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As we’ll see, mistakes in localization could be costly and embarrassing. Your existing customers in the region may bring up cultural issues you’d never have thought of. A video call is one of the best ways to get to know your customers, but if that’s too time-consuming for them you might have more success with a targeted survey.
This could be a detailed survey in something like Google Forms or SurveyMonkey. But for your brand, it might be more suitable to hold something casual over a Twitter or Instagram poll.
Wherever it is, customers in the region will be happy to know that you valued your input. If you build a real rapport with them, they might even be your brand’s first evangelists in the area.
If you can, meetups and networking events are also a very useful way to get to know your market. They give you the opportunity to meet customers face-to-face, and maybe even see how your competitors in the region are marketing to them.
As well as cultural issues, it’s important to understand the practical challenges customers might face. For example, there’s no point driving a PPC campaign in Brazil if expensive shipping and a lack of relevant payment options prevent potential customers from actually converting.
A company that did this could have saved the wasted time and effort if they’d spoken to customers and showed them the service before trying to push into the region.
6. Find partners and build relationships
As well as mapping out customers and competitors, you should get a sense of potential partners in the region. No company can do sustainable growth alone. Whether they’re distributors who can ease up your supply chain or influencer marketing partners, it can’t hurt to have friends in the new market.
Partnerships of all kinds help your brand build a presence in the market through the brands you affiliate with. These partner companies should be identified in the research and strategy phase. Plans should be made about how you can collaborate ahead of the launch in the new market.
Beyond partner marketing or influencer marketing, there are other businesses and brands in the region you can build relationships with. Approaching external consultants in the area can help you with various market specifics like supply chain logistics, HR compliance, or localizing your brand to the region.