As in any campaign, market and audience understanding are critical. We are all familiar with the ‘glocal’ concept localisation of a global campaign but this should be so much more than simply changing the language of an advertisement or press release.
Before any sales drive and promotional activity can start, some basic questions need to be answered. At a fundamental level, what fit is there between the products you want to sell and those items the market will buy? Development of a product/sector/country matrix that recognises the differing stages of development in each territory will ensure that effort is focused on those products, sectors and niches that will generate the best returns.
When developing your communications strategy, it is essential to research and understand local communications channels. Does any trade press exist in your key trade sector? What works best, above or below-the-line, or both? What exhibitions might be useful? How important are personal relationships? What are the key trends affecting the product or service you want to promote in each territory?
The answers to these questions will drive every element of the campaign, from creative concepts to marketing methods used. It is therefore vital to ensure that your co-ordinating agency is flexible and media neutral an approach that will allow it to adapt its communications model to each market without undue weighting to any one particular marketing technique.
In international marketing, whether you are considering what products to sell, the most effective marketing method or the creative concept, one size very rarely fits all.
Talk to anyone involved in multi-territory marketing campaigns and they will confirm that co-ordination and co-operation are critical and can be expensive.
In today’s business world, we are all subjected to an endless blizzard of corporate, product and service information aimed at us in our multiple roles as influencers, specifiers or buyers. The problem is to separate out the relevant from the irrelevant the quality from the quantity. By keeping it clear, concise and consistent across all communications methods your message stands a good chance of resonating with your target audience. Does the advertising message in Sweden tie in with local trade editorial? Do visitors at an exhibition in Madrid take away the same core USPs as they will find in their Spanish newsletter?
The benefits of integration are often quoted in B2B Marketing and this is doubly true for campaigns that cover more than one territory. One source needs to act as global co-ordinator. In our experience this works best on two levels a global client authority working alongside an integrated global agency that ensures all activity is relevant and on-message. By using one agency to mastermind creative concepts centrally, with input from local distributors/sales personnel (see below) clients can avoid reinventing the wheel in each and every country they want to target. Less reinvention, less wasted effort, less wasted budget.
A truly integrated agency will be media neutral, applying the best marcomms method to each national communications challenge. Such an agency, working across boundaries will minimise coordination time, costs and resources, delivering effective campaigns.
However you approach a country’s B2B market, ensuring local buy-in and support is critical. This demands much more communication and support than simply checking that your translators have successfully communicated the message, not just the words, of your campaign.
When seeking to analyse and understand your market, what better way than to have a meeting with local sales personnel, agents and distributors? Drill down into products and sectors to make sure that you are focusing on the right matrix. Have an open discussion about what will work and what won’t. Keep talking throughout the year and get feedback on the success or failure of each marketing initiative.
And remember the importance of keeping in-country resources involved and interested. Although easier for agencies with multi-lingual staff than those who have a less worldly-wise workforce, always remember the basics of communicating with partners, suppliers or distributors around the world. These discussions should consider important issues such as time differences, avoidance of colloquialisms as well as sensitivity to local culture, prejudices and etiquette.
Finally, never forget that the most creative and effective campaigns can always be improved. Take time to involve local resources and be open to new ideas and amendments. These can often be valuable and may be worthy of replaying back into home markets.
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