Global Strategy
By Cheryl Currid
Within 30 minutes after United Airlines added e-commerce capabilities to its United Kingdom Web site, a British family of five purchased tickets to Hawaii. Office Depot, after its merger with Viking Office Products, expanded its business and now uses its cybershopping experience in 19 countries. And upstart chipshot.com doesn't just market to U.S. golfers. The company saw early on that 12 percent of orders were coming from outside the U.S., many from Japan. Recognizing an opportunity, the company built a site specifically for the Japanese market.
You can learn from these successful global ventures: Send your Web developers to charm school and teach them about international diplomacy; localize as you globalize; and develop a marketing mind-set for the intricacies of a world market—people who don't speak your language, understand your humor, or have any clue as to why they should buy from you.
If you're looking to take your company global, these lessons are important. They serve as reminders that, in order to compete, you'll need to know about culture, currency, and customer support. You'll also learn that 24/7 isn't an operating dream—it's a necessity to keep your business going.
Localize as You Globalize
The biggest message that I hear from successful global Web sponsors is that it's crucial to provide localized content. You'll be competing with brands and products that the local people know.
