Marina Ibrahim shares her expert marketing advice on how small businesses can successfully translate their business abroad post-Brexit
The Chartered Institute of Marketing’s Export Ready research shows that SMEs have been slow to pursue opportunities in foreign markets.
To avoid sleepwalking into their post-Brexit future, small businesses must step up and take a proactive approach to exporting. Essential to this is a strategy that considers cultural differences and adapts marketing to them.
Long distance (customer) relationships
Research tells us that trust is essential to create a strong relationship with your customers. It builds loyalty, increases sales, and referrals.
The world is a cultural map of different values and it’s very easy for international marketing to go wrong. So, to build trust you need an understanding of the social, cultural and economic behaviours of your target market.
Simply assuming that ‘what works here is going to work there’ doesn’t suffice. It’s been estimated that a lack of language skills and difficulties engaging foreign emerging markets could account for a £48 billion loss per year (UKTI, 2006).
Mind your language
Translating website, marketing materials, communications and core brand messages is essential so that new foreign markets feel valued, rather than an afterthought.
Businesses that rely on machine translation for important content run the risk of harming their business reputation, eroding trust in foreign markets and ultimately risking offending customers and losing their loyalty.
It’s important to balance speed, cost and quality when it comes to translation. Use a Content Value Index to match your content translation needs (from a tweet to published material) with the right type of translation – automatic, community or professional.
If you are aiming to take your marketing strategy worldwide and want to achieve measurable and repeatable results, take your time, do your research and invest in proper translations and training.
Build your cultural intelligence
I’d urge any UK businesses reaching out to overseas markets remotely to develop cultural intelligence. This boils down to being aware of and understanding the hidden parts of foreign cultures.
Culture is not a mystical concept; it is not only about stereotypes, etiquette, do’s and don’ts or taboos. The science behind it is to understand what people want, need, how they trust, what they consider normal and familiar and then to bridge any gaps.
It might be wise to consider how you can use local professionals to give you insight and training. This will help build your awareness and develop skills and confidence and help you decide which countries and cultures you would like to trade with, and how.
By Marina Ibrahim
About the author
Marina Ibrahim, Director of Bizz Buzz, an award-winning Cultural Intelligence Consultancy, has over 20 years’ experience in marketing and intercultural management consulting. She is a registered Member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing and a CIM course director.
