Tips for Creating a Loyal Customer Base Overseas – or Anywhere

Published: 06/13/2017

I must admit, I was drawn to Selligent‘s booth at Shop.org Retail’s Digital Summit mainly because of their margarita machine and fun schwag. But it turns out they had some valuable insights on creating a loyal customer base that you can apply to your overseas strategy. I’ve shared a few below.

And here is what I would loosely call an “interview” with David Leess at Selligent about cross-channel campaign management solutions. Please note, no alcoholic beverages were consumed in the making of this video.

Whether you’re targeting customers domestically or overseas, the core principles of marketing still apply – they can just seem a little harder to follow, especially for small businesses. The key to attracting and retaining customers is making sure that you are demonstrating value with every message you send. And “value” isn’t just about offers.

What defines value?

A brand can demonstrate value by showcasing helpful information when it matters most and via the channel that makes the most sense based on the recipient’s circumstance – at home, at work, on the go, etc. Whatever approach works best for your target audience, success will depend on your ability to access data, understand it, and leverage it in automated messages across channels. And for that, you’ll need a cross-channel campaign management solution.

The good news is that consumers are generating more data than ever before, and digital marketing makes it possible to connect with consumers instantly, whether they are next door or 10,000 miles away.  So, here are some tips for creating a loyal customer base overseas (or anywhere):

1) Don’t assume tactics you use domestically will work with consumers in other countries. Cultural differences could mean some channels are more effective (email vs. mobile vs. web, etc.), and some types of motivation may work better than others (monetary incentives vs. social status vs. goodwill, etc.). Do your homework, run tests, and field surveys to find out what works best with the audiences you’re trying to reach.

2) Make sure you’re speaking their language. Invest in a campaign management solution that supports the languages of your target audiences, including complex character sets. And invest in native translations to ensure your messages get communicated as intended.

3) Take an assessment of all the data you can find on the audiences you’re trying to reach, whether that be from website browse behavior, email clicks, purchase behavior, or other internal or external sources. Next, leverage that data to better understand key segments – and ultimately consumers at the individual level.

4) Look for opportunities to collect more data – you can try surveys with prospective customers and progressive profiling with current ones.  But remember, if you collect the data, use it. Consumers will get annoyed if you ask them their birthday and then don’t send them a message on that day.

5) Analyze what channels are most effective with key segments and with what kinds of activities – promotional offers, product alerts, purchase confirmations, etc. Then, tailor your messages accordingly.

6) Look at engagement patterns to understand what times of day consumers interact most with different kinds of messages, and then begin testing messages that conform to those times.

7) Invest in a cross-channel campaign management solution that supports 1-to-1 messaging. Access to data means nothing if you can’t leverage it to send personalized messages. Automation is the only way to send highly personalized messages leveraging multiple data points to multitudes of people. Just say “no” to batch messages – because your customers will.

The basics always matter

In the end, taking your business overseas does require that you pay attention to some key details. But the core principles of marketing still apply. Deliver value with every message. Demonstrate respect for each customer based on what you know about them. And put the consumer’s needs above corporate objectives. (You don’t need to sell with every message.) That’s how you win customers and keep them around for the long-term.


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This video and audio interview series and all content provided on this site are intended to provide a resource to U.S. exporters. Our content is continuing to grow, expand and adjust based on the changing and evolving market dynamics. It is not comprehensive. Inclusion does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by the U.S. Foreign Commercial Service or the International Trade Administration. The Commercial Service and its collaborators have performed limited due diligence research; but we strongly recommend that you perform your own due diligence investigation and background research on any company or service we profile in this series. We assume no responsibility for the professional ability or integrity of the information and concepts described throughout our content.

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