We're in the early stages of helping a manufacturer based in China enter the U.S. market.
While the details are confidential, let's just say their product line is in a highly competitive market -- one with established, experienced brands with lots of marketing moola to ensure their positioning.
As we prepare to Westernize the brand, we are encountering research that shows the potential for Chinese manufacturers is great in the American market if they can overcome one key dynamic: the preconceived notion that Chinese products can be lacking in quality (because they are low in price).
Well that's okay. We never intended to sell on price.
So why blog about this?
It reinforces one of our most important messages:
Audience relevance is critical to marketing's success.
Fancy campaigns won't move the needle if you fail to understand what motivates buyers and connect their need to your solution. Whether it's a plant manager, a CFO or a college dean. Each buyer is motivated by something specific to their function and the subsequent accountability.
One of the most successful B2B campaigns I ever had the honor to work on took this thinking to the highest level -- for construction equipment of all things. When we worked really hard to understand why target audiences should care if the wheels moved seamlessly over a curb -- and made sure that they understood how this benefitted their role and responsibility...wow, the results.
Understand your audience. Deeply know what motivates them to buy. Truly know your company's and your product's strengths (and weaknesses). Compare them honestly to your competitors.
And craft your marketing messages with the end-user squarely in mind.
If this is the biggest change you make at the end of 2010, or for all of 2011, it might be the one with greatest impact.
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