Running your business at headquarters is stressful enough — now imagine expanding to an international city.
With all the work that goes into launching your services abroad, marketing to a new culture can be perplexing. We spoke with three Austin companies about how they entered global markets and the patience it takes to grow your brand beyond borders:
Make sure it’s a fit
It might go without saying, but you should always double check to make sure your services are legal and applicable to the market you’re headed to.
“Start with your playbook in the US and then do a bit of research regarding privacy laws and other regulations in the new country you want to push into to be sure everything you are doing is ‘above board,’” Robert Gilbreath, VP of Marketing at ShipStation, said.
Once you’re sure you are able to launch in a given market, double check another crucial piece — are people there interested? Leveraging your connections to test a market fit can be a crucial step.
“Call on a few prospects to determine if your value proposition resonates, and to try to get a pilot client to make sure local implementation is optimized before expanding widely in the country,” said David Luther, Chief Business Officer for Mozido.
Know your competition (and potential partners)
It’s likely that no matter which market you’re headed to, there are going to be a number of local competitors. Customers will usually prefer to support a local company, so strategically positioning yourself within the market as a viable alternative is crucial.
“As you define your non-US marketing strategy, you have to understand the ecosystem landscape including competition, target market, and potential partnership opportunities," said ShipStation’s Gilbreath. "On that last point, strong and established partners in your new / foreign countries might be the key to your success.”
Have an inside man (or woman)
Having a physical presence within the market may seem like a common sense move, however, in the remotely connected tech ecosystem, some companies attempt domestic and foreign market launches without in-market representation.
“The best and fast way to break into new markets and geos is to have someone in market who knows the market, can listen to what the market is telling you and bring it back to everyone in the organization,” explained Kevin Corcoran, VP of Brand/Creative & Programs at Kony. “If that is not possible then make sure you are providing a good customer experience and communicating in local language from start to finish.”
Stay true to your brand
While it's important to adapt to new cultures, many businesses who change their names and branding for the sake of a new market run a higher risk of failure.
“Keep pushing the main brand, in our case, Mozido,” said Luther. “We had local pressure and pressure through acquisition to keep acquired product/company names or use new ones that the local team liked, but you cannot establish a global brand that way,”
And although people may not be instantly familiar with your brand, understanding your current customers on a basic level can provide insight into finding your new ones abroad.
“In terms of getting the word out, I think it depends on your objectives,” Corcoran said. “For Kony, it is important to engage with local groups and/or sponsor some meetups or other kind of events where our potential customers or employees might be or involved with. Or go in early and try to get a conversation started via social media, or or speaking at events in order to build a small network that you can then leverage once you make the move to be in country or market.”
The one point all three of our interviewees stressed consistently was patience. Launching in a new market always takes longer than expected, so make sure your prepared for the journey.
