The tide is turning. Mom-and-pop shops don’t have to compete with internet businesses and big conglomerates to lure customers anymore.
There has been a dramatic shift in consumer preferences. Local businesses are thriving again—thanks to consumers.
Younger age cohorts—millennials and Gen Z—are especially passionate about helping local businesses flourish. About 96% of millennials and 70% of Gen Z are willing to shop locally more often.
That might not sound good news for you since you’re growing a global business. But wait—you can thrive in this shop local era, too. Want to know how? Here are the strategies that can help you out.
Get to Know the Local Culture Inside-Out
Surface-level knowledge won’t help you connect with local communities. It’s not enough to know the basics like public holidays or popular dishes—go deeper.
Live the local culture. Immerse yourself in it. It will allow you to dig deeper into their customs, values, humor, and unspoken social norms. That will help you tweak the mechanics to stay relevant and resonant.
One infamous example is McDonald’s. A recent feature of WARC reveals that culture makes up 100% of the brand’s marketing mix. The fast-food restaurant company believes in living in culture as well as with culture. Thus, it develops products for the local market.
Potatoes, for instance, are a very important part of India’s cuisine, especially in West India. In particular, the vada pav—deep-fried potato dumpling placed inside a bread bun—is a much sought-after snacking item. Inspired by it, McDonald’s launched the McAloo Tikki Burger in the country.
There is McCafe, as well. The coffee is tailored to the Indian palate, and that is why it sells in the country.
How to Learn the Local Culture Thoroughly
- Engage with the locals. Conversations with locals will offer invaluable insights that you can’t get from books or research. Attending community events, hanging out at local hotspots, and chatting with people will further help you understand their perspectives.
- Consume local media. Follow regional newspapers, TV shows, music, and social media trends. Media is a window into what matters to people—be it humor, struggles, or aspirations.
- Learn the language. Even a rudimentary grasp of the local language will show respect and build a rapport. It will open doors to deeper, more meaningful interactions.
Adapt Colors, Imagery, And Narratives To Fit Local Tastes
One significant challenge for global brands is to maintain a consistent brand identity.
Colors and images can evoke powerful emotions—but they don’t mean the same thing everywhere.
Take red, for example. In Chinese culture, red symbolizes good luck. The same color is associated with mourning in Africa, however. It represents violence in South Africa, particularly.
Now, imagine launching a global all-red campaign that includes African markets—it risks alienating or upsetting the very audience you aim to connect with.
Turning to McDonald’s again, the brand changes its website’s colors in certain countries to conform to their cultural symbolism. As an example, it projects a more eco-friendly image in Europe through its hunter-green background instead of the customary red.
Narratives also require careful calibration. A campaign rooted in independence may thrive in Western cultures but feel out of sync in collectivist societies where family and community values dominate.
How to Maintain a Consistent Brand Identity
- Don’t be stiff; be flexible. Develop a flexible branding strategy. Establish non-negotiable elements like tone of voice, logo, and core messaging while allowing flexibility in visuals and design to suit local preferences.
- Adapt colors and imagery thoughtfully. Use culturally relevant colors, fonts, and visuals that align with local tastes. At the same time, maintain a cohesive global aesthetic.
- Collaborate with local experts. Partner with regional creatives and cultural consultants to ensure authenticity and avoid unintentional missteps.
Replace Off-the-Shelf App With a Custom Solution
Off-the-shelf apps are a one-size-fits-all solution. These pre-built applications work great for general use. But they often fall short when it comes to meeting the unique needs of a specific business or market.
They may lack the flexibility to integrate with your existing systems or fail to address local compliance requirements. There are scalability concerns as well. Developer Tech News notes that off-the-shelf apps may not be able to accommodate rapid growth.
A custom solution, on the other hand, will allow you to design an app tailored to your business’s specific goals and the local context. You can, for example, incorporate region-specific language options, user interface preferences, and culturally relevant features. That would make the experience more intuitive for local users.
That is not all. Custom-built apps are a powerful marketing tool. Whether it’s through targeted messaging, in-app notifications, or interactive content, they allow businesses to engage with customers directly.
Case in point—Starbucks. Famous for its coffee and customer experience, Starbucks launched its app in 2009, so its fans can easily find nearby stores. Two years later, it integrated a seamless in-app payment feature to elevate customer experience further.
Data reveals that over 31 million people use the Starbucks app. And recently, GeekWire reported that 31% of total transactions of the coffeehouse chain in the U.S.
How to Build a Successful Custom Solution
- Use a low-code application development platform like Zoho Creator. According to Coral Technologies, Zoho Creator can help businesses build custom applications tailored to their specific needs. However, strategic planning and expertise are required to implement it. Turn to Zoho Creator implementation services to simplify the process. They offer the guidance and support they need to maximize the platform’s potential.
- Localize it. Incorporate region-specific languages, user preferences, and culturally relevant features to make the app more intuitive and engaging for local users.
- Involve end-users early. Gather feedback from your target audience during the development phase. User testing ensures the app meets real-world needs and drives better adoption rates.
Partner with Local Influencers, Not Just Celebrities
Celebrities bring star power. But do they really connect with your local audience? The answer is no. They lack the authenticity that resonates with grassroots communities.
To grow your business abroad, work with local influencers. Search Engine Journal states that the audience of local influencers is likely to be in the same area as your business. And so, your marketing efforts will be directed toward potential clients who can visit your physical site or use your local services.
According to CSP Daily News, independent social media influencers can draw new interest to your brand through:
- Local connection: As they understand the local community, they curate relatable content that resonates with audiences nearby.
- Authenticity: They are effective brand ambassadors because they are authentic. And that is why their followers trust them.
- Niche expertise: Influencers, often mid-tier, specialize in niches like food, fashion, fitness, etc.
A classic example of this is the German beauty brand Geske. In December 2023, the brand launched in the U.S., making more than 50 products available for sale on its website as well as Urban Outfitters and Amazon. Besides the U.S., the brand made itself available in 67 other countries.
To spread awareness about its expansion, Geske partnered with influencers like Charli D’amelio and Aida Domenech, along with celebrities. The result? The campaign garnered 62.5 million impressions across social and earned media, which increased retailer interest.
How to Tap into Influencer Marketing
- Choose influencers wisely. Work with influencers whose audience and values align with your brand. Is budget an issue? Micro-influencers—those with 10,000 to 100,000 engaged followers—and nano-influencers—those with 1,000 to 10,000 followers—will be ideal since they are affordable. But if you want your brand to reach a large number of people, partner with macro-influencers. Their followers range between 100,000 and 1 million, and they offer a more targeted approach.
- Prioritize engagement. Focus on influencers with high interaction rates, not just large follower counts. A large follower count doesn’t translate to a high engagement rate. It is highly possible for an influencer with millions of followers to have a low engagement rate.
- Don’t restrict the influencer’s creative freedom. Avoid going overboard with your guidelines. That can stifle the creative freedom of the influencer. Plus, the content will look inauthentic and scripted. Just support them with the resources they need, and they won’t disappoint you.
Celebrate Local Holidays and Festivals
You can’t truly go local if you don’t celebrate local events and holidays in different markets. These occasions offer a unique opportunity to connect with your audience on an emotional level by showing that your brand values their culture and traditions.
An example is Google. Its homepage often features doodles that honor local holidays, anniversaries, and obscure cultural traditions. It’s a small gesture that goes a long way in creating emotional connections.
McDonald’s also deserves a mention in this regard. In India, the fast-food restaurant company actively participates in festivals by tailoring its offerings as well as in-store experience.
To appeal to diverse customers and transcend demographics, WARC reveals that the brand leverages universal insight. That helps it build narratives that resonate with the locals.
Festivals Make Families, McDonald’s In Every Celebration, and For Your Other Diwali are examples of its previous campaigns.
How to be a Part of Local Events and Holidays
- Design localized campaigns. Use culturally relevant storytelling and visuals that align with the traditions and emotions of the event.
- Tailor your offerings. Create limited-edition products or services inspired by the festival, like exclusive flavors or festive packaging.
- Collaborate with local partners. Work with local businesses or community leaders to co-create events or initiatives that demonstrate authentic involvement.
Conclusion
It’s no easy feat to maintain local roots while growing your global brand. But you will be able to build a thriving brand if you maintain this delicate balance between global scale and local intimacy.
Remember, though, that this isn’t about technology or processes at its core. Rather, it’s about people. Your brand might be global, but all business will ultimately be local. And so, every customer interaction or local partnership is an opportunity to prove that you’re not just a global brand operating locally. Instead, you’re a local brand that happens to exist globally.
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