How To Set Up Your Communication Platform
August 18, 2008 by 
cindy
If you are just beginning to define your international marketing plan, one of your first decisions will be how you set up your international communication platform.
Let’s review the different ways you can set up your international website.
Internationalize Your Current Website
This can be an easy way out if you are beginning to sell your products abroad. It simply involves editing your website to become as neutral as possible, and stimulating more international interaction.
Marketing Phase: It can work for a company in the Export Marketing phase.
When not to use: if your content is too culturally specific for your current market needs.
One Separate International Website
This is often a good idea if you know your company will move towards several country specific websites. You use one url for all of your international clients. Some companies keep a separate url for their original domestic market.
- www.internationalcompany.com
- www.mothercompany.com
Marketing Phase: Again this is a good solution for Export Marketing. It is also a good base to start with when moving towards a Global Website.
When not to use: There is no real reason not to use an International Website. You do not need one if you are only going to market to one or two specific foreign countries and have no plans to expand further.
Your Main Website With Sub Directories
This option is very easy to set up. People usually use this option if they do not have basic webmaster skills to set up Sub Domains.
- www.company.com/country
Marketing Phase: This is an option for all marketing phases. I think it is more a question of the size of your foreign markets. This is an option used by smaller endeavors.
When not to use: If you have lots of foreign content, it is probably better to use Sub Domains instead.
Your Main Website With Sub Domains
This is an option if you do not know how fast your international business will grow in specific countries. This option gives you the flexibility to have foreign content without a lot of extra website management.
You will probably need your webmaster to set this up. But it is very easy to do. It is also easy to manage all of the foreign content.
- www.country.company.com
Marketing Phase: This is an option for all marketing phases. If you are in the Export Marketing or International Marketing phase, you can let your international business grow using this platform before moving to Localized Websites.
When not to use: If you know you need the extra marketing power of Localized Websites and do not want to lose time migrating one to the other. It might not be the ideal platform for Global Marketing.
The Main Factors To Help You Find Your Ideal Solution
As you can see from your choices above, there are several factors that will come into your decision process.
Easy To Manage
Most mid-sized companies think they need to start off with Localized Websites. This was the norm a few years ago. Recent improvements in international search engine results make Sub Domains a viable option. Sub Domains are much easier to manage. You will not need any extra expertise once the Sub Domains are set up.
Designed For Expansion
The most important thing you need to consider is programming future expansion.
Plan to implement the use of templates early on. Have a look now at what will cause you problems when you want to use templates later.
Designing your current website needs for future expansion will save you time and money when you are ready to move on to more country specific marketing.
Cost
Companies want to control their investment. This is hard to do when web marketing continually changes and improves. If you are just starting to expand internationally you should plan on adapting your website as your international markets expand.
Today Localized Websites with country specific urls are still considered to be more powerful marketing tools in some countries and in some industries. This trend might be different next year, or the year after. Localized Websites require some additional website management and costs
Having one main website with a Sub Domain for each country is a cost effective option today. It might not give you the same marketing clout in some foreign countries as a Localized Website.
Some companies promote country specific urls and then re-direct the link back to the appropriate Sub Domain on their main website.
Foreign Language Translations
Many companies get stuck with regards to foreign content. If you are just starting to develop internationally here are some basics to get you quickly unstuck.
- All sales are easier to make if you make them in the clients native language.
- Human translations are the only ones you should consider to use for any sales materials.
- Website templates are very cost effective for website translations.
- You don’t need to translate everything all at once - see reference to templates just above.
Your foreign clients might still buy from you if you market to them in your own language. If so this will give you valuable market information weeks and months before your translations are ready. This market information will probably also give you better information on what you need to translate and how to sell to this foreign market.
Remember, if you start off selling to foreign markets without translations, plan on using them as soon as your international market have proven its viability.
Another important point to remember, Localized Websites involve translating all of your business online: content, website, and sales strategies. This requires intimate market knowledge for each country you are selling to.
Avoid Analysis Paralysis
This decision might be a difficult one to evaluate. You may think your international success depends on how you set up your international websites.
This is not true. Your international success depends on how much you interact with your foreign markets.
The sooner you start connecting with your international markets, the faster you will learn how to adapt your offer to different cultures and expand your international business.
The communication tools you use to connect with your international audience and how you stimulate feedback is even more important.
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Website Internationalization Guide
August 16, 2008 by cindy
Last updated 17 August 2008
This is part of the Get International Clients Business Guide 2 - Plan Your International Sales Road Map. A direct link is at the end of this guide.
Internationalizing your website is the first step in opening your online business for international business development.
Website internationalization takes your current website, the one you have for your domestic market, and adds small touches to make it appealing to international visitors as well as your domestic visitors.
There are two main reasons to internationalize your website:
- Your website may be pushing foreign visitors away
- Successful international business development leads to localized websites, and localized websites are much easier to create if you have an internationalized website
An internationalized website communicates well with all of your audiences: domestic and international.
The 7 Steps To Internationalize Your Website
Here are the 7 steps to internationalize your website:
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Internationalize Your Website 1 - |
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Internationalize Your Website 2 - |
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Internationalize Your Website 3 - |
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Internationalize Your Website 4 - |
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Internationalize Your Website 5 - |
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Internationalize Your Website 6 - |
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Internationalize Your Website 7 - |
More On Website Internationalization
Here are some other articles on website internationalization:
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Is Your Website Sabotaging |
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What Website Do You Need |
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Prepare For International Markets |
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Website Internationalization Before Localization |
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Website Design For International Markets |
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Consistency For International Business Success |
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Internationalize Your Website |
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How To Use International Marketing Strategy |
Next Step After Website Internationalization - Website Localization → NEW!
After website internationalization, the next logical step is what is referred to as Website Localization. Website localization usually refers to a website with a country specific URL and is targeted to one country. This is a big step. There are two other options for businesses not yet ready to take this step. You can read about these other two options here:
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How To Organize |
Foreign Search Engine Submissions
Read more on why you should submit your website to foreign search engines and how to go about doing it yourself.
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Foreign Search Engine Submissions |
Don’t Miss The Whole Story
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This is part of the Get International Clients Business Guide 2 Plan Your International Sales Road Map Be sure to check out the other elements you need to plan your international sales strategy |
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How To Use Your Company Executives For Better Cross Cultural Communication
June 18, 2008 by cindy
Last updated 16 August 2008
There are fives scales to measure different cultural behaviors.
- High Individualism versus High Collectivism Behavior
- Uncertainty Avoidance versus Low Uncertainty Avoidance Behavior
- High Power Distance versus Low Power Distance Behavior
- High Masculinity versus High Femininity Behavior
- High Context versus Low Context Behavior
Important: Read the Basic Guidelines For Using Cross Cultural Communication Web Tools before implementing any of these web tools.
There is more than one tool you can use to appeal to each of the different cultural behavioral traits. Last week we reviewed the first web tool for cross cultural communication to cultures with a high score on the Power Distance behavior scale:
- Company Hierarchy
Let’s look at the second web tool in this category:
Company Executives
Another web tool for cultures with a high Power Distance culture behavioral trait is: Read more
What Website Do You Need To Open For International Business
June 9, 2008 by cindy
Last Updated 17 August 2008
There are many basic sales principals for your domestic market that also apply to your international markets. These principals can help you when planning for your international business expansion.
Your website is an important platform for your business communication. Ideally it is designed to communicate effectively with your market. It is designed to do something specific for your business in your domestic market.
So what happens when you want to open your business up to other markets in other cultures?
Your communication will change.
But what about its platform…your website? Read more
Internationalize Your Website 6 - Publish A Glossary For Clarity And Consistency
May 5, 2008 by cindy
Last Updated 17 August 2008
Website internationalization is all about making your website easy for international visitors to understand.
Differences in vocabulary happens. It happens across different industries in the same country. And it happens often in cross cultural communication through translation.
One of the ways you can help your readers is to start a glossary.
When To Use A Glossary
You can create a glossary to list and explain: Read more
Internationalize Your Website 4 - Create Clarity With A Consistent Vocabulary
May 2, 2008 by cindy
Last Updated 17 August 2008
Internationalize your web site and improve your communication with all of your visitors: local, national, regional and international.
We tend to focus on the markets we know well.
We let certain habits install and we never question them.
We get used to talking to our prospects and clients in a certain vocabulary.
And this makes good marketing sense.
But sometimes we let little habits creep into how we use our vocabulary that can be real turn offs for international readers. These international readers may have to concentrate a little more to read your website. And any little inconsistency becomes a stumbling block. Read more
Internationalize Your Website 7 - Welcome Your International Visitors
May 1, 2008 by cindy
Last Updated 17 August 2008
Internationalizing your web site is the first step in improving your international online communication to develop your international business.
Good web site internationalization is also highly recommended as a first step if you are hoping to develop your online business internationally.
International business development normally migrates towards website localization in each country you sell to.
When your market expansion take your there, it is much easier to create localized websites if you already have an internationalized website. An internationalized website is friendly to all of your visitors, including all of your international visitors.
Do your international visitors feel welcome on your website? Read more
Internationalize Your Website 5 - Use The Right Order Forms For International Sales
April 30, 2008 by cindy
Last Updated 17 August 2008
Are using your website to attract international clients?
You want all of your efforts to bring you international sales, right?
There is more than one pitfall in the process of taking the online sale. Don’t forget to check all aspects of your order forms.
Establish An Easy Path To Your Order Page
The first obvious thing is to take your international visitor to your order form. Is this path clearly indicated? Read more
Why You Need To Internationalize Your Own Communication First To Avoid Cultural Blunders
April 17, 2008 by cindy
Last updated 20 August 2008
If you are just beginning your international business development you are probably concerned about avoiding cultural communication blunders.
There are stories out there of major companies making major business mistakes.
Enough to damper any business’ international fervor.
Most peoples reflex is to look at the other cultures first. After all, they are the ones that are different.
You might be tempted to start by researching all the possible types of cultural communication blunders with all of the different cultures out there.
Internationalize Your Website To Transition To A Global Market Internet Business
February 23, 2008 by cindy
Last updated 20 August 2008
International Development With Internet Marketing In Three Easy Steps
This article is the first part of a series - Transition To A Global Market Internet Business. Read the other two parts here:
2 - Localize Your Website
3 - Culturally Customize Your Communication
Some companies feel they have a global market e-commerce with an online presence. But are the international clients coming to your online store? And if they are, how did they find you? Does your online website have a real presence in foreign countries?
Once you have a local or national business operating through a website, there are a few steps you can take to develop your market further abroad.
Targeting international markets still involves the same type of market analysis you needed for your current business. Often a bit more market analysis is needed to allow for the cultural adaptation of your products. This market research is multiplied by the number of countries you would like to do business in.
Assess Your Communication
Then you must step back and look at your current means of communication. The website you have for your own local market. How would foreigners react to your website? Read more
