5 things a brand needs to consider when entering the local market

Bringing a brand to market is no easy task. Financially and administratively, there are certainly plenty of hurdles to jump over. We are in a time where change is inevitable and happening around us. It’s within the ‘rumble’ that many businesses and brands have no choice but to pivot and stay agile, and many individuals see a new market opportunity for a brand or product. Whatever the circumstances, it is never as easy as ‘build it and they will come’ and not all ideas are great ones. Bringing brands to market for almost a decade in the UAE, here are my top 5 things to consider before entering the local market with a new brand, product or service.

Research

Let’s say you’ve spotted a gap in the market you are convinced your idea can fill. Spend time conducting proper research into market fit and need – and not just anecdotally. Your friends and family will tell you what you want to hear, but what about your potential customers and clients? What is already available now and what appears to be working? What are other companies offering and where can you be the difference? If you feel that your idea or service is so unique that nobody has done it yet, there is either a very good reason why or you are onto something. It may not just be because nobody has thought of it before you. This insight, including time, costs, suppliers, challenges and routes to market will help you navigate your business plan with fewer surprises and inform your decision-making before it becomes unnecessarily expensive or time draining.

Local market fit

What works in other regions and markets won’t always transfer successfully to the GCC. Time and again we see popular products and trends working well abroad and the assumption that they will copy/paste directly across to a UAE or regional consumer. It’s a very unique market. Attractive and potentially lucrative, for sure, but certainly full of its own nuances, foibles and contradictions. You must allow yourself to be guided by experts in the regional industry or landscape, who can help you navigate any potential differences or opportunities to ensure a positive launch and ongoing traction.

First mover or later entrant?

There is definitely room for both, but you will want to decide which you will be. Later arrivals can struggle to gain traction on first movers who have created a need and market share and can also put barriers up against incoming competition. First movers can experiment with technology and procedures or suppliers to suit themselves but need to watch costs. Scale can come quicker to a cost-effective early market entrant, but later adopters can have the benefit of analyzing what has come before them and where the gaps still lie.

Social media is the media

Far more so than in other territories, a local social media presence in the UAE or GCC is vital for new launches. Currently the local consumer market is driven almost entirely online with far fewer cost-effective offline marketing options than other countries. We can’t stress enough that your digital strategy will be vital in building brand awareness and giving you a research insight into what is currently popular, and which tactics work best.

Timing is everything

Even the best-laid plans have a timescale contingency. Future thinking is great, but the further down the line towards launch you get it is important to consider the seasonality of the market and the optimum timing to put your new product or service out in the world. Bad timing can make or break a new market entry; planned timing will meet potential demand head on.