Look for market similarities, not their differences

When we speak with IT vendors we are often asked if European markets differ from each other, and how they compare to North America. The reason is vendors, especially those expanding into new markets, want to know how much, if any, they should localise their offerings.

We usually respond that, over the decades we have been carrying out research and working on both the vendor and client sides of the equation, we find that the majority of customers have the same core issues wherever they are located. Sure, there may be occasional differences, often dictated by local legislation or regulations, but generally it is far better to simply tailor the solution for local markets as little as possible. Don’t make bespoke solutions unless you absolutely have to, as the similarities nearly always far outweigh the differences. Usually it is only the market messaging that needs modification for it to resonate with potential clients.

And, of course, it is far easier to manage if you have consistent products and services, and only the messaging is localised.

This is an extract from the Spring edition of our Freeform Focus Magazine. https://www.freeformfocus.com/spring-2022