Sanka Academy

Cultural Marketing 101 - how to run business in different countries with different culture

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Last Update: May 31, 2023

Introduction

When making marketing campaigns for the different business areas, your agency might brainstorm about how to deal with these differences.

Understanding cultural differences in marketing methods is critical for business that want to expand their reach into new regions.

Making sure that advertisements are adapted to the cultural preferences of the target audience might mean the difference between success and failure.

Having an effective global marketing strategy requires an in-depth knowledge of the culture and customs in each region.

This understanding will aid in ensuring that communications are culturally appropriate and resonate with the intended audience.

It is also important to consider language barriers, local trends, and how different cultures view certain topics or products.

In this post, we will look at how to deal with regional variances while building marketing campaigns.

We'll look at how cultural differences can be used to develop successful marketing that appeals to clients of various backgrounds.

Understand Cultural Values and Consumer Behavior

It's important to understand the distinct cultural values in your region when creating marketing campaigns.

Whether you're targeting consumers in the United States or South America, each country has a unique culture that must be considered.

Understanding cultural conventions, for example, will affect how you utilize language and pictures in your advertisements.

American culture, for example, promotes independence and accomplishment, but Asian society is more communal and emphasizes harmony.

As a result, messages emphasizing self-reliance and achievement may resonate more with American customers, while ones emphasizing collaboration toward a common goal may resonate more with Asian customers.

Understanding consumer behavior is very important when localizing marketing strategies. Income level, purchasing power, and media consumption patterns are a few examples of the factors that affect consumers' product preferences and purchasing channels.

You may adapt your message to resonate best with local customers by understanding a market's consumer behavior before building marketing campaigns for it.

Modify Your Marketing Materials and Message

Creating marketing campaigns across different regions and cultures can be a tricky balancing act.

The goal should be to avoid overly generic messages that can potentially offend the target market or fall flat.

Instead, adjust your pitch to the culture of each market.

You can achieve cultural adaptation by following these steps:

  • Creating localized content: identify key cultural peculiarities in each region and generate material accordingly. Make sure you're utilizing proper language and accent for each location, as well as pictures that communicate to the target audience.
  • Leveraging local knowledge: Consider collaborating with local partners or recruiting individuals who are culturally sensitive and have firsthand experience navigating the markets you're targeting.
  • Other considerations: When customizing your content, think beyond language and visuals—you must take into account for religious conventions, regulatory requirements, and other cultural standards to create a successful campaign.

Choose the Right Platforms and Channels

When starting a marketing campaign geared toward diverse cultures, it is critical to consider which platforms and channels are best suited to each audience.

In some countries, for example, Twitter may be the preferred platform for individuals to express themselves and learn about new products and services, while in others, Facebook or Instagram may be the preferred modes of communication.

Make sure to research which platforms and channels each target demographic uses and adjust your messaging accordingly.

Pay special attention to language: you'll need your message to be effective while also being respectful of cultural nuances.

Finally, consider if there are any topics or ideas that need to be avoided in certain regions.

Some countries may have different levels of acceptance for certain kinds of content, so it pays to be aware of these nuances before launching a campaign.

By taking the time to understand the culture of each region, you can ensure that your message resonates with all of your target audiences.

Pay Close Attention to Visual Elements

No matter where in the world you're marketing to, visuals play a key role in conveying your message.

However, you must take into consideration the various cultural differences that exist when choosing visuals for your campaigns.

Certain symbols, for example, may be deemed insulting or forbidden in some cultures, even if they are commonplace elsewhere. Color is another aesthetic element that must be carefully examined; different hues have diverse connotations based on culture.

When deciding on visual elements for a campaign targeting a global market or region, consider the following:

  • Cultural taboos
  • Color schemes
  • Preferred typefaces
  • Graphical motifs and patterns
  • Local customs and values

Understanding the target population and its culture is critical to effective marketing initiatives; neglecting cultural differences can quickly push potential customers away.

Before designing a visual strategy and tone of voice for marketing campaigns, spend some time investigating the local customs and habits of the target group.

Translate Content Accurately

One of the most critical components of marketing to customers from other cultures is ensuring that your message is correctly translated.

It is critical to deal with competent translators who are fluent in your target audience's language and culture.

Translating content requires more than simply finding the right words in a different language - it requires an understanding of the cultural nuances that can make or break a message.

Here are some tips for ensuring accurate translation:

  1. Hire an expert translator who is familiar with the regional dialect, cultural references, and peculiarities of your target market.
  2. Always have a native speaker double-check the translations to ensure there are no errors or omissions.
  3. Have someone who is fluent in both languages review your translated materials to ensure accuracy, consistency, and message clarity.
  4. Ensure that any visual resources, such as photographs, films, or infographics, are translated and adapted as needed.
  5. When translating information, ensure that URLs are changed so that local consumers can quickly discover what they are seeking in their own language or country-specific versions of websites or apps.

By taking these extra steps, you can ensure that your message resonates with customers from different cultures and creates an effective marketing campaign across multiple markets.

Build Partnerships With Local Influencers

When marketing to an audience in another region, it is important to build relationships with key local influencers.

By tapping into local influencers who understand the culture and language of your target audience, you can ensure that your message is delivered effectively.

Working with influencers can help you:

  • Identify target audiences in a particular region
  • Reach potential customers in their native language
  • Create content that resonates with local audiences
  • Establish trust that will lead to long-term relationships with customers

Building these partnerships will also help you stay up-to-date on the latest trends and cultural shifts in the regions where you are operating.

This will provide a competitive advantage for your efforts and ensure that your messages are understood and resonate with the desired audience.

Conclusion

Finally, learning to be sensitive to cultural nuances, listening to clients and assessing their needs, and developing a marketing strategy adapted to the specific cultural environment are the keys to success in a globally diversified market.

Marketers should consider the target audience's native language, visual components, cultural references, and messaging.

As a result, businesses will be able to build successful, culturally appropriate marketing that will effectively engage and influence clients throughout the region.

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