Marcom A to Z — G for Global

Digital channels that easily link people and businesses around the globe create a feeling of connectedness. Even issues are more global from cause to effect — energy, climate change and “green,” for example — thereby unifying people from different countries. While the corporate world is growing smaller in terms of connect-ability (person-to-person, B2B or B2C reach), it’s growing larger in terms of virtual and global expansion opportunities for businesses.

I’ve read a slew of articles recently about global business growth. Of them, these stand out as interesting trend indicators:

• A recent CNNMoney article by Beth Kowitt confirms that emerging markets have become a choice investment option due to developed countries’ stagnant economic situation relative to the growth opportunities in developing parts of the world.
• The National Business Travel Association (NBTA) unveiled initial research findings about the growth in global business travel through 2013: Global Business Travel Spend Projected to Exceed $986 Billion by 2013. “The study predicts that growth of business travel in China and Japan will exceed U.S. growth over the next five years. In addition, developing nations, like India, Vietnam, Iran and Indonesia will experience significant compound annual growth rates over the same timeframe.”
• SmallBizTrends.com, a “Best of the Web Forbes Favorite” site, posted the “Top 10 Global Trends for Small Businesses for 2009” earlier this year. Among them, Laurel Delaney highlights diverse global business partnerships and entrepreneurs actively studying global expansion.

If your company is considering its first foray into the global marketplace or contemplating expansion into another country, what should you consider from a marketing perspective? This topic deserves days of discussion so, in this short post, I’ll highlight three lessons we’ve learned working with several clients and in partnership with our Business Branding Network (BBN) sister agencies:

• Form a Global Team. Says Jeff Wedeward, Management Director at Bader Rutter and the agency’s BBN lead contact, “The most common obstacle to successful global brand development is the ‘not invented here’ or ‘it won’t work here’ syndrome. Regional business and marketing managers will be naturally resistant to any global initiative if they are not involved in the discovery and strategy development phases of a major project. It is critical to create a global brand team to ensure all major regions (where a company does business) are represented. Our Brand Asset Management (BAM) process has a structure and process built in to make this happen, which leads to a consistent global brand implemented with local passion.”
• Localize. Photographs of people used in ads developed for the U.S. component of a recent global launch were re-shot for several European countries because, simply put, the people looked too American. (The difference between a Single and Double Windsor knot was one clue.) Know the local market, either through visits, on-the-ground contacts, careful research or, preferably, all of the above. A 2005 Inc. magazine article illustrates the need for local knowledge and implementation perfectly.
• Adapt Your Schedule. We send information to India at the end of our work day and typically receive our processed request at the start of the next day; however, follow-up conversations can’t occur until the end of that business day. There isn’t much deviation from this schedule due to the differing time zones. England is six hours ahead of us in Wisconsin today but only five hours ahead in spring due to different daylight savings schedules. Also, most Europeans take the entire month of August off to go “on holiday.” Understanding these scheduling differences, among others, can help to smooth a global business partnership or transaction.

Things like awareness of time zones and turn-around times make the process more palatable. However, as in any other situation, on a basic level we’re trying to perfect communication to affect a result. To do that, whether we’re executing a local, regional, national or international marcom program, knowledge determines success. If you don’t have an office in that location already, either move or form a strategic partnership well in advance of the program’s execution, and begin studying.

This weekly series discusses marcom concepts by the letter — from A to Z. The next post: H for Headlines.

Comments

[john blue]

Besides photos, language and very local holidays need to be learned.

* Spelling of words and subtle meaning between those words/characters. See http://www.cattlelogos.com/Brand-University/xculture-gaffes.html for several marketing gaffes :)

* Impact on marketing logistics: Many marketing give-aways are made in Asia and direct shipped to trade shows; The Chinese New Year shuts down manufacturing operations for several weeks in China and _will_ impact delivery; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_New_Year

* In India, there are many hyper-local holidays. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_holidays_in_India

[Lauel Delaney]

Thank you for featuring my Top 10 Global Trends for Small Businesses in 2009. And on your "global team," make sure -- as you highlighted -- that you absolutely get buy-in or company-wide commitment on your global outreach effort.

Good luck.

Regards,
Laurel
www.globetrade.com