Businesses that successfully provide a national service are to be respected. Their hard work and dedication paid off, and they are likely running a series of smooth processes. However, once they set their sights on providing an international service, things can soon change.
Advertising firms, in particular, can’t hope to simply take their existing processes and transfer them seamlessly overseas. While there is much talk surrounding ‘global Britain’, success in one country doesn’t always guarantee the same in another. There are differences to account for and preparations to be made.
What do you need to consider when scaling up your advertising agency to an international level? Find out after the jump.
Time Zone Differences
Working with other businesses overseas can be a jarring process. Time zone discrepancies risk putting you out of synch with them, leading to a dysfunctional working relationship.
There are ways to overcome this problem. You could:
- Outsource your advertising services to the client’s home turf – It may only be worth attempting this if the client is an important source of revenue or if you serve multiple clients in the same country.
- Introduce 24-hour workdays – A night crew may be able to handle client relations after you have turned in for the evening.
- Note time changes – While the UK and other countries occasionally put the clocks back, nations like Japan and China don’t. The rules may be subject to change here too, so it’s worth doing some research to see how things alternate and where.
- Set the rules early – Once you and your client understand one another’s time zone differences, you can then schedule a recurring meeting time to be certain of another’s availability. Try to meet their needs and work with them during their most suitable time.
Though advertising often uses colourful language and embellishments, communication with your international clients must be clear, concise, and completely honest. If things are muddled here, time zone differences can dismantle everything, so a mutual understanding is key before any work occurs.
Language Requirements
Communication is the driving force of advertising. If your message gets lost in translation in any way, then no traction with customers and clients will be made.
It’s not enough to only use another language, either. Much more needs to be done. The warmth and character of your services need to be conveyed perfectly across multiple platforms. Though the ethos of your business needs to remain intact, the way you display it to the world may need to be subtly adapted.
Fortunately, marketing translation services can recreate your desired emotional impact for your advertising cross-culturally. They can help you best understand how to target an international audience, paying attention to the nuances of cultural awareness and consumer needs. It all helps your agency to advertise with greater precision.
SEO Changes
Language plays an important role in digital advertising. This is especially true when it comes to keywords in search engine optimisation.
It won’t surprise you that different countries have other varying interests. Many of them will be unknown to you, so it’s worth researching what your international audience frequently talks about. Advertising becomes somewhat simpler once you understand what topics they are intrigued by.
URL structures and tags may also need to be adapted. You should also conduct market and competitor research in the country you’re hoping to appeal to and see how they optimise their content for their audience.
Digital tools such as Google Analytics may help you analyse where your advertising generates the most interest internationally too. After that, you can refine your approach further and opt to channel more resources into the most promising overseas markets. Ultimately, SEO should be your guiding force as you scale up your advertising agency.
Brexit Rules
Brexit affected every aspect of the UK’s international relations. Therefore, it will be hard to proceed with upscaling your business without being influenced by these developments in some way.
There is now a path forward for all parties involved, but that doesn’t necessarily mean there’s nothing left to account for here. Rules around data protection and visa rules have changed, as well as taxes and tariffs on goods and trade. All of these factors can influence how and what you advertise overseas.
More sensitivity may be required when dealing with EU clients too. While most of the tensions have surfaced between politicians during this turbulent period, your business relations need to be proof of that. Optimum customer and client service must be delivered, and robust B2B dynamics must be established. You must be positive and proactive within the confines of Brexit rules at all times, irrespective of your personal politics.
Conclusion
You must be open to evolving your advertising agency if you hope to appeal to an international audience. After all, it is unlikely you will be able to replicate any success you experienced on your home turf elsewhere. There are differences in time, culture, language and politics that must be accounted for, so embrace their changes and adapt your agency over time.
