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Last week I came across a number of articles on BizSugar that highlighted the differences with international business. Here they are with some of the thoughts they inspired.

Generating More Leads with Video White Papers

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White Papers are a great content marketing and lead generation tool for B2B businesses to reach audiences abroad. The trouble is that although they are very popular in North America, they are not as popular in other countries.

As Jonathan Kantor points out here, White Papers have changed in the last 10 years.  And I’m particularly interested in this new trend of making video white papers. This may be a more effective way to use White Papers to reach some international markets.  Of course good cross-cultural communication on video will also need to be applied.  But I can see some great possibilities here.

Have you seen a White Paper video?  If so, what did you think of it?

Get Testimonials – Proof is in the pudding

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Chris Hamilton makes a great case for using testimonials… North American style.  And I just have to caution readers, different cultures respond to North American style testimonials in very different ways.  In North America testimonials are used to build credibility. But in other cultures the techniques that work well in North America can actually destroy trust and credibility.

American best practices dominate the English language web. When you want to reach international markets you must never assume these “best practices” in other countries. This is also why you need more than translators to sell abroad.  You need local marketers or localization experts.

Do you ever think of adapting your testimonials for different cultures?

Five Ways to Effectively Follow Up (Without Being Annoying or Breaking the Bank)

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Trent Hamm gives us some great suggestions on different ways to follow up with your customers and leads.  This got me thinking about the cultural differences in following up.

One of the suggestions here is to send greeting cards.  And again, although greeting cards work very well in North America, they do not always work as well in other cultures. They just might not be your best choice.  This article got me interested in paying more attention to the differences in following up with different cultures.

What are your favorite ways to follow up with international clients?

Why Business Articles are Like Money in The Bank with Compound Interest

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One of the difficulties when marketing to international audiences on the web is the different levels of market maturity.  Different countries are at different stages in how they use the web.

When I first started blogging I also wrote for the French audience for several months. But I was too far ahead of the market here at that time and decided to stop and wait to see if they would catch up.  And 2 years later, the feedback from the articles I wrote at that time is now telling me the market here might be ready. The time I spent writing those articles 2 years ago may be worth the investment after all, particularly if it allows me to be one of the first people on the market.

Do you have content online targeting a different international market?

Does Feedback in Your Organization Flow Both Ways?

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As John Hersey says “Feedback is vital for learning and improving, as much in business as in life”. And it becomes critical to your success in international business.  When you have a good culture of giving, cultivating and listening to feedback you can avoid most of the cultural blunders on your path.

This article really got me thinking about the value of good “feedback” skills and the ability to navigate the interpersonal challenges on the subject of feedback.

What do you do to cultivate feedback?

Finding New Customers in New Markets

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Charlie Alter gives easy to follow guidelines for identifying new markets. This is a great read for businesses stuck in knowing what to do.

For international markets I would also include steps to get direct feedback from the international markets concerned.

What advice would you give to find new customers in new markets?

3 Questions to Ask Before You Offer a Bonus, Sample or Free Content

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Susan Oakes gives some great questions to ask before you offer a bonus, sample or free content.  And I think these questions also work for international markets because they get you to stop and think.

I’ve noticed different reactions to free offers in different cultures.  It’s a mistake to assume you know how people will react to receiving something for free.  Some cultures expect more and some will look at your free gift with suspicion.

Do you know what works best in your international markets?