When an organization decides to extend their customer base to a global level, the company’s top marketers are required to make some crucial decisions, realizing that – in comparison to local or domestic marketing campaigns — the international aspect of the operation is indeed a game-changer.
Therefore, let’s review some of the most common, and avoidable, snares that well-intending marketers must be sure to bypass when planning a successful global marketing campaign.
1. Emphasizing immediate costs over long-term success.
Often, companies will overlook the collaborative benefits of bringing several creative markets to the table when constructing a new idea for a global marketing campaign. Most of the time, their reason is to avoid excess cost. However, when marketers think only of the short term, they risk being “penny-wise and pound-foolish”. Incorporating the input and research from a wide array of influential global markets will ensure that your campaign resonates with customers, not only locally, but around the world. Cutting corners in the beginning of your global marketing campaign almost guarantees that you will limit your potential earnings later on. Think of the campaign as an investment with the potential for great returns, if handled correctly. Relying on well-documented data can assist in ensuring that your earnings surpass your overhead.
2. Encompassing an overly-broad demographic.
“Going global” is not a one-step process, and the notion that all areas beyond your own backyard can be condensed into one prospect, is not only inaccurate, but detrimental to your goals. For instance, if you have set your sights on expanding your market into Europe, be sure to research and consider the existing market tendencies throughout all stretches of the continent, including the cultural and financial propensities of each individual country or region; and then, direct your campaign to those specific places. Assuming that areas within close geographic proximity of one another have identical needs or follow the same trends will only have a negative impact on the end results of your global marketing campaign. Additionally, not considering the local market needs of specific regions will inhibit you from recognizing potential existing competitors. Directing your attention to smaller individual countries and regions will help you avoid this marketing pitfall.
3. Lack of adaptation.
This concept involves not just the adaptation of your marketing campaign, but the product itself. Be sure to reevaluate your product from a global perspective. Would it possess the same value and usefulness in an oversees market as it has domestically? This is best ascertained through a comprehensive exploration into the global market, one region at a time. Also, bear in mind that if your local demographic has progressed with the evolution of your product over time, it may be wise to initially introduce a more basic version to your global market, offering them the same opportunity to learn its workings and more complicated features. Similarly, discovering the cultural advertising practices of the countries to which you are extending your campaign will have a key impact on how you will ultimately devise your global marketing strategy. Including linguistic expertise will also assist by ensuring that your copywriting “speaks” to the individuals of a particular region and doesn’t just sound like nonspecific translated English. Generally, marketers must always consider regional trends and tendencies, as the products and marketing concepts that resonate with people in one part of the world may not likely transcend into another.
Conclusion
Extending your product’s advertising campaign to the global marketplace can be a promising turning point for your organization. Luckily, some basic modifications to your existing marketing strategy can help propel your company and product into the international forefront.
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