{"id":10130,"date":"2023-05-25T11:07:34","date_gmt":"2023-05-25T10:07:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.answerconnect.co.uk\/blog\/?p=10130"},"modified":"2023-05-25T11:07:35","modified_gmt":"2023-05-25T10:07:35","slug":"local-commerce-brand-new-markets","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.answerconnect.co.uk\/blog\/business-tips\/local-commerce-brand-new-markets\/","title":{"rendered":"Local commerce: How to keep your brand local while launching in a new region\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

When your brand\u2019s been developed for one context, it can be hard to expand into new markets (domestically or internationally). If you stay too close to what works, you won\u2019t be relevant to new audiences. But if you change too much for new markets, your brand will become inconsistent and, ultimately, meaningless. How do you find a happy medium? Tall comes down to understanding local commerce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Remember your core customers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s special about your brand? When you\u2019re so close to it, it\u2019s easy to forget why the people who use your brand, use your brand. Indeed, often the real reasons might surprise you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you\u2019re launching a brand in a new region, it\u2019s important to know what it means to your existing customers. Seek out your early champions, or your superfans<\/a> if you have any, and as them what they love about the brand. Their answers are the core essence of your brand. These people won\u2019t be representative of all your customers, but what they tell you can be hugely instructive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once you\u2019ve figured out what your brand truly means, you can adapt it for new markets. But importantly, now you can do it in a way where you stay consistent and true to your brand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Woman<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Embrace a market orientation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

What do you know about your new market? Is it \u201cnothing\u201d? Good, that\u2019s the only correct answer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you\u2019re entering any market, it\u2019s important to keep a “market orientation<\/a>“. That means you need to focus first on identifying consumer needs first, and your business second. Ultimately, it means putting the customer at the heart of everything a business does.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you think you know a bit about a market, it can be easy to rely on stereotypes or incorrect \u201cconventional\u201d wisdom. Instead, be humble and embrace the fact that you know nothing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Research your new market<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Once you\u2019ve accepted that you don\u2019t know anything about your new market, it\u2019s time to do your research and learn something. If you have the resources, you can work with a professional research company to map out your market for you. They will typically offer two types<\/a> of research:<\/p>\n\n\n\n