This week I have been answering a reader’s question about whether you can use one methodology for your international market research across a variety of different countries.
And I believe this depends on:
- What you need to get out of your international market research.
- What type of market research you are using.
Today let’s look at three steps to help you bring this all together.
Your Market Research Goals
First, remember to clearly develop your international market research goals.
Most businesses that carry out international market research want to:
- Identify international business opportunities
- Find ways to get more international clients
- Get into foreign markets faster
But your international market research also helps you to:
- Eliminate international business risk
- Avoid international business blunders
This is an important step and I will not go into this more here. I will cover this in detail on Get International Clients
Different Market Research Tactics
Second, use different market research tactics when appropriate.
Yesterday I wrote about three different types of market research suitable for international business development:
- Exploratory market research
- Descriptive market research
- Casual market research
The tactics you use when marketing to different countries will not always be the same for these three different forms of research.
When you look at each of these different types of market research it is fairly easy to understand that:
Exploratory market research
- You can use one set of tactics for exploratory market research
Descriptive market research
- You could use some of the same tactics across a variety of different cultures and you would probably get more valuable information with other culture-specific market research tactics
Casual market research
- You probably need a different set of tactics for casual market research to get the same level of useful information from different countries and cultures.
Your international marketing skills will help you find the right market research tactics to use for your international market research goals.
Cross Reference Your Research
Third, make sure your information is accurate.
Cross-cultural communication is filled with barriers.
How can you tell:
- What market research tactic to use?
- When to use different market research tactics?
One of the best ways to improve your international business intelligence is to systematically cross research methods. Look for different ways to get the same information or related information.
This can be as simple as rephrasing your question.
But you should verify the key information you have about your international markets.
- Use a different tactic or at least different variations of the same tactic.
Even if you are sure you have made the right assessment, it is often well worth a little extra effort to verify this.
Cross researching your international markets often refines your insights.
In practice, I have never needed more time to cross reference my market research.
I have always outlined a market research plan strategically.
By dividing the information you need into sub-categories it is often easy to cross-reference one piece of information from one sub-category with a source for another sub-category.
You simply need to remember to ask the different questions at the right time.
International Business Success
Effective international market research requires actions with:
- Common sense
- A clearly defined strategy
- Effective cross-cultural communication
- Appropriate tactics
The end result leads to much better decisions to help you build your international business.
More On International Market Research:
- 5 Factors To Consider When Marketing To Different Cultures
- Choose How You Connect With Your Foreign Markets
- Here’s A Blog To Help Your International Market Research
- How Do You Learn About Your International Markets?
- How Do Your Foreign Prospects Use Their Search Engines
- How To Know Where Your International Markets Really Are With Business Blogging
- Methodology For International Market Research
- International Market Research Essentials
- International Market Research Success
- Target Market Research Versus Persona Marketing, Or Both?
- Target Your Global Market With A Good Understanding Of Their Demographics
- Why Is International Market Research So Important?
More In These Get International Clients Business Guides:
She is who I turn to when I have questions and you should too"
-- Chris Garrett, co-author of the "Problogger" book
