Ahead of our webinar next week on ‘Brand Appeal’ and why it matters for exporters, we interviewed the presenter, Bob McInnis (Duffy Agency), to help give you a flavour of what’s going to be covered. The webinar takes place on Wednesday 24th August at 3pm and you can register to it for free here.
Why is it so important for exporters to think about branding?
In the words of Bill Bernbach, “If you’re not a brand then you are a commodity. Then you can only compete on price.” If a company is committed to selling a commodity product abroad, then they will still need a brand for buyers to do business with, but the investment of time and money is much less.
If a business wants more control over the price it commands and wants to build long-term equity in a market, then they need to invest in a brand. This will allow them to command a higher and more stable price and to build a more lasting reputation in the market that helps ensure future sales, thus lowering risk. It’s hard enough to get your brand identity right at home, but it requires another level of focus to have your brand resonate with foreign target markets.
What are the common mistakes that exporters make considering export?
Underestimating the differences that can exist between target markets that appear very similar on paper or that they feel they are already familiar with, like when Target expanded into Canada. This invites problems on every level. In this Webinar, I’ll be showing real-life examples of easily-avoidable mistakes, from translating instead of adapting, focusing on the wrong benefits, assuming the culture of the target market is similar to yours own, doing desktop research instead of visiting the market, to name a few.
Duffy Agency are a US agency, but are the issues of export the same all over or are there differences? What are the differences?
Yes, we help US companies export but we also help companies in Europe and Asia export to the US. Many of the challenges are similar. One common issue that is unique to each nation is country of origin as it relates to the product category. Every country has a reputation that can rub off on the brand for better or worse. For instance, US markets are very receptive to wine or perfume from France but they may be less receptive to the same products from Austria, El Salvador or China.
What will be the key topics you’ll be covering in the August webinar?
Many talks provide useful digital tactics such as “tops to increase followers” or “search rank”. In this Webinar I’ll be focusing less on tactics and more on strategic approaches to foreign markets. I’m going to show lots of examples, including many clients we’ve worked with. Practical, achievable tips for businesses brands can use to develop a strategy to expand their brand globally.
In one sentence, why should exporters attend this webinar?
Exporters will get useful insights and best practices about marketing abroad that will reduce the risk of their business venture.
Bob McInnis is the Global Account Director for Duffy Agency, a digital marketing firm whose sole focus is helping mid-size brands experience fast growth across multiple borders. He serves on the US government’s eCommerce Export Council, an elite group of exporting professionals who advise the USCS and its “clients” on how to increase exports via digital.
Bob has been speaking for over twenty years on creating effective marketing strategies and driving response. He’s conducted thousands of seminars throughout the world in the US, Europe, and Central America.
Bob’s focus is on providing clients interested in growing abroad with bottom-line revenue results. It has led to a passion and expertise in lead generation, content marketing, and marketing automation.
Bob is a graduate of Dartmouth College and is based out of New York.
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