How to find a partner on the German market?
You know by now that simply launching your product or services software in Germany is not the ideal methodology for ensuring success. In case you've missed our earlier points, we can be clear again: The german market is often misunderstood or approached in the wrong way by American companies looking to expand here. So, now that we've covered making sure your SaaS is market-ready, and how you can find influencers to help introduce your brand, what is the next strategy to think about? Marketing for German consumers.
It's not just about a great product
While Germans value certain elements and traits of a brand or product, how you first attract their attention, make a pitch to them, and then close a sale might be different than you're used to. Using the same marketing and sales tactics in Germany as you do for American customers won't get you very far. If you want your launch to be a success in Germany, you're going to have to rethink your approach.
Start with the basics
As you would when targeting any new audience segment, you'll need to develop buyer personas to fit your new targets. Relying on tried and true existing personas may seem like the right way to go, but remember, German consumers are very different from Americans. Your new demographics may not have the same goals and challenges as your previous customers.
Not sure how to approach creating a German Buyer Persona? It's easier if you can rely on a German marketing agency to help you with this step. They can assist you with identifying who will want and use your product, what are their pain points, and how to speak their language (literally and figuratively).
Once you have your personas locked down, you'll need to think about the channels to use, find and reach out to those potential customers. Again, you may be surprised at the different ways Germans like to find and consume content, and it isn't always possible to simply use the channels you do at home.
Channel research and discovery can take a lot of time, but the process can be expedited when consulting with a local partner. While you're laying the groundwork for your marketing campaigns in Germany, it's important to get these personas and channels right. The next steps will then become easier, and more importantly, they will be accurate.
Tailor your content
Your website might be great at converting visitors into customers with strategic page architecture and beautiful copy that speaks to your American audience. But it's important for first-time German visitors to navigate to a site that speaks to them. Having a subdomain or alternate .de website that has copy and UX design tailored for your new market can make all the difference in the ability for your website to convert.
While we're strong supporters of recycling and reusing content, you may have to come to terms with the fact that the content you've created for American consumers is not suited for the German market. That can mean format, type, tone, or language (or all of the above).
We've already talked about how American content doesn't work in Germany, but how can you begin to produce content that really speaks to your new audience? Having a solid buyer persona certainly helps, but you should also consider finding marketing agency copywriters in Germany who can use their inside perspective to write copy for your new German site and kick off your German content efforts.
Rethink your campaigns
Finally, your inbound marketing campaigns will probably need to be re-worked. When you find that the channels for content delivery and even the content itself is different for the German market, you're going to have to reconsider your total approach. Sound scary? It doesn't have to be if you've got a German team on your side to help you understand the way Germans interact with marketing and sales materials, and when they are primed to make a purchase.
While seemingly "re-doing" all your marketing efforts for a new market launch can seem like a lot of work, it's a necessary evil if you want your SaaS product to be a success. Just as with any marketing initiative, understand your potential customers as best you can before you get started, and then tailor all your content and campaigns to those personas.
When you begin your efforts with a German marketing agency who can guide you through the process, you'll be better poised to win over your new German audience.