As I relax at home and reflect on the day gone by, I enjoy digging into conversations more in-depth and finding answers to the many marketing questions life throws at us. Call me weird, but I love it.
Today, I had a call with a company in Germany that read one of my social media articles and decided to reach out to us. It’s exciting to know that people from around the world are reading our blog and, more importantly, German companies are using social media channels to unlock U.S. Markets.
German manufacturers — BMW, Mercedes, Bosch, Miele, Siemens, etc. — make all sorts of awesome, top notch products that are known throughout the world. However, achieving such stature is no walk in the park.
Gaining exposure (and customers) within the United States is vital. But the question is: Where to start?
The German company I spoke to earlier today manufactures high-end home theater equipment that is very popular in Deutschland, though U.S. sales are non-existent. The company understands the potential of social media marketing as well as the improved ROI when compared to conventional advertising mediums — print, television, etc. After much deliberation, they realized that social media cannot be ignored. In fact, it’s the star of the show.
My suggestion for German businesses looking to expand on a global level is to first penetrate the U.S. with a strategic social media campaign. Provide information, communicate with target markets on a personal level, gain exposure, and become an authority. Once a reputation is built with consumers, business-to-business relationships will form.
Moral of the story: Das Eisen schmieden, solange es heiß ist.
Aaron Schoenberger
@TheSchoenberger
The Brainchild Group
Aaron Schoenberger is Founder of The Brainchild Group — a world-renowned Internet marketing agency that specializes in Social Media Marketing and Search Engine Optimization (SEO). He’s known for his work with celebrities, top restaurants, automotive manufacturers, professional athletes, educational institutions, luxury brands and Fortune 500 companies.