Search:

Insights on Global and Domestic Marketing

The world is a small place thanks to the Internet, but there are still plenty of differences between people by nations. Those differences often translate into global and domestic marketing problems.

Some companies use a one-size-fits-all marketing approach. This approach is doomed to fail because what people in one culture like, another those in another nation abhor.

Values, concerns and attitudes need to be considered for target markets using the concept of market segmentation.

Global and Domestic Marketing: Consider Differences In People By Nations

USA market segmentation concentrates on demographics, psychographics and buying behavior. But the information provided by these characteristics doesn't cross borders.

The United States is known as a melting pot, and that means marketing to different cultures within one nation. That's hard enough, but when it must be done across borders, it gets even harder.

Global and Domestic Marketing: Demographic Characteristics Vary By Nation and Culture

Demographic segments vary across the world. For example, some characteristics for Generation Y in the USA may be similar worldwide, but most will be quite different.

Generation X, young adults in the USA, were deeply influenced by the 9-11 terrorists attacks. Because of global mass media, that event was somewhat experienced by young people across the globe. But young people in other countries experienced it differently. Some even celebrated it.

So you can't take characteristics that best define a USA generation and transfer those characteristics world wide.

Global and Domestic Marketing: USA Psychographic Characteristics Don't Cross Borders

Psychographic characteristics also differ by nations. For one reason, culture, morals, values and attitudes are learned within a society. Different nations develop different social pressures and expectations. They teach different values and attitudes within families and schools.

What is valued in one nation may be considered abhorrent by another, and these attitudes can change over time.

Consider a change within USA attitudes. Not that long ago a man's wife and children were considered his property, and he had the right to abuse them in anyway that he saw fit. The USA and state governments didn't interfere. But that is not the case today. A man can be convicted for raping his wife, and children are frequently taken away from parents who abuse or even neglect them. But in some nations, a man still has the right to abuse his wife and children. Even murdering them is socially acceptable and legal in some nations.

Thus, how people think, what they consider to be right and wrong, what they fear and value differ from nation to nation.

Global and Domestic Marketing: Buying Habits Are Nationally Specific

Each nation's economic well-being influences buying habits of its citizens.

But spending preferences go beyond people's ability to buy. It is closely tied to culture, social pressure, ideas of success and many other nationally specific characteristics.

Take grocery shopping as an example. In many prosperous European nations, people still buy fresh groceries from local markets and purchase every day for that day's meals.

Here in the USA, we don't want to spend that much time buying groceries. We buy fast food on the way to and from work, or we buy food that has to be processed to last weekly or monthly.

I'm sure that many European residents are appalled by our over-processed food and would never consider serving it to their families.

This example illustrates that buying habits for even the most fundamental products differ across nations.

Global and Domestic Marketing: Conclusion

Marketing campaigns can not be successfully transferred from one nation to another.

To effectively market internationally, unique marketing campaigns must be developed for each nation. But first marketers and business owners must learn about the people in the targeted nation.

In order for businesses in all nations to improve their business and national economies, the world needs to share specific characteristics that cause people to respond to marketing campaigns differently. When that happens global and domestic marketing opportunities will become more equal.