
Follow Their Marketing Laws
Aside from being culturally aware, you’ll also want to make sure your marketing strategies don’t violate a country’s marketing laws in any way. The South America market, for instance, is difficult to enter as companies must navigate nation-specific broadcasting laws, reports Forbes.
According to Global Marketing Today, a successful global organization must be knowledgeable about the four major legal systems: common law, Islamic law, the commercial legal system and civil law (sometimes called code law). When creating a web-based marketing plan, keep in mind the commercial laws of other countries and be prepared for a higher level of involvement from the government.
Understand Their Search Habits
American Express suggests finding out which keywords international customers are using to search for the products and services you offer. In India, for example, the common search term for cellphones is typically “mobile phones” not “phones” or “cellphones”.
Knowing what your international customers are searching for gives you the ability to adapt your search marketing strategies and improve your SEO. Additionally, the search engine you choose should also be the same one your clients are using. Google, Yahoo and Bing are all favored by the U.S. but might not be what your intended audience prefers, states Mashable.
The ability for the Internet to connect you with customers around the globe means that enhancing your product, service or growing your business is global project, not just a local effort.
