Thanks in large part to the advent of the internet, businesses are no longer as limited in the way that they market themselves to potential customers. Even Mom and Pop stores that once relied on ads in the local newspaper and word of mouth to advertise can now create social media pages that reach customers all over the globe.
Of course, while most companies can technically use a global marketing strategy, some are a lot better at it than others. To understand how businesses can be as effective as possible with global marketing, let’s start by looking at the differences between local, national and global marketing before examining how certain companies have nailed their international strategy.
Local, National and Global … Oh My!
As SmallBusinessChron.com notes, deciding to focus on local advertising or a national or international marketing campaign can depend on how large the company is, its geographic reach and how financially solvent it is. In the case of marketing to a local audience, the focus will be on targeting people who live in the community and finding ways to entice them to come into a store to shop. For example, a bakery should promote its homemade cookies and pies, convenient location and outstanding reputation. On the other hand, national marketing strategies often focus more on a brand than a product but have less contact with customers. With international marketing, companies must often do research to determine how their product will appeal to a potentially different culture or demographic.
Companies to Copy
As for companies that have got their global marketing strategies down pat, consider the following examples:
Amway: Thanks to its effective use of social media tools like YouTube, Instagram and Facebook, combined with the power of the internet, Amway is doing an outstanding job of reaching a global audience. Amway’s YouTube page is filled with well-produced videos that have a global appeal. Everything from its “About Amway” videos and “Amway Hero Awards” help to teach customers around the world about the company and its values. Additionally, the videos about the company’s unique products also help create an international audience connection.
McDonald’s: If you have traveled internationally, you can pretty much depend on satisfying your Big Mac attack, no matter where you are. In order to spread the Golden Arches across the world, Research Gate notes that the marketing team at McDonald’s does a great deal of research on different regions before opening restaurants in other countries. For example, in the case of China, McDonald’s looked at social, cultural, technological, political and economic situations to develop marketing strategies that were customized for the Chinese people and were as effective as possible in the country. This “one size does not fit all” approach has allowed McDonald’s to enjoy financial success in numerous countries around the world.
Red Bull
While most people assume that Red Bull is a U.S. brand, it is actually based in Austria. One reason this is the case is because Red Bull does an outstanding job hosting a number of sporting and music events all over the world. For example, the company will sponsor the Summer X Games 2018 as well as Coachella 2018, and it sponsors two Formula 1 teams: Red Bull Racing and Scuderia Toro Rosso. Thanks to Red Bull’s ubiquitous approach to hosting events, the company has managed to place its brand and product in many countries across the globe.
Work Locally and Market Globally
For small business owners with huge goals, it is reassuring to know that you are not limited by the geography of your own town. Due in part to the power of the internet, companies can target national and international audiences more easily than ever, and emulate successful businesses like Amway, McDonald’s and Red Bull.
