We are launching a new service line, US Marketing for Foreign Companies, designed to assist foreign companies entering the US market. With its much more competitive, sophisticated and market driven (less relationship driven) market than the rest of the world, we are finding our clients need more insights into, and understanding of, the US market.
Often when companies enter a new market they focus on things like logistics, packaging, and currency issues, but they don’t think about impact of marketing to a new and different culture. Companies typically use the same marketing team (internal people, sometimes with an agency) for the new market as they use for their home market. Unfortunately, most companies’ internal people and/or their local agencies don’t understand the cultural issues involved in marketing in a new geography to a different culture.
On the flip side, some companies spend huge amounts of money on market studies and research about the new market without investigating the market in person or running tests to verify the data and conclusions. They then make decisions and spend money based on data that is really not correct and end up failing and losing money.
A third mistake companies make when entering a new market is to over localize their product, so they lose the allure and mystique of being foreign. By becoming “local” companies lose what is often a key part of their unique selling proposition and become just another copycat product competing on price.
If you are thinking of entering the US market, contact us for a consultation and see how we can help you successfully launch your us business!
Team update: Here we grow again
- Welcome our new Chief Marketing Officer, Frieda de la Morena, a well-respected marketing expert with over 25 years of experience in professional services, energy and political campaigns. Companies she has helped include IBM, PWC, Deloitte, KPMG, Tenneco Gas and US Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson. She is based in Houston, TX, USA. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family and playing tennis. We are excited to have Frieda as part of the team. Her background in strategic marketing will bring a wealth of value to us as we help our clients grow.
- Keep an eye out for more new team members! We are currently interviewing several talented individuals to assist us in Houston and New York City.
- We are about to launch an international internship program. This program is for students in the US and other countries we operate in and will provide remote and/or local work arrangements allow the interns to work locally or remotely. Look for an upcoming announcement on the formal application process.
Project update: Tune in to YouTube
We have launched the Li Xu International YouTube channel as a new form of communication with our clients and friends. A loyal user of YouTube for many years, Li has gotten inspiration and ideas for improving both her business and her personal life by watching YouTube videos. Continuing her commitment to community, Li plans to give back to the by posting her own experiences, commentary, and opinions on international business, and addressing some of the questions she is asked most often. The posts are an experiment so bear with us as we edit and refine the process. If you have suggestions for future content, please contact us.
Have you visited our website lately? Articles and insights are added regularly, including our blog.
Blogs: Foreign direct investment in US series – Strategy
For centuries the United States (US) has been the land of opportunity. People of all walks of life have ventured to the new world with the hope of tapping the many opportunities available to them and their businesses. Is the US still the land of opportunity? Read our latest blog post for insights on:
- The top five reasons foreign companies come to the US.
- The three tactics for entering the US markets.
- Top mistakes companies make when entering the US.
Contact us for assistance in strategizing a common-sense, practical way to enter a foreign market.
International Community
New York City: International M&A continues to be involved in New York’s international community. Most recently we:
- Participated in the Ecopetrol investor day. Ecopetrol is the national energy company of Columbia.
- Joined the discussion on what the US wants China to do, at Columbia University. Susan Thornton of Yale University led the workshop: US-China Relations, the Next 40 Years.
- Attended the 12th Annual China Business Conference at Columbia Business School.
- Participated in NYU’s discussion on Venture Capital & Private Equity in a World of No Borders.
Houston: The bayou city remains a hot bed of activity and a favorite for foreign investors and the international community.
- Norwegian Energy Day featured leading tech innovators and industry experts discussing digitalization and the overall market outlook.
- Bahrain-US relations and learning from and leveraging the best practices of a mature oil market was the focus of a discussion at the April gathering of the Bilateral US Arab Chamber of Commerce.
- International students competed in the $1.5 million Rice Business Plan Competition where 42 teams converged on Houston’s Rice University to use real-world opportunities to learn what is required to successfully launch a new business. The teams also received mentoring from the business leaders and network with venture capitalists and investors.