What is international marketing?
International marketing has enabled all companies to do business in the majority of countries around the world. In simple terms, international marketing concerns all the necessary actions taken by a company to promote its brand, product or service in a foreign market.
It encompasses all the marketing decisions required to bring a product to market, including identifying the target market, analysing the customer base in foreign countries, and the tariff planning and implementation procedure.
Several players are involved in international marketing:
- Multinational companies, which are organisations with several offices in several countries and a head office;
- exporters who sell products or provide services abroad;
- Importers who buy products and services from exporters;
- service companies that trade services to generate revenue.
Why is international marketing growing?
With customers’ tastes, preferences, choices and demands constantly evolving, companies have to find a way of adapting to all this. As a result, they have given way to more competitive marketing and have decided not to limit themselves to their national borders. As a result, these companies have turned to international marketing.
International marketing is an excellent way of adapting to changing business conditions. It also makes it possible to take advantage of technological developments. International marketing is developing more and more these days for a number of reasons:
- it’s a way for a company to have a much more diversified source of income;
- it’s the best way to get closer to your customers. Note that even online sales need international marketing;
- It stabilises a company’s revenue stream by adapting to fluctuations in demand.
Principles and strategies of international marketing
International marketing is based on principles for developing different strategies.
- Direct relations with customers: you need to understand who you are talking to and what they are looking for;
- the product : it is also important to see whether your product is in demand on the market in another country;
- Price: you need to choose a pricing strategy that is premium or economical;
- Place: try to define where you are going to carry out your advertising activities and marketing processes so that target customers have easy access to the product or service;
- packaging: devote more effort to presenting your product or service. Your packaging should vary according to the market (language, colour);
- Positioning : you need to know where you stand to determine which messages will be most attractive to your new audiences;
- Physical evidence : this is the evidence you use to convince your new customers. This can be in terms of atmosphere and environment;
- Staff: you need to understand the importance of your staff and the fact that they are your greatest asset.
In short, all these principles are based on a common theme: understanding your consumers.
How can I work in international marketing?
International marketing is a highly demanding field that requires highly trained people. International marketing professionals must be specialists in managing several variables. Once you’ve obtained your bachelor’s degree, there are a number of training and study options open to you if you want to work in international marketing:
- an MBA (Master of Business Administration): MBA Communication, MBA International, MBA Marketing ;
- a Master’s degree from a marketing and communications school or a business school: Master of Science in International Marketing, Master of International Marketing ;
- a professional degree : Licence Pro Marketing, Licence Pro Publicité, Licence Professionnelle Commerce, Licence Pro Commerce International ;
- a BTS (Brevet de Technicien Supérieur): BTS Management Commercial Opérationnel, BTS Négociation et Digitalisation de la Relation Client, BTS Commerce International, BTS Communication.
Fluency in one or more foreign languages is essential for working in international marketing.
International marketing at Supdepub
Supdepub is a school specialising in communication. Our head office is in Paris, but we have several campuses in different cities in France (Bordeaux, Lyon) and in other countries (London, New York, San Francisco). In total, Supdepub has 17 campuses. The aim of our school is to train managers specialising in marketing strategy and corporate communications. It offers a range of courses for this purpose. To work in the field of international marketing, you can opt for the :
- SP4 / SP5 International Brand Strategy and Marketing ;
- SP4 / SP5 Global Communication and Brand Strategy.
On completion of these programmes, you will be able to take advantage of a :
- account manager;
- brand manager;
- communications officer ;
- project manager ;
- product manager ;
- advertising manager ;
- director of communications ;
- marketing director ;
- social media manager ;
- strategic planner ;
- head of communications ;
- international account manager ;
- marketing manager;
- brand manager ;
- responsible for customer success.