The saying, “If you want to sell what Jim Brown buys, you have to see things through Jim Brown’s eyes,” is good advice for anyone who wants to sell a product or service in a foreign market. This may seem obvious, but many companies have made costly mistakes by underestimating the impact of culture on marketing. Market research lets you know whether there is a need and interest in your product, but does not necessarily address the how-to of marketing in another culture. To assume that an approach that has worked at home will work in another culture can be costly.
The examples of overlooked cultural cues are many. IKEA originally tried to sell sheets in Swedish sizes to their U.S. customers. Unfortunately they did not fit the thick American mattresses. The introduction of the Chevy Nova in Mexico is a classic example of lack of information -”no va” means “it doesn’t go” in Spanish! A German food manufacturer wanted to sell potato salad made with sliced potatoes in Canada. It met with little success because the Canadians expected potato salad to be made with cubed potatoes. All these could have been avoided by checking with (and listening to) those with a thorough understanding of the culture.
In a recent seminar for a group of Swedes and Americans, I asked, “what do you think is most important when buying a car?” To last a long time, be safe and good gas mileage were the top concerns for the Swedes. Not so for the Americans. They chose appearance, a good deal, comfort &”extras” as their top three. If we are going to sell cars in the U.S., we obviously will need a different approach than we would in Sweden.
A few suggestions for successful marketing in the United States: ·
1. Don’t assume that you know the best way because you have been successful in other markets. ·
2. Get expert advice from someone who understands the culture and the market from the inside. ·
3. Remember the size and diversity of the U.S. What works in California may not work in Texas or New York. ·
4. Think of marketing as an investment, not an expense. ·
5. If you get an unexpectedly big order, be sure that you have the staff and resources available to fill it on time. ·
6. The “customer is king” and expects to get what he wants when he wants it.