The path to global marketing success is fraught with peril. There are hundreds of potential pitfalls…and a few right paths.
The Internet has lowered the cost of entering new global markets. However, unlocking global demand requires a new global mindset, toolkits and dexterity for industrial marketers. Here are some common marketing mistakes we see industrial companies make:
1. Not creating country-specific websites.
Great global marketers strategically focus on specific countries to maximize their multi-language investments and logistical costs. They recognize that the world is tribal. As a result, they don’t create one website in French for France and all French speaking countries in Africa, or one Arabic website for all Arabic speaking countries. They create custom experiences that are mindful of local dialects and customs.
2. Not investing in market research in target countries.
Successful b2b companies study and understand the local industry trends, competitive environment, channel partner dynamics and brand perceptions.
3. Failing to adapt the product to the local market.
Successful manufacturers create product variations that fit into the local markets. They have an innate sense of timing on when to release a product to a market based on the maturity level, habits and restrictions of the local market.
4. Not creating websites and social media channels in local languages.
Successful b2b manufacturers invest in clear and persuasive communications in multiple languages. They create multi-lingual websites with native friendly search engine optimization (SEO) meta-data using country-specific domains (.e.g. .fr in France), and distinct social media channels that work best in those countries. They don’t use machine translation technologies (e.g. Google translate), but hire translation companies experienced in high-quality translations.
5. Not engaging in localized Content Marketing.
Successful industrial marketers know that writing white papers, creating case studies, and producing videos are table stakes for industrial buyers. The buyers and influencers use the content at various stages of the sales cycle, and the materials also benefit their personal professional growth and training.
6. Under investing in paid digital and SEO.
Successful industrial companies engage in pay-per-click and search engine optimization in the most popular local search engines. For instance, in India, they run paid and organic campaigns in Google India, but in China, they run them in Baidu (Google-equivalent) and Renren (Facebook equivalent) directing prospects to the landing pages or website pages in the local languages of the target audience.
7. Not localizing SEO Keywords.
Successful b2b marketers know what works in the US doesn’t always translate to each country, which might have its own local nomenclature, colloquialisms, and acronyms. They customize for each market.
8. Failing to hire marketing managers with global mindsets and global dexterity.
Enlightened manufacturers harvest talent from global MBA programs that are offered by several reputable business schools such as Duke, Thunderbird School of Management and Manchester Business School. The new breed of MBA talent are global nomads motivated by their love for business, global travel and language apps such as Duolingo.
9. Not fully understanding or respecting business cultural differences.
Experienced b2b industrial marketers have a nuanced understanding of business culture and practices in foreign markets.
10. Not being prepared organizationally for global operations.
Sophisticated industrial companies first cultivate the habits of broad delegation, 24×7 operations and remote collaboration. These habits pave the way for running a global business.
Learn more about Elliance capabilities in b2b, manufacturing and industrial marketing.
