Think of the last time you took an overseas trip. Remember how “different” things felt to you as a foreigner, even interacting as a consumer: a trip to the grocery store, dining out at a bar or restaurant, getting around in the city from point a to B, traveling on a “foreign” airline. Every interaction along that journey probably felt at least a bit different to you compared to when you are at home. Maybe not the fourth or fifth time you made that trip but certainly for the first few visits.
That same sentiment of “different-ness” applies to B2B marketing too.
If you’re a European company developing or expanding a market-entry strategy for the US, marketing may not be the first thing on your to-do list. But you need to consider it early on or you’ll be throwing good money after bad, quickly. How will US customers who have never heard of your company value what you offer? Will they understand your value proposition?
As your US market entry strategy matures and comes into sharper focus, accept that you will make missteps. That is unavoidable. But maybe you can avoid some of the most common miscues that we see time and again, as you look to adapt and optimize your product/service for the American market.
Most Common US Market Entry Mistakes
1. Running marketing for the US from Europe
Although the US and Europe have many distinct similarities, the business landscapes and traditions are rather different. American B2B clients want immediacy and expect competitive pricing, lest they opt for a competitor. One sure path to failure is running US marketing from Europe or importing a team or head from Europe who lacks US experience to run your US marketing. Instead, partner with or hire a seasoned marketing team or pro with a track record in the country. There’s no substitute for experience.
2. Being afraid to fail
If you choose to go into a new market, you need to be ready for your marketing team to try out new strategies that you may have never deployed before. Although it may seem like a leap of faith, you’ll need to adapt a trial-and-error mindset and be ok with learning new lessons as you go.
3. Cranking out European case studies
European case studies lack credibility if your US targets aren’t familiar with the examples you’re sharing. Wait until you have US success stories to showcase your thought leadership.
4. Copy/pasting your E.U. marketing strategy
Like your business strategy, your marketing strategy should be tailored to the market and, of course, your budget. The marketing landscape is different, especially in the B2B arena. Just ask any American company that had to implement a GDPR strategy for European customer outreach.
5. Overlooking “cultural translation”
Strategies or campaigns from Europe may or may not resonate the same way in the US. For example, Europeans are probably a generation ahead of where Americans are with respect to sustainability. An American B2B audience may prioritize cost savings over sustainability, and you may need to adapt your messaging accordingly. How will you know? A/B test everything you do. Implement focus groups, test out messaging via digital ads and partner with trade associations in your industry for market research.
6. Ignoring “data shortfall”
Do you really thoroughly know the market you’re about to enter? Your US competitors certainly do. The more time, effort and detail you put into market research (even if just conversations with a handful of customers or prospects) the more effective it will make your marketing down the road. Don’t be afraid to ask people in your new market their opinions and preferences. You may receive some answers you weren’t expecting.
7. Assuming brand credibility
Your brand may be considered high quality and well regarded in your country or even most of Europe. But unless your company is a household name, you won’t have brand recognition with American customers. Which means that in terms of credibility you are starting from scratch and your marketing needs to account for that.
8. Trying to conquer too large of a market space too quickly
The US is expansive, and the location of your target consumers will heavily influence their preferences and perceptions. Test out your messaging and content in a few markets first and see what the responses are. Then grow things incrementally from there. If you’re trying to reach too many people at once, you may be wasting marketing dollars.
The US market can be yours, with the right attitude, willingness to try different approaches and the right team in place. What worked for you in Europe may need to be tweaked a bit before you experience success in this market.
