Many of the businesses I speak to are so eager to communicate and sell to their foreign markets they usually do not spend enough time on getting feedback.
Don’t forget…
Communication is a two way affair.
The primary reason why you need to spend time collecting feedback from your new foreign market is to find out how to position:
- How you need to communicate with this new market
- Your international offer
Start With A Two Way Conversation
It is easy to understand the importance of foreign market feedback. Simply imagine a face-to-face encounter with your best foreign client.
- Would you simply shove information over to him?
- Would you only half listen to him before giving him your sales pitch?
The challenge with getting market feedback with cross-cultural communication is twofold.
- You need to start the conversation before you can get feedback… and many people do not start the conversation.
- It is easy to think you have all of the feedback you need… when you don’t.
Begin The Conversation
Some businesses procrastinate and wait for answers to their business questions to come out of thin air. Yes, market research is necessary and can help you tremendously.
But there comes a moment where you must get direct feedback from your international market. This time is probably best earlier than you would expect.
To avoid cultural blunders and misplaced investments, it is best to validate your foreign marketing with direct foreign market feedback for your business.
A Door To International Business
With today’s social media options companies have the perfect opportunity to begin conversation with specific international markets. The trick is to use this conversation strategically.
- Stimulate foreign market feedback
- Gather foreign market intelligence
- Provide key information for your product positioning
- Provide key information to create the best offer for your product in specific foreign markets
Social Media To Begin The Conversation
A prior analysis of the cultural appeal for different social media formats will give you a good idea of which social media format to use in a specific country:
- Blog
- Community forum
- Event based social media
You might be surprised how popular some social media are in different countries.
The choice of social media may not appear obvious in some countries. This is where cultural web tools can help you.
Small Investment To Discover Best International Opportunities
If you want to open an international market, you will probably want to invest in hiring a local person to provide the communication on your social media.
The key for this small investment to pay off, is to create a strategic outline for your international marketing needs.
Is it worth the investment in time and money? Here are two very good reasons:
- You will acquire business intelligence relevant to your foreign business opportunities.
- You will also be able to establish a very clear viability analysis.
Reduce Your Time To International Market
Companies used to pay consultants for expensive reports on market analysis prior to taking any action. Social media to stimulate foreign market feedback offers a different option. One where businesses can use a “Ready Fire Aim” approach.
This reduces the time and money you need to invest in your first level of international market research. And it also gives you flexibility and speed in fast markets.
Get The Feedback You Need
When you begin to target new foreign markets you must give yourself time to get enough feedback from your new markets before investing in large scale marketing efforts.
You need direct feedback from your new foreign markets to find:
- The right offer
- The right way to sell to your new market
- The best way to position your company and products
- The best price
If you do not give yourself enough time to get the feedback you need you may invest in translations and marketing materials before you have the right information to communicate.
This is why a two step, and even a multi-step, communication approach may be your best option.
The social media option outlined above, can easily be the first step in your international communication plan. All you would need is:
- An international social media communication plan together.
- A basic website, for example, a website for one broad international audience.
- A well thought out communication strategy to stimulate foreign market feedback.
Foreign Market Feedback
With this basic plan the feedback from your foreign market will tell the next steps you need to take.
Read The Whole Story
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This is part of the Core Business Guide 4 Build Your International Marketing Strategy Be sure to check out the other useful tips to build your international marketing strategy |
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And this is also part of the Core Business Guide 3 Design Your International Visibility Be sure to check out the other useful tips to design your international visibility |
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{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
great post. I am dealing with an international sale and just don’t think like my customer. I really need help.
Hi Harlin,
I hear you. Sometimes international sales can feel like walking on eggs. The best advice I can give you is: get back to basics.
What do you want out of this sale?
What does your client what?
Dig through to list all the answers you can think of.
Prioritize those answers.
Identify the core reasons why you both want the sale.
Find where your two core reasons meet – this is where you will win the sale.
The problem with international sales, is that you may not think of your buyers reasons by yourself. So you need to pay close attention to all of your communication with your buyer. Is he giving you other signals? If so, you need to find out and try to understand his motivations – and then adjust your sale.
Hope this helps!