With globalization, companies need to adjust their marketing strategies as new challenges emerge. One major challenge is adapting to local cultures. This is of special importance when firms operate in countries culturally distant from their home country. This post will discuss global marketing with the example of China.
In China, a country with double the active internet users of the United States, social media marketing is a crucial success factor when doing business. But what do you do when the government bans Western social media networks such as Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter? You rely on Chinese networks. There is a great variety of networks to choose from such as WeChat or Sina Weibo. At the fast pace China is transforming, there is no doubt social media marketing in China will change incredibly quickly too.
A further crucial factor of doing business in China is being familiar with the local calendar. While in the West the Christmas season is one of the largest advertising periods of the year, this holiday is rarely celebrated in China. However, there are numerous Chinese celebrations; one of which is single’s day, on which singles buy themselves gifts. Not to leave out the most important Chinese holiday: the Chinese New Year.
The last key success factor discussed in this post is the country of origin effect. Chinese consumers are greatly influenced by the place in which the product was made. Products made in Western countries are often perceived more favorably. Moreover, products made in countries such as the United States, Germany or Switzerland are perceived as luxury products. These are only three aspects to consider when marketing in China. Make sure you consider these points and familiarize yourself with the local culture when entering into a foreign market.
For more information visit http://www.theguardian.com/media-network/2015/oct/06/marketing-china-social-media-consumers
