{"id":15519,"date":"2020-08-13T07:49:30","date_gmt":"2020-08-13T07:49:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/staging-mondaycomblog.kinsta.cloud\/?post_type=marketing&p=15519"},"modified":"2022-06-15T10:41:50","modified_gmt":"2022-06-15T10:41:50","slug":"the-ultimate-guide-on-marketing-to-other-cultures","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/monday.com\/blog\/marketing\/the-ultimate-guide-on-marketing-to-other-cultures\/","title":{"rendered":"The ultimate guide on marketing to other cultures (and how we do it at monday.com)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

The year? 2019. The challenge? Bring the monday.com Work OS to the Spanish market.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Like many other SaaS companies, we\u2019ve long understood that targeting a single population is a waste of potential.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But localizing our platform – or adapting it to another language or culture – was no easy task.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

By August, the platform was available in 7 other languages. As of this article, our platform already supports 13 different languages, including English, Spanish, French, German, Japanese, Portuguese (Brazil), Russian, Dutch, Italian, Korean, Swedish, Traditional Chinese, and Turkish.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

And as more and more companies are attempting to localize the product, we wanted to share what we\u2019ve learned. After a lot of research, testing, and success, we\u2019ll attempt to answer the million-dollar question – <\/span>how to successfully market a product across multiple regions.<\/b><\/p>\n

How to overcome localization challenges – More than just translation\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Language and accurate translation are crucial in reaching new regions and converting customers from around the world, but it\u2019s not enough.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Localization marketing is not just translation; it\u2019s a contextual adaptation of your marketing strategy<\/a>. This means finding a way to target people with different cultures, ideals, beliefs, humor, and even purchasing preferences than your own.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Why is this so tough?\u00a0 Because, at the end of the day, a marketer\u2019s performance is based on their knowledge of people and culture. As any experienced marketeer knows, the foundation of crafting a successful marketing message is \u2018knowing your target audience.\u2019\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

So, how can you know an audience that has an entirely different life experience than that of you and your team?<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0The following are our tried and true localization tips from our team to yours.<\/span><\/p>\n

First, decide which markets to target<\/span><\/h2>\n

Before we get ahead of ourselves, this is a pivotal question to ask and answer before beginning any localization efforts.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Here\u2019s how we chose our first 8 languages:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

1. Traction – <\/b>Choose the languages used in countries where your product or service already has good traction.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

2. Language Popularity <\/b>– Focus on widely spoken languages. There are roughly 6,500 spoken languages in the world today. As terrific as it would be to target all of them, it\u2019s just not possible. We need to focus on the languages that will have the most impact.\u00a0 <\/span>That said, just because a language is widely spoken doesn\u2019t mean that it\u2019s right for you or that you have the capabilities to overcome the challenges that come with that specific language.\u00a0 At monday.com, we have yet to tackle Mandarin due to the Great Firewall<\/a> or Arabic due to the UI complications caused by right-to-left languages.<\/p>\n

\"Language<\/p>\n

3. Region<\/b>\u00a0<\/span>Potential <\/b>– While the parameters to measure potential may differ from business to business,\u00a0 most SaaS companies should start with these 3:\u00a0 the number of internet users per capita,\u00a0 SaaS adoption, and GDP (Gross Domestic Product).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"GDP<\/p>\n

Second, make sure you have the infrastructure\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

\u00a0Before you start building localized marketing campaigns it is <\/span>crucial <\/b>(this cannot be stressed enough)<\/span> that your company has the infrastructure to back it up.<\/span><\/p>\n

Not only does your marketing funnel need to be adapted but so does your entire customer experience.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Imagine you see an ad that’s perfectly translated and culturally appropriate. Then you try out the product only to discover – whomp whomp – that the product hasn’t been translated or localized.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Or finding a perfectly translated website only to see that the pricing is in a foreign currency and does not at all match the expectations of your market.<\/span><\/p>\n

Maybe the worst possible scenario is purchasing a subscription with a culturally localized sales team only to find out in the moment of truth that there is no customer support offered in the expected language.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The bottom line is that localization is not something that can be done half-way. It is better to focus on fewer markets than spread yourself too thin to cover all of your bases.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Third, build your local marketing strategy<\/span><\/h2>\n

Okay, once you\u2019ve identified the right markets and created a solid infrastructure for incoming potential users from that market, you can start getting the word out. (If not, you can bookmark this post and come back later.)<\/span><\/p>\n

So, where to start?<\/span><\/p>\n

Research your platforms<\/span><\/h3>\n

Not only does messaging change when marketing to different cultures but so does the medium.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Take some time to research and identify what devices are used in that specific country,\u00a0 what social networks they are on, what search engines are most popular, and what influencers they follow.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

After you initially map out the relevant platform, you can begin testing. Start getting your message out there, put a little money behind it, a\/b test your platforms, and determine which works best for your target market<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Interpret your marketing message<\/span><\/h3>\n

Interpreting your message for a foreign market is <\/span>a<\/span> double-pronged challenge – language and culture.<\/span><\/p>\n

Language\u00a0 – Translating your marketing materials<\/h4>\n

Some make the mistake of thinking that translating your material is as clear cut as sending pre-written marketing material to a freelance translator. But as many who have already fallen into that particular pitfall will tell you, it is not that simple.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

We\u2019ve all seen those embarrassing marketing translations. When Schweppes Tonic Water launched its first product campaign in Italy, it was very literally translated into \u201c<\/span>Schweppes Toilet Water<\/span><\/a>\u201d.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

And Pepsi\u2019s \u201cBring you back to life\u201d was translated in China as \u201c<\/span>Pepsi brings you back from the grave<\/span><\/a>\u201d. Probably not what they were going for.<\/span><\/p>\n

But don\u2019t worry – we\u2019re not bringing you these cringe-worthy, if hilarious, failures to deter you, but to show how they can be avoided:<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. In-house native translators <\/b>– While this would be the best possible option, we realize that it\u2019s not always feasible. <\/span>We, at monday.com,\u00a0 employ in-house native localization experts for a few of the languages we target, but we certainly don\u2019t for all 11 of them. However, even when we use third-party translators, we make an effort to get someone native from within the company to review the work, even if they are not necessarily a translator or a localization specialist. We do this because we need someone who understands both the local culture and the company\u2019s messaging to review the translation before it goes to market to ensure that it all works together.<\/li>\n
  2. Translation agencies<\/b> – As we mentioned above, we too work with third-party translators. While not necessarily ideal, there are precautions you can make to ensure quality. First off, it\u2019s important that you work with a trustworthy and certified agency. Second, put in the effort to onboard the translators correctly and help them get as familiar as they can with your product and messaging. If possible, request to work with the same translators within the agency so that you don\u2019t encounter the same mistakes over and over again. Keep an open line of communication and update them on any changes or additions made in the company.<\/li>\n
  3. Local agencies <\/b>\u00a0– Working with local partners, we\u2019ve also found that working with marketing agencies as consultants is an extremely effective way to localize our marketing. We work with various types of partners across the globe. Not only do they thoroughly understand both the language and the culture, but they are well-versed in marketing (within that culture) as well. While they aren\u2019t in-house, they usually have experience working closely with in-house teams in order to deliver the right campaign within the context of the local market.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Culture –\u00a0 Adjust your marketing materials for the local culture<\/b><\/h4>\n

    Marketing across cultures requires an open mind to perspectives completely different than your own. Belief systems have an extremely strong effect on consumer behavior<\/a> and must be taken into account when building your marketing strategy.<\/span><\/p>\n

    However, it is nearly impossible for an outsider to fully understand the local nuances in order to develop the exact right messaging.<\/span><\/p>\n

    That\u2019s why when we craft our messaging for a new market, we make sure to consult with a local entity, whether it be a partner or a local marketing agency.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    For example, <\/b>a couple of months ago, we decided that in order to increase our sign-up rate in Germany we need to take a closer look at the culture aspect and adjust our ads.<\/span><\/p>\n

    After conducting full market research and consulting with a German partner,\u00a0 we came up with a few interesting insights.<\/span><\/p>\n

    According to the research, Germans react more favorably to –<\/span><\/p>\n