Expanding into new, international markets can help you take a business to the next level. The key to successfully expanding a business into an international market is to build brand awareness. A high-quality public relations strategy will make or break the success of an international business expansion, so you must organize the very best campaign possible.
Define your objectives
Before you even begin researching or planning your strategy, it is first useful to define your objectives. Having a clear set of goals will help you to stay focused and create the most appropriate strategy for your business aims. Remember that your aims need to be achievable, meaning not too difficult but also present enough of a challenge to motivate your staff.
Conduct thorough market research
A key step to creating an international public relations strategy is to conduct thorough market research. You will need to have a deep and comprehensive understanding of this new market before putting any additional measures in place.
When you complete your market research, you will need to discover more about the target audience you are focused on. Understanding the unique needs of a local target audience and how the international target audience differs from your home market is critical.
You should also research more about the level of competition you are up against. For example, finding out more about the brand identities of your international competitors and what marketing efforts they use can provide you with a competitive edge later down the line.
Finding out more about what media sources are trusted, accessible and popular is also useful. You should look at both traditional and new media to help you to decide what platforms to engage with.
Find the best technology
Technology will play a critical role when you are planning and implementing an international public relations campaign. You will, of course, continue to use some technology that you have been using for national campaigns. However, the success of your campaign will also rely on other technologies like translation management systems.
As Smartling explains, a translational management system is vital when you are translating a large body of written content. Ensuring that you have technological solutions before you implement your strategy will ensure that you are in the best position for success.
Plan your timeline
Planning a timeline is another important step when you are creating an international public relations strategy. You will need to outline your campaign step by step, noting down short-term timelines. You should be as detailed as possible during this process, as this will help you to manage the upcoming campaign more effectively.
When creating a timeline for your international public relations strategy, you need to consider important international and national dates. Trying to run a campaign over public holidays will limit the amount of coverage you can receive. Instead, you should take the time to learn more about when public holidays are in your market so you can schedule your public relations campaign accordingly.
