Sunday, July 13, 2008

Should Successful Internet Marketers Get Into International Marketing?

Brick and mortar businesses with a website are very interested in international web marketing, almost right from the beginning. International exposure is one of the big calling cards for getting a business online. These businesses already have a marketing function within their company. They often realize they need international marketing.

Most successful internet marketers do not seem to do any specific international web marketing. They already have international sales. Yet they do not try to develop these international sales further, through international web marketing. Some do limited offline marketing, through presentations and courses in different countries.

Offline Business

Companies with a primary business offline try to improve all sources of revenue. They also have traditional marketing strategies in place. A website with an international web marketing strategy is a logical step.

These offline businesses evaluate an international web marketing strategy as a business investment. They define guidelines and strategies suitable for their company.

Online Business

An online company usually does not have the same reasoning. Does the buzz about instant global markets make standard business practices are obsolete? Is it simply because the online e-business does not have the same company structure?

Of course, a successful e-business has an international client base. The size of their international client base may even be significant.

The question is:

Does this e-business use one marketing strategy for one global market?

In other words, is the target market the entire world? If so, these internet marketers targeting one global market should look at how international business is developed offline.

International Marketing Basics

Let's review some traditional international marketing basics.

Companies who succeed in selling the same product to a global market have already learned how to adapt products to different cultural markets.

International business development usually goes through a sequential marketing process of 5 steps. Jumping over any one of these steps is very difficult. You can only succeed:

either if you have a distinct international business advantage,
or if you invest massively,
...or both.

Jumping all 5 steps is either herculean or doomed for failure.

You need to know the market you are selling to in order to get your offer and your product aligned to that market.
For a new company this means you:

Learn to align your products with one market at a time.
Sell your product to one specific market.
Develop your best sales pitch.
Go into another market or country and repeat the process.
There are three advantages to taking a systematic international marketing approach.

You will get more sales from this one market.
You will learn the full potential your product has in each different market.
This process increases your own market knowledge.

Many online businesses made fast money in the beginning. What was their business model? How much did they know about their full potential in each different market?

You compete in business by using your market knowledge.

Today, competition for online sales is increasing. It makes sense to use as international business development model that works to get more sales.

Are you committed to speeding up your international sales cycles?

Learn how to combine cross-cultural marketing tools and international sales strategies for faster sales.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Cindy_King

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