When we think about internationalization, we often only think about translation strategy and other linguistic processes. However, globalization has changed not only our shopping habits but also the marketing processes used by most of the major brands that we deal with on a daily basis. Coca-Cola, H&M, Ikea… these are just some of the famous marketing giants that had to think about their international strategy before going global. What are the key points for carrying out a successful internationalization strategy?
Think Global, Act Local
A company’s marketing strategy may work in one country, but that does not necessarily mean the brand will be successful on all new markets. This false assumption puts a lot of companies in a difficult position. They must create a global brand voice, but must also sing a unique song to each of their target markets in each country . Every localization success is linked to efficient multicultural brand management, which will be completely different in every country where the company is active.
Adapt and Be Open to Change
Most of the time, companies correct a marketing campaign, message or tagline if the target audience has reacted to it negatively. It often costs a lot of money to rebrand internationally, so why wait until then to take action? All companies, big or small, should localize their slogans and the names of their products and companies from the beginning.
Ask Locals for Input
The key is to make sure that your approach is appropriate and adapted to the culture. Before making strategic decisions on marketing localization, make sure to consult a member of the team based in the target country. If this is not possible, contact a marketing expert in the field.
Do a Final Review
All marketing localization projects should include a final test phase to make sure all local content corresponds to the localized material. This last post-editing step should be done by a professional linguist and a marketing expert who actually live in the target country. Final corrections should be made at that point, so that companies can save time and money in the long-term.
