9 Tips To Boost Your International Marketing Strategy

Read on because we will provide you with 9 tips that will help you boost your international marketing campaign!

International marketing is a complex process that requires a targeted strategy. This strategy has a huge impact on your company's ability to expand internationally. Because of this, it's important for you to know how other countries differ from your current market.

So, would you like to enter a foreign market? Excellent! Now it’s time for the international marketing strategy because it’s vital to running a successful online business. Collaborative tools can help Marketing managers to boost international strategy. They can be used to facilitate communication, collaboration, and coordination among team members. By using these tools, you can improve the flow of information and work more efficiently together.

But how to create a global marketing plan to reach all markets where your products or services are going to be available?

Read on because we will provide you with 9 tips that will help you boost your international marketing campaign!

The International Marketing Strategy Opportunities

There are many factors that make it more attractive to expand your business into foreign countries.

  • the rise of online marketplaces
  • the social media's growth,
  • easy access to the Internet,
  • the development of online payments,
  • the evolution of delivery services,
  • etc.

It all has led more and more large companies to go global. In addition, it appears that companies that choose to expand internationally grow faster than those that don't. As well as offering a broader customer base, it can also protect against potential economic downturns.

The Internet and globalization have made it easier than ever to do business online around the globe. Nevertheless, you need to follow specific rules and follow a plan to, for example, analyze and measure your progress more easily and fix mistakes more quickly.

When you use such a strategy, your business faces so many opportunities that are waiting to be seized.

But, on the other side, international marketing can be hindered by many elements, like government restrictions, high competition, potential infrastructure problems, and war in the host country.

So yes; there is no doubt that building an international marketing strategy is not an easy task. Even so, you can see that the entire process of creating a global brand strategy is often very similar to what you already do in your own country. However, new factors must be taken into account.

What are the Challenges of International Marketing?

1. Different cultural symbols and their meanings

Different cultures have different cultural restrictions, references, and meanings. Many branches use specific language and terminology. Even healthcare professionals have their own dialect. That's why it's nothing surprising that countries can perceive words meaning in a unique way.

For example, in China, the number 8 is considered lucky because it is the eighth character of the word "Happiness." So when a company releases an advertising campaign with the slogan "eight is great," they're tapping into a cultural reference that resonates with Chinese consumers.

Similarly, in Japan, green is seen as a symbol of prosperity and happiness. So when a company releases an advertising campaign with the slogan "green is good," they're tapping into a cultural reference that speaks to Japanese consumers.

Another way to tap into global appeal is to use global brands. For example, Dove has successfully tapped into a worldwide appeal by using globally recognized brands such as Nike and Gucci.

2. Different behaviors and beliefs

Another challenge of international marketing is that people in different countries have different habits and beliefs. A person can also have another cultural preference.

For example, in China, an Eastern country, it's considered essential to respect elders, so companies that make an effort to be respectful toward Chinese elders in their marketing campaigns are likely to be successful.

In contrast, in the United States, for example in San Francisco, it's considered disrespectful to give someone the silent treatment – so a company that releases a marketing campaign with the goal of making people upset is likely to struggle with American consumers.

So it's good to know such details before creating a marketing strategy and launching it. Also, remember that the first impression, the first meeting of the recipient with the company's message, is significant. If the bad first impressions start the customer journey, it will be harder for you to hit the market.

3. Language barriers

Another challenge of an international marketing career is that there are often language barriers between companies and their foreign customers. For example, if a company sells products in China that require Chinese characters on the packaging, they may have trouble communicating with Chinese consumers.

But when creating your strategy, it's also worth paying attention to the words meaning in other languages.

In truth, in your mother tongue, a particular word may be just catchy and sound nice, but that doesn't mean that it’s perceived in the same way and has the same positive meaning in another country.

4. Differences in advertising strategies

Various advertising strategies are used to target international markets. In general, global advertising is more expensive than domestic advertising, but it can be more effective because the target market is different and there are other media available.

Some common differences in international marketing strategy include:

  • Targeting a global audience:

You don't have to go to marketing school to know domestic marketing typically targets a local or regional audience, while international marketing seeks to reach a global audience.

You want to deliver your products and services to a larger market, international or global, right? So you cannot overlook such a difference as targeting advertising and promotion to a worldwide audience. Here it is not enough to focus only on recipients in one country.

  • Use of translated ads:

International ads must be translated into the local language if they are to be effective. This can add significantly to the cost of advertising, but it allows for a wider reach and greater understanding of the product or service. Translating into the local language will also become your competitive advantage.

If your recipients understand your offer well, you will increase their awareness of it and thus gain more interest. What's more, you will reduce the effort that customers will have to put into getting to know your company.

  • Use of celebrities:

International campaigns often feature well-known celebrities or athletes in order to attract attention and increase awareness.

This will even more arouse the audience's curiosity and interest. But it will also attract celebrity fans and increase trust in the brand.

Social Media International Marketing: How to Do it Right

Be Flexible

It is essential to be adaptable when planning your international marketing career in order to adjust as new information becomes available. Changes in global economies, social media trends, and other factors can quickly impact how consumers behave and what products or services are popular in different countries.

Do Your Solid Research

Do a reliable investigation to make sure you target the right market and what your product or service can offer. Run a hypothetical case study, or do comparative studies between your current market and the new one to see threads and opportunities.

Then, make a plan and be realistic with your goals – don’t expect to become a global company overnight! The entire research process is long, but you can achieve your international marketing goals with a little hard work and determination.

Target the Right Audience

In order to market your product or service internationally, you’ll need to target the right audience. There are a number of different ways to do this, and it largely depends on what type of product or service you’re selling.

Before you start marketing your product or service internationally, it’s essential to know your potential customers.

This can be done by conducting surveys, speaking with potential clients, or simply looking at market data. Or try to contract manufacturing that is very developed in the particular country - they will also help you reach new audiences.

Once you have a good idea of who your target market is, focus your marketing efforts accordingly. Also remember, if you want to reach new markets you can take advantage of franchising and licensing. Both create a bond between businesses and allow a partner to sell your intellectual property or brand in exchange for a fee.

Create Engaging Content

Creating engaging content is one of the most important aspects of any international marketing strategy. It’s essential to make sure your content is exciting and valuable for your target audience and that it generates engagement on social media.

You can create engaging content by writing about current trends in your industry, sharing insights from successful businesses in your sector, or creating videos or blog posts that are visually appealing and easy to consume.

Additionally, make sure to promote your content on social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook, as well as through email campaigns and other forms of advertising.

If your international marketing strategy includes translating your website and blog, apart from social media, carefully study the foreign language as well.

Especially pay attention to article files and how these elements look:

  • article title,
  • chapter title,
  • the title of book (if you have any),

They can't be misleading. Also, include author names, author email addresses, and author biographies.

Promote Your Campaign on Local Media and Networks

Start by identifying which local sites and networks are relevant to your target market:

  • newspapers,
  • magazines,
  • online directories,
  • and blog sites.

Once you have identified the local sites and networks that are relevant to your campaign, identify the best ways to promote your campaign on these local sites and networks. It is crucial to tailor your promotion efforts so that they appeal to the target audience of these regional sites and networks.

Also, organize promotional events: hosting a promotional event can help boost interest in your campaign among the target population of locals.

Local media is often the best way to reach a target market in a specific country.

This type of media is typically more affordable than international advertising, and it allows for more significant interaction with consumers.

You may also use local influencers as they can help promote your product or service in a more personal way.

Partnering with the right influencers and companies can greatly enhance your international marketing activities. By working together, you can share resources and leverage each other’s strengths to reach your target market effectively.

Use different Social Media Platforms

When thinking about how to market your company internationally, social media can be a powerful tool, and you don't have to have a marketing degree to know that. You can reach new customers who may not have heard of your company before by using social media. Additionally, you can keep your current customers updated on new products and services by using social media platforms.

By cultivating a strong online presence, you can increase brand awareness and create a stronger relationship with potential customers.

Make use of social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook to promote your campaign: these platforms allow you to disseminate information about your campaign across a broad audience quickly. Then, you can also use HubSpot phone integration to get in touch with them after your campaign is over.

Use Tools To Foster Collaboration and Workflow

Collaborative tools can help Marketing managers to boost international strategy. They can be used to facilitate communication, collaboration, and coordination among team members. By using these tools, you can improve the flow of information and work more efficiently together.

FeedHive can help here.

FeedHive is an easy-to-use social media marketing tool that helps you reach and engage customers from all over the world.

As it's software for managing your social media performance, you can be in touch with every recipient on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter (FeedHive will soon support YouTube, TikTok, Pinterest, and Google Business as well).

Our software is quite helpful since it collects mentions and replies across all your social channels. You can also directly reply to, like, and retweet all comments using FeedHive.

The platform offers you hundreds of templates (over 500!) as well as features, such as:

  • post recycling,
  • automatic retweeting,
  • automatic text splitting,
  • hashtags generator,
  • Facebook groups posting,
  • Instagram carousels manager,
  • and Instagram grid preview.

Feedhive also allows you to monitor all of your posts’ performance on a single dashboard; automatically fill up your schedule through a systematic posting plan; analyze the best social media posts on different platforms; add custom images, videos, text, and other rich content on your posts; and use AI to predict how well your post is going to perform.

Being on social media is vital for every company nowadays. This is especially true if you want to expand internationally. With such a program, you can manage your social media performance quickly and improve the entire process of the global marketing strategy.

To keep up to date with social media international marketing practices you can read relevant articles and blogs, e.g. Journal of International Marketing, article files, or the FeedHive blog, as theoretical knowledge is also important!

Analyze Results and Adjust Strategy Accordingly

There are a few things you can do to boost your international marketing strategy.

First, you need to analyze your results. What are the successes and failures of your current approach? What can you improve on to reach your goals?

Second, you need to adjust your strategy accordingly. For example, are there specific markets or countries that are more important to focus on? Are there new technologies or methods that could help you reach more people?

By assessing your results and adjusting your strategy accordingly, you can ensure that your international marketing efforts are consistent with your overall business objectives.

Conclusion

Expanding your business internationally is a smart move for the whole company to strengthen the brand, but you need to put some effort into creating a solid strategy.

Thanks to advancements in communication, transportation, and financial cash flow analysis, international marketing is now a viable option for businesses.

Even though it may seem daunting, developing an international marketing career isn't as hard to do as you may think if you prepare well and are ready to adapt.

Try out FeedHive, as it’s your ticket to global success. This platform will make your international marketing strategy even more coherent!

Implementing our tips will help you boost your international marketing campaign. By targeting the right audience, creating engaging content, and using social media tools, you can reach new customers and achieve success

Megan Pierce

Content Marketer

Creative SaaS content marketer and link builder. Sharing tips on digital marketing and social media.