Internationalisation offers small and medium-sized companies endless opportunities, and direct mail marketing is a good way to enter overseas markets. By using direct marketing, you can reduce the risk of internationalisation, but it isn’t all plain sailing. It is important to understand what difficulties might emerge when trying to acquire new customers, and how to overcome them.
Here are some of the challenges that marketers and businesses will face when expanding into foreign markets:
- International markets will have different sociodemographic factors, such as ethnicity, religion, average age, and average income, compared to the domestic market.
- Additionally, consumer attitudes, values, and beliefs in new markets may vary from those of domestic consumers.
- Due to the competitive environments and established market structures, the target markets in international markets may have alternate and different attitudes to the domestic marketing mix. Some examples of this are; price sensitivity, use of media, quality awareness, and where consumers purchase products may be different.
- Companies must take these factors into account when entering a new market if they want to be successful. It is imperative to establish a consistent brand image in a new market.
In preparation to enter a new international market, there are a few factors to consider that will make the transition smooth, and increase the likelihood of success:
- Review the target audience, and the market they find themselves in. Don’t focus solely on sociodemographic factors, but also on values, attitudes, and behavioural characteristics.
- The product/service benefits should also be reviewed because countries vary in how much importance consumers place on individual product/service features.
- Your marketing material should be reassessed. Specific images may be offensive in certain markets, for example, so they should be replaced with more appropriate options.
Direct mail is an effective marketing tool in the UK, but it also translates to successful campaigns in foreign markets. It offers domestic businesses a viable option for customer acquisition. If the target market is well known, then addressed mailings are an option that should be considered. Alternatively, unaddressed mailing is worth considering due to the low-cost implications.
It should be noted that employing an expert mail house is essential to being successful when you begin direct marketing in foreign markets. This will help you avoid expensive legal costs that can spring up depending on what market you are sending mail to. An expert mail house will also help navigate through local customs and conventions with respect to payment methods.
If you understand the challenges that you will face and prepare appropriately to enter your new target market, the entrance of your SME will be successful, and new customers will be acquired. If you have any questions on international customer acquisition through direct mail, get in touch with our team today, and we’ll guide you to those new customers every step of the way.
