The phrase "Think globally, act locally" is everywhere and seems to be one of those snazzy catchphrases coined by some clever eco-awareness organization.
You know the ones...preaching down at us lowly commoners and brow-beating our habits and practices while they drive around in their huge Cadillac Escalades and Range Rovers, eating imported Argentinian steaks and putting imported Sicilian blood oranges in their children's school bags. They think just because they buy free-range, organic and have some fancy solar panels on their houses and wear bamboo clothing that they are personally saving the planet. Yeah them....
I could write a whole scathing chapter on these sort of holier-than-thou ecogeeks......but that isn't what THIS segment is about. The fact is, I want to speak to you today about Going Glocal.....that means selling your wares globally but purchasing your materials locally and appealing to both local and global markets.
I know there are some of you out there that are perfectly happy to only sell locally or within your own country and if that works for you that is great. Before the economic crash I wasn't terribly worried about my global reach with Posh Brats. I felt there was more than enough consumer base in the UK to serve my needs. Right???
The answer to that was Yes and No. Yes, there is more than enough customer base for me here....but NO it would not serve my needs.
As we have all seen every economy goes through it's highs and lows and when you are in an online market you feel it even more. You need other markets to cushion those local economic blows.
Global business is big business and while it may sound quite glamorous...the fact is it's something that every small business needs to be concerned with. It doesn't matter where your web business is based or WHAT you do...once you force yourself to to think outside your target area....your customer base increases to amazing levels!
It's quite possible that you've engaged in Glocalization without even realizing it. If your business has a website, Twitter feed, Facebook page, etc.;You are already reaching a global audience. Chances are you may even have a handful of international customers....but you can have MORE without changing much but your attitude and your marketing approach.
What you need is the perfect blend of things that can appeal to your target markets. Identify the markets you wish to appeal to and reach and research the demographics for those markets. A great way to do this is to read online magazines and blogs based in these areas and see what is trending.
When I started Posh Brats, as an American I was dealing with my own tastes and knowledge of the American consumer. This meant that many of my scent and product choices were something that would interest mainly Americans.
I very quickly realized that what sold for me online was completely different to what sold for me in my shop. Part of this was because people shop differently in person and their minds can be expanded by the experience of seeing and smelling something in person. Online, you are only limited to your own ability to describe something correctly and how you can inspire your customer to visualize how your product fits into their world.
Believe it or not, in the same way that every country has different cultures and cuisines; they also have different needs/wants/tastes in what appeals to their olfactory senses.
US/Canadian: Foody ( cinnamon roll, strawberry shortcake, hot fudge), Ocean/Fresh (rain, ocean water, pine forest) and Perfumey blends (designer types, sophisticated blends like green tea, bamboo, aloe)
UK: Floral (lavender, rose, violet), Herbal/Nature (mint, tea, chamomile, honey) and Exotic (oud, sandalwood, nag champa, musk)
Western Europe: Fruity (raspberry, orange, melon, blueberry), Foody (gingerbread, buttermilk honey, vanilla, coffee) and Tropical (coconut, exotic florals, pineapple and ocean water)
Obviously those lists aren't to everyone's tastes as my customers tend to be quite open-minded and sophisticated and very willing to trust my blends....but to the appeal of the brand new or more traditional customer it's a very true to form idea.
To sum up Going Glocal with your own brand; the basic steps you need to put into action.
1. Review your company's historical sales data and identify your current markets and where your customers reside. Then seek to expand your understanding of that market and how you can hone it.
2. If you run an online business, download your sales data into an excel document and create a simple table of your top postal codes/areas and then review the correlating sales data.
3. Once armed with your historical data, you don't need local knowledge to research this to the nines. This is where your Google skills come in handy. Start reading locally targeted press, blogs and magazines.
4. Work smart and use post code and zip code tools online to research the demographics of where your customers are. You will soon find out the average per capita income, homes values, popular stores, etc. This information about your customers is invaluable.
5. Armed with all of this information, you will then be able to fine-tune your marketing strategy. No matter what form you use you will soon start to see the difference in your reach and sales.
6. When it comes to sourcing materials for your products, even if it means paying a little bit more....always use locally sourced materials with verifiable eco paths. It does make a difference and people will pay more for knowing what they are purchasing is to the best of your ability...ecologically responsible. You are already going to be selling globally and that is a huge part of your company's eco-footprint; therefore keeping a balance with your materials is essential!
If you are like us and use a combination of all of the main forms of online marketing such as email marketing, SEO, social media, pay-per-click and content marketing; you can easily begin to tailor your communications to target your customers exact wants and desires.
I have often been accused of having an almost psychic awareness of what my customers want. I wish this were true and the fact is sometimes I still can get it horribly wrong but I pay attention and listen to my customers. I take their feedback and emails on board and I make constant notes.
It's a LOT of work but trust me, it WILL pay off handsomely for you.
All of this aside, ALWAYS make your customer first and they will make you their FIRST choice!
Love,
Brittany xx
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