You have decided to bring your successful enterprise tech company to the profitable U.S. market — congratulations. It is a big decision with tremendous opportunity, yet entering the U.S. market is not the same as opening another branch office in your home market. In this article, we’ll share with you the top 3 assumptions that enterprise tech companies need to evaluate and adapt before investing precious resources. We’ll also share how including the Kettering International initiative makes a world of difference.
Read on to discover these easy mistakes and the advantages your business can capitalize on by addressing some common assumptions before rollout.
Assumption #1: What Works in Your Home Market Will Work in the U.S. Market
The expertise in process and product that brought your business success at home might not be enough for an international market entry. Why? What works in one market does not immediately translate to what will work in another. Business languaging emphasizes a global market, so business drivers may logically think they can replicate their structure in a different geography without much need for change. But if we look at it another way, do we expect every client in our home market to want the exact same things? Think about the nuances needed to achieve success, such as relationship building, understanding infrastructure, and workflow dynamics. These specifics naturally change from business to business. Now imagine how changing from country to country compounds the necessity for understanding client needs.
What to do? At Kettering, we have a proven process to help validate your credibility in the market you are targeting. We identify and advise our clients in establishing a serviceable marketplace before deploying assets. Since Kettering International has a known physical presence in the U.S. market, we share our discernment between possible and actionable stakeholders — and that leads us to the second common assumption.
Assumption #2: Brand Recognition Easily Crosses Borders
Perhaps you have developed fantastic brand recognition in the U.K. or Australia. Your brand is synonymous with a solution, and you enjoy the open doors your hard work created. This tremendous accomplishment is to be celebrated and perpetuated, but it does not necessarily translate to success overseas. Why? American markets are generally unmoved by what has happened outside of their scope; presenting a new idea does not automatically result in contract sales. Only following an intentional process of reciprocal communication and education between you and your American client will establish the channels of trust and success you are seeking. At Kettering, we return our clients to the basics of relationships and understanding core business development. When your services clearly meet client needs, the messaging speaks for itself.
Your branding needs to be relatable to the market you are entering, not the one that built your success. This can sound simple, but it often slips by unnoticed until the sales numbers are not mirroring home market expansion (we discuss this further in our next article). For example,
it’s not enough to simply set up a secondary website for your new market. Your website is your storefront, and your representation grounds that into your desired market. Services and languaging need to illuminate your differences as well as your commonalities. Coloring and messaging must meet your American clientele’s unspoken understanding.
What to do? Successful enterprise tech firms translate their expertise for the markets they are expanding. At Kettering, we have helped many companies like yours resituate branding and messaging, and leverage personal connections to open doors to establish viable relationships instead of just trading business cards that get lost or forgotten.
Assumption #3: It is Easier to Open Doors in the U.S.
There is ample opportunity in the American market; however, this does not automatically equate to sales. If you are scratching your head, let’s look at the assumptions we’ve laid out: What works at home may not perform the same in the U.S. market. Even though the market is open to ideas, business drivers are historically hesitant in the sales cycle if they do not feel locally supported. They want to know you are here to help, not here to close sales before your flight back to London. It makes a difference. You want to be a present solution, not a passing fad.
What to do? This is where Kettering International shines. We understand that people make sales choices, and relationships move clients forward. Kettering International identifies key relationships for your U.S. market expansion; we help anchor businesses through our suite of offerings: outsourced COO services, dedicated in-market professionals, and a range of in-market office presence options. This physical presence shows that you are here to serve, and that closes sales. We also ask the hard tactical questions that will ensure a successful deployment. We sit with your C-suite and ensure that what is needed is in place and that what is planned is viable so that your hard work pays off in allowing you to enjoy the many benefits of a U.S. market entry.
Call Kettering International
Contact us to set up a discovery call and learn how Kettering can help you reroute from these common assumptions and make a plan for success. In our next article, we will share common pitfalls in U.S. market expansion and how to avoid them.