International Marketing Strategies PDF (Free checklist)

If you have ever wanted a clear list of International Marketing Strategies to help you with your growth plans, you have come to the right place.

In this article is a handy list of simple, proven international marketing strategies in a PDF to help you stay on track. At the bottom of this article is the International Marketing Strategies list in a handy PDF for your convenience.

This International Marketing Strategies PDF contains 9 strategies, including: 1. Decide “why” you want to develop your international marketing strategy, 2. Select a country, 3. Define your ideal target market customer, 4. Choose your international partners, 5. Is there a cultural fit?, 6. Start your Marketing Mix, 7. Understand the local regulations, 8. Logistics and documentation, 9. Build your sales plan.

International marketing is a complex process that requires careful planning. The easiest way to market your brand, product and services is to choose countries that you can find message-market fit in the simplest, fastest and most cost-effective way possible.

In our highly connected world that relies on globalization to provide products and services worldwide, choosing international marketing partners has never been easier.

Let’s now get into the international marketing strategies PDF.

9 International Marketing Strategies PDF

International marketing is a complex process, filled with barriers to entry, expanding expenses and lots of competition.

But, if it’s hard for you, this means it's hard for your competitors, too.

And this in itself could provide a competitive advantage for your international marketing strategy.

Here are the nine international marketing strategies that can help you get on track with your growth plans.

1. Decide "why" you want to develop your international marketing strategy

Just like any business initiative, before you begin building your international marketing strategy, it's important to define your goals and objectives.

The starting point for you planning an identification of opportunities is to conduct a SWOT analysis. For help on this, go here:

What is the Main Purpose of SWOT Analysis? (Examples)

Now, you need to decide what is the purpose of your international marketing? What do you hope to achieve? How will you measure success? These questions need answers before starting any international marketing campaign.

A good place to start is by reviewing these two articles and establish your baselines:

2. Select a country

If you're going to do business internationally, choosing a country that aligns with your business strategy is important. Do your research and consider the following:

The size of their market (e.g., Australia has a population of just under 26 million)
The cultural differences between countries (e.g., French people aren't as big on pets as Americans)
Legal and tax implications for doing business in that country (e.g., China has strict laws about intellectual property)
The business climate in that country

3. Define your ideal customer target market

As a business owner or marketer, you need to understand the following information about your target market:

Who they are
Where they live and work
Why do they buy products or services like yours

A good place to start is by researching your current customers buying habits to help you set baselines and desired expectations for your international marketing strategy. Then, do research in your target market to identify where you can find concentrated pockets of your ideal customers in your new target market.

Recency, Frequency, Spend RFM analysis

Target market research

4. Choose your international partners

Choosing a partner is an important decision, and you'll want to make sure you choose one that can help your business succeed in its new marketplace.

The better your network is in the country(s) you develop your international marketing strategy in, the better your results will be.

This is particularly important if you don't know the market well andor are still in the market research and market testing phase.

You could ask to speak with other business partners, check references, and engage in additional networking opportunities with their local sphere of influence. Also, be sure to investigate their current customer base as there may be additional synergy and great opportunities for cross promotions. You can also look on social media for feedback from previous customers, as well get a sense for their general business operations and brand appeal.

5. Is there a cultural fit?

Ensure the partners you choose to work with are fully experienced in the culture, —particularly its values and beliefs as they relate to business practice.

And, be sure you take it upon yourself to understand the culture, as it will be important as you develop your marketing mix, sales copy and interact with customers and business people. Start by understanding their approach to decision-making processes and customer service standards.

Your international marketing strategy is only as strong as your understanding of the target market. You need to understand:

The culture of the country you're doing business in. What are their values? How do they communicate? What's important to them and why?
The culture of your target market. Who are these people? What kind of things do they care about? How do they spend their free time—and how can this translate into potential new products or services?

6. The 4 Ps of Marketing: start with product and price, then develop place and promotion as you gain more information

If you are new to marketing, the 4 Ps of Marketing is a good start. The 4 Ps stand for product, place, price, and promotion. 'Product' refers to what you are selling – for example, the product or service your company provides.

'Price' refers to how much the customer pays for it – this includes both fixed costs (costs that don't depend on how many units you sell) and variable costs (costs that change depending on how many units you sell).

'Place' refers to where it's sold –online or in person at retail stores; by phone; through word-of-mouth advertising; etc.

Finally, promotion refers to how you sell your products – whether through television commercials or social media posts to promote them, so customers will want what they're offering.

For more information about developing your 4 P’s of Marketing, go here:

The Marketing Mix: The 4 P’s of Marketing

7. Understand the local currency, local taxes, legal and accounting

You will be investing a lot of money in setting up your business overseas.

Before you do, it's important to understand the local currency, local taxes, and legal and accounting requirements to avoid surprises.

Know the details before you fully invest. This is where a good attorney who specializes in the country of choice is important. At least invest in an hour or two of their time to get a feel for the most important items.

At a very high level, get a feel for how capital flows in and out of the country, understand their currency exchange rates, and if there are any unusual restrictions for your product category. Check out the banking procedures and tax structure and understand them before you start doing transactions.

Here are two resources that can help you get started in thinking bigger as it relates to your international marketing strategy:

8. Logistics and Documentation

The logistics and documentation section is crucial to international marketing strategies. It deals with the import and export regulations, duties, restrictions, and procedures.

Importing products from another country can be a costly process. It can get even more expensive if you don't have the proper papers. It is advisable to hire an import broker for assistance in this area as they can help you avoid many problems that might come up during your import process by providing all required documents for customs clearance at the border, such as:

Purchase order (PO)
A commercial invoice (CI)
Consignment note/packing list
Certificate of origin (CO) (when applicable)

An excellent place to start are with these resources:

9. Build your sales strategy: Internet, Sales Channels, PR, Advertising, Trade shows

Ok, now it's time to make some money!

This is where you actually build your sales and marketing plan, including your sales channels.

The first and biggest question to ask, and then clearly answer is:

Where are my potential customers actually buying what I am selling right now, in this country?

Fortunately, you should have a very strong idea of this already because you did your research in steps 2, 3, 4 and 5 and then built your marketing mix in step 6.

Notice a pattern here?

Yes, research and planning focused on the customer in the international community you are looking to build your marketing strategy to attract are extremely important.

So, here's a brief recap of a few basic items that you can start the conversations with:

Build sales plan: Internet, Sales Channels, PR, Advertising, Trade shows
Identify the right market segmentation that would help you in understanding your target audience and what they desire to buy from you
Identify the right set of trade show events that will help you reach out to your target audience

Just click here to download your FREE International Marketing Strategies PDF

Conclusion

A good start is contacting your local chamber of commerce and ask them if they have any contacts with anyone in the country you are researching. They might have some helpful resources they can provide for information on local laws, regulations, and customs. They may also be a great source of contacts for international partners or potential business partners abroad.

As always, if you need any assistance, we are happy to help!

References

https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/market-entry-strategies

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/9781444316568.wiem01024

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