Boosting their global presence might not be their top priority for many startups. However, it’s the best strategy if you’re looking for more investors and planning to expand your business into new markets.
According to BigCommerce, 43% of international shoppers research the product by buying a product. Because of the internet, creating a global presence has become more democratic than ever before. It just depends on the startup company’s strategy for going global.
In our research, we came across William Mamane, the Chief Marketing Officer of Tomedes, a company that provides translation services, interpreting and localization solutions to small-medium enterprises worldwide. We interviewed Mamane as he has managed thousands of international marketing projects for startups.
From this interview, we will discuss the importance of building your global presence as a startup company and some of the considerations you will need to take to get started.
To learn more about this, keep on reading!
Why is Global Presence Important for Startup Companies?
Though it might seem an absurd idea to begin thinking of expansion for startup companies, it’s always a great idea to start thinking about your long-term plans, including the markets you could enter. Mamane explained that it has become easier for startups to enter markets because of the internet, which is also why the demand for the translation industry’s services has increased over a decade.
“The main reason why our startup clients come to us with their international marketing strategy is that they saw the opportunities in expansion. They saw that most of their competitors were not targeting these markets and that their startup companies were providing a demand not yet oversaturated in these regions,” Mamane said.
He also stated in our interview that promoting their clients’ brands in different markets had helped attract local investors who saw the potential of their startup companies. Often, these startups were discovered by foreign investors due to the internet.
It might be a good time for startups that have already made it past the threshold of five years to consider cementing their brand in the international market. So it’s wise to seek out a professional translation company that can effectively translate your brand to any market.
How Professional Translation Company Assists in Establishing Your Global Presence
Now, if you’re planning to go global, you mustn’t treat the culture and language of your target market as an afterthought. Big brands have made this mistake in the past, which has led them to lose their target users. Because of this, we suggest that you seek out a professional translation company that specializes in marketing to your target locale.
We also listed below a couple of reasons why startup companies should consider collaborating with a translation company, especially in the earlier stages of their planning.
Better Communication with International Customers and Investors
Communication is crucial, especially if you’re just starting out in promoting your brand abroad. Because of this, translating your brand’s message and marketing materials should be taken seriously, as mistranslation could potentially hinder your plans as you’re just about to start entering a new market.
Due to this, you will need to collaborate with a translation company closely to ensure that your branding doesn’t get “lost in translation” while at the same time resonating with your target audience. Also, working with a marketing expert specializing in the language and culture of your target country can help you better understand your customers and investors.
Improves Your Startup’s Conversion
Think With Google reported that 82% of online customers have stated that they would most likely buy from marketing materials in their mother tongue. Because of this, you need to have a well-executed multilingual marketing campaign with a professional translation company.
Raising your SEO Standing
As mentioned, many startups have entered foreign markets because of the internet. So it’s no surprise that with the help of a translation company specializing in multilingual SEO, you will need to also think about creating a marketing strategy that would help you rank in whatever search engine website your target locale uses.
5 Steps to Boosting Your Startup's Global Presence
Now that we’ve discussed how vital having a good grasp of the culture and language is in your strategy to expand your global presence, we’ve listed below some advice and suggestions from Mamane that you will need to consider to successfully enter any market.
1. Build a Profile of Your Ideal International Investor and Customer
According to Mamane, the common mistake that startup companies make when expanding their brand to a foreign market is not conducting thorough market research. When you’re creating a profile of your international customers, you will need to conduct a feasibility study. As for international investors, sometimes you will need to contact them directly.
One of the benefits of working with a translation company is that they can help you build up profiles for your international investors and customers by creating surveys and studies in their native language. The professional translators can also assist you in interpreting with potential investors in the foreign market you’re entering to better communicate with them.
2. Work with a Translation Company When Researching Your Target Audience
Another reason why you should tap the assistance of a translation company is because they often are experts of the target market you’re planning to enter. Also, most of them offer translations for legal documents and other papers that you’ll need to fully operate and expand your business abroad.
We advise that you listen to these professionals when they provide insights on how to best promote and create a strategy for your target audience. If you have any problems with your startup’s branding, coordinate with them by finding the main core of your branding message to ensure that its meaning is constant in each market you enter.
3. Find the Right Channels to Spread Your Startup’s Message
After you’ve created your multilingual marketing content for your target markets, you must have it launched and posted on an online platform where your users are active.
For example, suppose you’re promoting your brand on a social media platform for the Japanese market. In that case, you might want to consider putting more effort into Twitter compared to Facebook due to how more active Japanese users are on that social media platform.
Usually, Facebook is always the top social media platform in most countries, which is no wonder it’s considered a decacorn. But for this scenario, if you had put your marketing efforts into it for Japan’s market, it would have backfired.
We advise that when you’re researching your target audience alongside a professional translation company, you take advantage of this period and find out the consumer behavior of your users on those platforms.
4. Before Seeking Out Investors and Customers Be in Legal Compliance with Local Laws
As mentioned, startup companies will have to comply with the local laws of the market they will be entering. A translation company can help you translate your documents and keep your apps and websites in compliance with the local data policies.
We highly suggest that you look for local legal experts specializing in foreign marketing and trade during the initial phases of your planning. The local legal experts will also play an important role during negotiations between you and your investors.
5. Be Consistent in Globally Promoting Your Startup
Startup companies should be consistent in what they present and how often they promote their brand. The speed shouldn’t compromise the quality of your marketing materials in your launching. But you must schedule out when you launch and post content online, especially if it’s your first time entering a new market.
It’s because it helps with international SEO simultaneously. It shows that your brand frequently creates informative content that promotes your brand by providing a solution to your customer’s problems. One way of ensuring that you’re never behind is by story mapping your productivity, which will help you and your employees be on the same page.
Final Thoughts
Because of the pandemic, it might seem bleak to think of globally expanding your startup amidst this international crisis. But the projection of the translation industry’s compound annual growth rate of 2.06% from 2021 to 2028 shows that the international market remains stronger than ever.
Hopefully, the tips and suggestions we came up with from our interview with a translation company have helped you get started in your global expansion.
