4 Keys to Scaling B2B Marketing Campaigns to New Global Markets

1. Understand your target markets and buyer profiles

New customer acquisition is a primary motivator to move into new markets, but software companies should first ask why they are expanding, and then identify reasons for each specific country. Many regions can look appealing due to large market sizes, but it’s important to see if you fit in there.

Kelsey Walsh, Manager of Client Success for Gartner Digital Markets, suggests asking a critical question as you begin: Do you already have customers in the markets you are considering? 

If you are making sales in a country, that should be your first target.

Existing clients mean existing data and a proof of concept. Prioritizing this region will help you better craft a B2B marketing program that meets the unique needs and pain points of local buyers beyond your home country.

There are two layers to understanding a new market. One is to get familiar with the business landscape (types of companies, market size, primary industries and spending capabilities). Another is to map local buyer profiles and evaluate how they differ from other countries.

When evaluating new target markets, global B2B marketers can avoid common pitfalls by asking these questions:

You can use global B2B buyer data to learn how businesses make technology purchase decisions and predict buyer journeys within specific countries with these Market Landscape Guides: 

 2. Use audience targeting to reach relevant consumers

After evaluating your target market and buyer preferences, decide on your audience targeting strategy. This goes beyond understanding buyers’ needs to take a more in-depth approach to reach your target audience with the right message at the right time.  

Audience segmentation for international markets helps determine if a segment of buyers is worth targeting, and the best way to approach them. It will help you formulate appropriate global marketing campaigns and position products according to local consumer behavior.

You can use local market intelligence to update your buyer personas in a way that accounts for nuances by country. As you segment your buyers, start by collecting data across four major groups.

Building relationships with regional partners can also enhance your content localization strategy. They can share buyers’ perspectives and channel expertise to give you a unique glimpse into the local audience. For example, you can leverage your listings on software reviews sites that have a localized web presence in other countries.

4. Bridge the language barrier with translation

According to the Gartner 2021 survey of global software trends,** buyers across 15 countries think it is important to translate core content and marketing collateral into the local language. The value of vendor communication in the buyer’s primary language rises more in countries such as Spain and Mexico, which assign the highest importance to translating training courses and materials to their native language.

Translating content can bring you several steps closer to local buyers. However, it can be challenging to decide which campaigns and content types should be translated first. To make these decisions, look at the content formats that regional buyers prefer to read in their primary language.

You can use free translation tools to convert your marketing collateral into the language of your prospects. But they often miss the linguistic nuances vital to make the same emotional impact as the original. Hiring or partnering with a small editorial team versed in the local language can save trouble in the long run. You can start small by investing in translation of important web pages, high-converting content and global third-party listings.

What next?

New markets are synonymous with growth and opportunity for software providers. However, it can take time and experimentation to figure out what works and what doesn’t.

Test different channels, content marketing ideas and outreach strategies to work out the best ways to reach your buyers. Use your findings to establish a global marketing plan that helps you scale for efficiency and customize for effectiveness.

For data on buyer personas in different regions of the world, download country-specific software market guides from our Insights hub.

Francesco Papagni

Francesco Papagni is an Associate Director of International Marketing at Gartner Digital Markets, where he helps companies grow faster and scale their operations efficiently. He has 12+ years of experience in international omnichannel marketing and expertise in multilingual digital strategy and execution. Connect with Francesco on LinkedIn.

*Buyer Trends During COVID-19 (International): Survey Methodology

Gartner Digital Markets conducted an online survey in May 2020 between 2,904 respondents, which included employees and managers in small and midsize businesses (SMEs) from Australia, Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain and the United Kingdom. Only responses from those who owned the business or were at management, senior management or executive management positions were considered for the findings of this article. 

**Results presented are based on a Gartner Digital Markets study to understand business challenges and approaches to technology and software investments. The primary research was conducted between October and November 2020 among a total of 1,349 respondents in the following countries: United States, Canada, Mexico, United Kingdom, Australia, Italy, Portugal, Brazil, Belgium, Netherlands, Sweden, India, Spain, Germany and France. Companies were screened for number of employees (2 to 249) and total annual revenue (less than 100 million USD in fiscal 2019) to arrive at small and midsize businesses. Respondents were also required to be involved in purchasing technologies for the organization and hold a position of manager or above in the company.