How to Mix Global Website Development With Traditional International Marketing

One way for businesses to plan for their international business expansion is to look at their progress in:

• Websites as they move towards global business websites
• The different stages of traditional international marketing towards global business marketing

This can help businesses to:

• Clearly identify where they are today on the scale of international business
• Create an International Internet Business Plan

Progression Towards Website Globalization

 It is very interesting to note the online marketing progression today goes something like this:

• From website internationalization = domestic website + all foreign & domestic markets
• To website localization = one foreign website + one foreign market
• To website globalization = all foreign websites + all foreign markets

To make the process easier, quicker and cheaper to manage there is a distinct trend for good global websites today to use website templates throughout all of their country websites. This leads towards one website template for all markets.
Progression Towards Global Marketing
But compare this online process to the traditional international marketing process where companies progress to global marketing as follows:

• From Domestic Marketing = domestic product + domestic market
• To Export Marketing = domestic product + foreign market
• To International Marketing = one foreign product + one foreign country
• To Multinational Marketing = one foreign product + one foreign region of a few countries
• To Global Marketing = one product + all foreign countries & domestic market

So the progression goes from one market and one product through different products and different markets back to one market and one product.

International Internet Marketing Progression Plan

Small businesses just starting out in international business expansion need to create real communication with their international markets.
If you mix the progression towards global marketing with the progression towards website globalization this gives you a structure for an international internet marketing plan.

1 - Domestic Website For Domestic Marketing

• One domestic website
• Customized content and communication for your domestic market only
• Marketing your domestic product
• Marketing to your domestic market

This is where more companies start: in a market they are familiar with.

2 - Internationalized Domestic Website For Export Marketing

• One domestic website
• Customized content and communication for both your domestic and all foreign markets
• Marketing your domestic product
• Marketing to your domestic market and all foreign markets

This can be the exact same website as the one used for your domestic market. It all depends on how culturally specific your domestic website needs to be for your business.
In any event, you can always review your domestic website to make sure you are not unduly pushing away international visitors.
Some companies may opt for a separate international website.
This may be the case for French companies for example. They may keep their domestic website in French and start their international internet marketing with a separate international website targeting all foreign markets.

3 - Localized Website For International Marketing

• One foreign website - begin using website templates
• Customized content and communication for one foreign market
• Marketing your product adapted to your foreign market
• Marketing to one foreign country

A localized website is a second website. You would still keep your domestic website or your internationalized website for your domestic markets.
You will create one localized website per country you market to, until you have a regional group of localized websites.
4 - Group Of Localized Websites For Multinational Marketing

• A group of foreign websites - continue using website template
• Customized content and communication for each foreign country in the group of countries.
• Begin implementing one set of unique content adapted into each language for each country.
• Marketing your product adapted to your foreign market
• Marketing to a group of countries in one foreign region

There are some regions in the world where you can use a regional sales and marketing strategy.
This step really depends on the nature of your business and how you conduct your business in these regions.
5- Global Website For Global Marketing

• Dozens of foreign websites, one website per foreign country - using website templates
• One set of unique content adapted into each language for each country website based on templates.
• A culturally specific content and communication plan for each country
• Marketing one product for a global market
• Marketing to all foreign countries & your domestic market

Global websites are usually for the big multinational companies.
But from a marketing standpoint, if you have one product to sell throughout a global market, your best online presence is through one global website giving access to a series of localized websites using templates.
Use Cross Cultural Communication Tools
The above plan gives you an outline of how you can use your website with an International Internet Marketing plan to progressively move towards full international business development.
Your international sales success depends on three things:

• Your content and communication must be customized for each market along the way.
• You need to use online tools to stimulate international feedback continuously.
• You must systematically track, analyze your results and adjust your marketing to fit with your international market.

You need to identify the format and marketing mix to use for delivering your content that is best suited for each of you international markets. You also need to add in culturally appropriate tools for good cross cultural communication online.

Your International Internet Business Plan will evolve through a learning process as you become more knowledgeable about your international markets. There are often many adjustments needed when expanding your business internationally. Take small steps and adapt your plan when needed.
Cross cultural communication experts identify five different cultural behavioral values. Studying these values gives you insights into the tools you can use online to adapt your communication to your different foreign markets.

Over the next five weeks I will review one set of these tools in the Get International Clients Newsletter. Sign up now and find out what you can do to market to different cultures.

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.