In a world dominated by hashtags, retweets, and virality, it is virtually impossible for merchants to control how and when their products connect with consumers.
More than ever, internet use, dominated by social media, is enabling how consumers research, discover, and share products.
A recent study conducted by WeAreSocial concluded that global internet penetration exceeded 50% in 2016 and surpassed all benchmarks when considering the annual rate of change –– one that is expected to accelerate over the next 12 months alone.
The numbers are hard to ignore:
- 3.77 billion global internet users in 2017
- 2.80 billion global social media users in 2017, equaling 37% penetration
- 4.92 billion global mobile users in 2017, equaling 66% penetration
- 2.56 billion global mobile social media users in 2017, equaling 34% penetration
- 1.61 billion global ecommerce users in 2017, equaling 22% penetration.
As technology continues to connect consumers in every corner of the globe, these numbers spell access to new markets and revenue opportunity for brands willing to take the global plunge.
Brands can now:
- Tap into new demographics and regions via the internet and technology
- Create digitally progressive business opportunities with limitless potential
How limitless?
EMarketer estimated that there were more than 1.6 billion ecommerce shoppers worldwide in 2016, spending a combined total of almost $2 trillion (USD).
Additionally, according to GlobalWebIndex, the total number of ecommerce users by country are up 9% year-over-year.
Plus, mobile commerce is growing at a 40% average rate across markets, according to a GlobalWebIndex survey.
All of this data begs the question…
The International Expansion Playbook
What if you are ready to invest in international expansion and localization to own a brand new market long before you competitors?
That’s what this guide will teach you to do.
How Many Ways Does Your Brand Say “Hello”?
Hello. Bonjour. Guten Tag. Shalom. Namaste. Ciao. Kon-nichiwa. Ni Hao. Hola. Hej. Xin chào. Sawubona. Hei.
How many ways does your brand say “hello” to consumers every day?
- Could that list be longer?
- Could your sales be higher?
- Could your market share increase?
The potential is unlimited –– and as Darrell Royal, one of the greatest college football coaches of all time, once said:
“Potential means you ain’t done it yet.”
For many merchants, the internet boom as well as the state of digital imperialism that is transforming how we interact across the globe is just that: potential. It has yet to be obtained, but entirely within reach.
This guide is tailored for merchants that want to capture that potential or better optimize their existing cross-border ecommerce strategies.
Sure, going global can be as easy as connecting to your local WIFI, submitting your product feed to a marketplace, and hitting go.
However, doing it fast versus doing it right will affect whether your brand can achieve global success.
In the following chapters, you’ll learn exactly how to strategically grow in your target international areas, including:
- The cross-border lingo and vocabulary you need to know to succeed
- An international checklist to make sure you don’t miss a beat
- Common mistakes others make –– so you don’t have to
- The tools you need to 10x growth –– quickly
- Worldwide consumer preferences that will affect what they buy, when and why
So buckle up. You’ve embarked on the fast lane to international growth for long haul.
