Most of the Spanish companies that contact us seeking international databases are SMEs taking their first firm steps in the internationalization process. In most cases, these clients don't find acquiring external Spanish databases essential, as they have a good enough understanding of how to identify their potential market in Spain. However, they do require databases for the international markets where they are beginning to conduct direct marketing activities.
The opportunity is excellent. International Direct Marketing has been a proven sales tool for years. Many companies are already successfully centralizing global direct marketing campaigns for different national markets from a single point of coordination. This has allowed them to optimize costs, limit market penetration expenses in the target market, and in many cases, tap into less saturated markets where response rates, and in some cases average sales per prospect, are much higher than in their home countries. For example, in markets like Russia, mailing campaigns frequently achieve response rates of 30%, while in EU countries the average is between 1% and 2%.
But while the opportunity is tremendous, we must also admit that in this race, the most developed countries in this business have a significant advantage. Direct marketing in our country, although it has seen steady growth in recent years, has not yet reached a level of competitive maturity in some areas. Proof of this is that for the main direct marketing medium, direct mail, while in France more than 22.000 billion pieces of mailing are sent annually, in our country the figure doesn't even reach one billion.
Therefore, we have compiled a checklist of tips for anyone wishing to plan an international direct marketing campaign. These recommendations can be summarized in the following points:
1. Conduct thorough market research. Study the following factors about the target market: business volume and evolution, economic structure, competition, prices, existing or usual payment methods, potential suppliers or collaborators, and relevant consumption habits and cultural aspects.
2. Database Search. Once you have defined your target market and audience, you should look for a database that contains up-to-date information tailored to your interests and strategy. The number of databases available and their prices vary widely depending on the market. For example, in countries like Germany or the UK, there is a vast number of databases, although they are also more expensive than those in Spain. Our advice is to test their quality and effectiveness based on their return on investment. This point is crucial; all the material may be perfect, but if you don't send it to the right people, it will be like throwing away the entire shipment and your investment.
3. Tailor your offer, creative approach, and email content to your target audience and market. Be very careful with literal translations; leave this to native translators.
4. Comply with international postal standards. Following this recommendation is the easiest way to facilitate shipping and local distribution.
5. Select a postal operator or agent that suits your needs: price, quality, delivery times, coverage, and delivery guarantees.
And don't forget that direct marketing is a tool that, in addition to enabling direct contact and relationships with your current and potential customers, also allows you to measure and monitor the results of each campaign. Always do this: gather relevant data from everyone who responds to your actions and measure which segments or lists have performed best in terms of response and return rate.
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