Get to know and understand the market
- The Chinese market is markedly different from the Western customers that you’d find.
- Before being able to penetrate this market, it’s vital for you to understand all the key differences be it, and be able to adapt your products, services and messaging to add relevance to them for the Chinese consumer.
Being able to identify your niche
- It is important to not only recognise the key differences in the audience you are going to be targeting, but also to understand what is it that sets your brand apart. What do you have to offer that will be of value to your new market? Why is your product or service better than others that are already present in this demographic?
- Identify these things and then hone your marketing strategy accordingly.
Expand your horizons
- Many business trying to enter the Chinese market are guilty of doing so with tunnel vision through focusing only on the larger cities in their expansion.
- However, this only serves to hinder a brand’s expansion, since when you do this, you miss out on ample opportunity elsewhere, such as in the many “lower-tier” cities throughout China. Just keep in mind that your marketing approach may need to be adapted depending on the city you are targeting.
Get help from others
- China is a remarkably unique market, however poses a challenge to expanding brands. This is especially true if you don’t have any experience doing so.
- Getting assistance from others who are either from the areas you are trying to reach OR at least have experience in marketing to the Chinese consumer, can really impact on whether or not your strategy works.
Being flexible in your strategy
- Due to the constantly evolving nature of the Chinese market, only the brands that take the necessary steps to stay on top of these changes will continue to stand out.
- Many brands begin lacking in innovation, their strategies remaining stagnant and fixated, allowing others that are more willing to evolve together with the market, to easily pass by on ahead.
- Understand that the painstaking effort you’re placing in developing your Chinese marketing strategy today may need to be scrapped entirely a year from now. Be flexible and willing to adapt if necessary.
Don’t hesitate, get started now
- While the importance of homework and due diligence in advance of entering the Chinese market cannot be stressed, it is also equally important that you don’t wait too long once you’ve got your strategy mapped out. China’s marketplace is extremely competitive, with many other brands already clamouring just to get their foot in the door.
- The sooner you establish your brand and begin to make traction, the more likely you will be to realising continued success in this vast market of opportunity.
If you enjoyed reading this and would like to read more Marketing related content, feel free to take a look at our Chinese Marketing Case Studies Library!
