Thursday, August 28, 2008

Getting Your Communication Platform Ready For International Marketing

Are just starting to aim for more international clients?
Have you already decided on:
• one product to sell abroad?
• one country to target?

If you have clear answers to both questions it's obvious you are already on your way.
If you do not have clear answers to these two questions, don't let it slow down your momentum. Some international web marketing can get you the answers you need to answer both of these questions.
But wait...

Your International Communication Platform
Before you start an international web marketing campaign take time to look at the communication platform that you will be using. Your international communication platform is your website. You need to stop and evaluate your website.
Is your current website international-friendly?
You see, your website was created for your current domestic audience. There is a high probability it will create some neutral reactions in your international visitors at best. There is also the chance that it will create some negative reactions.

You have three options:
• Internationalize your current website a little
• Internationalize your current website a lot
• Create a separate international website

Internationalize Your Current Website A Little
The basic steps to internationalizing your website will also make your website more appealing to your current audience. It simply applies the best web marketing practices there are out there.

You should choose this option if:
• your current website is culturally specific.

If you want to use this option and still get good international market feedback, you will need to incorporate some international integrated marketing. You will need more tools to generate feedback outside of your website.
Internationalize Your Website A Lot
This goes beyond your basic steps to internationalize your website and makes adjustments to stimulate more international feedback.
Your should chose this option if:

• these culturally specific feedback tools do not influence your current marketing to your domestic market in a negative way

The extra web tools to stimulate international market feedback will help you learn more about your international potential. And you will still need some integrated marketing to optimize results.

Create A Separate International Website
This option is often obvious for companies with a non-English website.
Companies with an English language website need to take the time to analyze the benefits of having a separate website for a broad international audience.

An international website will not keep you from needing localized websites as soon as you get serious about developing your business in specific countries.

You may feel tempted to skip over it and jump directly to localized websites. And yet an international website can help you with managing your international business expansion. It is all a question of:
• how fast you plan on expanding internationally
• how active your are in international marketing
• how targeted your international marketing is
• how fast your international markets will react to your offer

A separate international website is the logical place to start to create a global website. You only need a global website after you have a few strong localized websites.

Find The Best Platform
The important thing to remember is your website is just the platform. You will need to create targeted communication for your international markets. Either to a broad international audience, or to country specific audiences.

Your current communication methods will also help you decide whether to subtly renovate your current website, or to create stronger communication platforms.
Remember the primary aim should be to cultivate as much foreign feedback as you can. When you first start out you need to find out as much as you can about your international markets.

Adequate feedback will tell you what to sell and where to sell it to. A good feedback system will also help you during the process of adapting your chosen product to your targeted country.

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