Solidresearch
First,solidresearch,analysisandplanningmustunderpindecision-makingforexporterswhoaretargetingChina.Thiswillincreasetheoddscreatedbyadefensiblestrategyandimplementationplan.Marketsize,growthandcharacteristics,customersegments,regulatoryissues,competitivedynamicsandotherrelevantissuesmustbeclearlyunderstoodtodevelopanappropriatego-to-marketstrategy.Itisespeciallyimportanttounderstandthecustomersegmentsandchannelsthataretargetedandcustomerbuyingbehaviorwithineachsegment.
Investinmarketing
Second,itisnecessarytoinvestheavilyinmarketingandtoactivelyprofilethebrandthatwearetakingintothemarket.China鈥檚largemarketisdensewithmanycompetingbrands,andconsumersareincreasinglyspoiltforchoice.Therefore,weneedtopositionabrandverycarefullywiththetargetaudience.Inaddition,China鈥檚rapidadoptionofsocialmediaandpervasivedigitalizationalsonecessitatealocalizedapproachandroll-out.Thisapproachmustfactorinlocallanguages,culture,consumerpreferences,tastesandhabits.Gettingallofthisrightimpliestheneedforadeepknowledgeoflocaltrendsandprevailingmarketingcommunicationsbestpractices.ManyforeigncompanieshavespentfortunesonmarketingviasocialmediainChinathathavegoneunheard-anexpensethatcanbeavoided.
Managingbusinessdevelopment
Third,thecoreactivitiesofbusinessdevelopmentandsalesmustbemanagedandexecutedwell.Consumerproductroute-to-market(RTM)activitiesviapartnerssuchasdistributors,agentsandlogisticsplayersmustbecarefullymanaged,andselectingtheright(orwrong)partnercanmakeahugedifference.ThechallengeinalargemarketsuchasChinaisthatthereisahugerelianceonpartnersandthirdparties.However,managingthevariousregionsandstakeholderspresentschallengesofcomplexityandcost.
Forbusiness-to-businesssalesprocessesandbusinessdevelopmentintheindustrialsectors-assumingagoodproduct,serviceorvalueproposition-thecustomertargeting,relationshipmanagementandkeymessagedeliveryarekeyelementsofwinningstrategies.Salesforcecapability,sizeandeffectivenesswouldusuallybedecidingfactorsforsuccess.Whereresellersareinvolved,carefulselection,monitoring,measurementandmanagementarethekeys;andwheredirectengagementisthedominantsaleschannel,acostlysalessystemmayhavetobesetup,oratleastcreatedviapartnerships.
Supportingsupplychains
Fourth,thesupportingsupplychaincapabilitiesandinfrastructureforstrongexecutionandfulfillmentmustbeinplace.Indeed,logistics,thatis,shipping,customsclearance,warehousingandtransport,mustbemanagedwell.Effective,easytouseandsecurepaymentsystemsmustbeinplace,whileresponsiveafter-salessupportandservicesmustberolledoutinchosenmarkets.
Thesefourpillarsprovideausefulframeworkforasystematicgo-to-marketprocess.Itisnecessarytohaveamanagementandbusinessdevelopmentteamthatconsistsofcapable,professionalandexperiencedexecutives.Theymusthavetherightlanguageskills,culturalastutenessandthecapabilitytoimplementastrongmanagementsystem.Theymustsetthecourseinordertomakeadjustmentstowardstrategizingnewinsights.Noneofthisiseasytoachieve,buttherewardforsuccessinChinaisworthwhile.
**TheauthorRachelWuisadirectorwithTheBeijingAxisinBeijing.Thefirmdoesglobalprocurement,internationalsalesactivationandcross-borderadvisoryandhasofficesinAsia,EuropeandAfrica.Contactherat.