5 Smart Export Marketing Strategies with TAP

Written by Rachel Richards

Do you have your sights set on international expansion? Marketing your business globally comes with plenty of opportunities. It can open the door to new audiences and sustainable growth, but to be successful, you need to approach international marketing with a comprehensive strategic plan.

That’s what Canada’s Trade Accelerator Program (TAP) does best. An innovative learning experience, it’s designed to help small- and medium-sized enterprises gain knowledge and a network of industry contacts to unleash your export potential. The program provides structured guidance for businesses ready to enter global markets.

For years, we’ve been a federal digital marketing partner for TAP, mentoring program members with hands-on workshops and personalized guidance. Taking a consultative approach, we identify specific opportunities and gaps in your export marketing plan. Our team is obsessed with helping your brand succeed across North America and beyond through targeted digital strategies.

Here are our top five takeaways for promoting your business on an international scale, based on our extensive experience with global marketing campaigns.

#1: Know Your Worth

When you walk into a networking event, you have a personal brand (whether you like it or not!). How you dress, talk, and carry yourself speaks volumes to your peers. If you shape your personal brand in a way that aligns with your core values while also appealing to your network’s specific needs, the right people will gravitate toward you and recognize your unique value.

Your business’ brand is no different. When launching your export marketing plan, you also need to know how to represent yourself effectively in new markets. Have you defined a unique position that appeals to the international market? Do your visual identity and logo speak to who you are as a business? Is your tagline clear, compelling, and culturally appropriate? When your company is expanding into new countries, you’re walking into a room of potential customers for the first time. Your brand needs to make the perfect first impression that resonates across cultural boundaries.

#2: Invest in Market Research

Who is your target market in each international region? Have you defined their age, gender, career, income level, and stage in life? What are they passionate about in their specific cultural context? Which problems keep them awake at night? It’s important to know these detailed demographics about your audience when shaping your digital marketing export strategy. This comprehensive research will help you create targeted campaigns that address their specific pain points and help you choose the right digital tactics to reach them effectively.

Don’t forget about competitive research, either. Do the established players in your industry have a strong social media presence in your target countries? Is their website well-designed for local markets? Where are they struggling with their marketing in these regions? Understanding your competitors in international markets is a powerful way to know where your business can fill in the gaps and offer unique value propositions to new customers.

#3: Tailor Your Messaging

The way you speak about your brand may resonate in Canada, but people’s tastes, cultural experiences, and consumer expectations are quite different abroad. You’ll want to invest in a high-quality translator with marketing expertise to ensure your message is enticing and culturally appropriate for your international customers.

We’ve all seen the horror stories of brands getting lost in translation with their marketing. Remember when KFC launched their “Finger lickin’ good” campaign in China, only to find out that it translated to “Eat your fingers off”? It’s crucial to be conscious of cultural nuances and local contexts in your messaging. Be aware of local traditions, trends, holidays, and idiomatic expressions. Your messaging matters in every aspect of communication, even down to the emojis you choose for social media posts.

#4: Think Strategically

With the plethora of digital marketing tools out there, it can be tempting to try the latest trend, or follow whatever your competitors are doing in international markets. Don’t fall victim to this urge without proper evaluation.

You can design a new localized website, advertise on Google and Facebook with region-specific campaigns, boost your search engine optimization (SEO) rankings in different languages, post on country-specific social media platforms… The list of potential tactics goes on and on. So, how do you decide what to do?

When choosing your digital marketing tactics for international expansion, always come back to the fundamental question: “Why?” Why are you implementing this specific tactic? Is it to boost brand awareness in new markets, connect with your international community, or drive qualified leads and sales from specific regions? Once you know your strategic goals, you can shape an export digital marketing strategy with measurable objectives that guides you toward achieving them in each target market.

#5: Measure Your Success

We’re living in the digital age, so our marketing efforts better reflect it with data-driven decision making. Thanks to Google Analytics, you can discover a wealth of data about your international customers from your website. Along with finding out about your users’ demographics, geographic locations, and shopping habits, you can dial into how they found your site, where they’re clicking, how long they’re engaging with your content, and whether they’re contacting you or buying from you in different regions.

Once you’ve begun promoting your business globally, it’s crucial to measure these metrics by country and region. Be sure to tie your specific marketing efforts to actual performance data, so that you can learn what’s working in each market and where you need to adjust course. This analytical approach will ensure you get the most value out of your export marketing investment and adapt your budget toward successful tactics tailored to each international audience.

How to Design Your Comprehensive Export Marketing Strategy

Are you ready to reach your international potential through strategic digital marketing? TAP hosts numerous mentoring programs in cities across Canada throughout the year. Check out your local chapter’s website below to find out how to apply for the next cohort. We hope to see you at one of our next digital marketing sessions where we provide hands-on guidance!

Edmonton: https://www.edmontonchamber.com/tap/
Calgary: https://calgaryeconomicdevelopment.com/ready-to-export/trade-accelerator-program/trade-accelerator-program/ 
Saskatoon: https://www.sasktrade.com/tap.html 
Toronto: https://wtctoronto.com/tap/ 

Schedule Your Free Export Marketing Consultation

We’re here to help you tackle your biggest digital marketing challenges for international expansion. Book a 30-minute session with our knowledgeable sales team to discuss your specific export goals.

Call Us: (780) 429-9993
Email Us: sales@topdraw.com