Let’s Get Local: The Art of Winning Products Across Borders

Disclaimer:

For the purpose of this post, we assume that you’ve already chosen the markets for expansion and you are probably in the B2B space. If you're looking for tips on how to choose your next market, drop me a comment!

Congratulations! You’ve created an amazing product in a big, established market and have decided to take the leap to expand into a local market. Before you make any commitments in your timelines and budget, let's talk about how to make this venture a true winner.

1. True Local Leadership Alignment: Humble Yourself

You’re the product expert, but in a new market, the local team holds the keys. You can’t waltz in and expect instant buy-in. Smaller countries might have looser ties to corporate culture and processes, so a little discovery and…humility goes a long way. Spend time getting to know the local team's ways of working, their challenges—are they skeptical of HQ initiatives? Does your product align with their objectives ? They may be grappling with internal battles and may not have bandwidth for a shiny new rollout at this time. Be respectful and make sure there is true buy-in.

"Going local isn’t just a process—it’s an adventure. The key to success? It’s not just the product. It’s about human connections, local insights, and a whole ecosystem that you get to build and nurture."

Panagiota Letsou, Lead Product Manager @ SAND Technologies

2. Regional Product-Market Fit (PMF)

Just because your product shines in a big market doesn’t mean it’ll have the same glow everywhere. Before you assume your brand’s established reputation will do the work, take a step back. Does your product fit the current needs of the market? Quick desk research on the competition, collaboration with the sales team and speaking to clients as much as you can will guide you. Adjust your angle so the product’s benefits resonate with local nuances.

3. Sell internally first

Here’s where it gets tricky. The local sales team needs to not only believe in your product but also feel confident it fits their clients. Many of these sales folks have spent years nurturing relationships, and the last thing they want is a product they don’t quite trust yet to be messing things up. Your job is to turn them into believers.

Sales Enablement Tips:

• Build a rock-solid internal training deck; talk pains, gains, and personas.

• Create a sales talk track; give them the confidence to pitch.

• Run live workshops; you’ll show commitment, and they’ll get their questions answered.

• Create a community; Set up drop-in office hours and give the team space for questions Problem-solving together builds connection and shared ownership,

• Create a knowledge hub; put all materials in one place for easy access. This way, the team can quickly find exactly what they need when they need it.

4. Language: It’s All Greek to Me! 

You thought you knew your product? Wait until you try explaining it in a new language. English won’t cut it outside of Anglophone markets, so you’ll need to ensure your product speaks the local tongue fluently. But there’s more to localization than Google Translate—does your message resonate when translated? Or does it sound like a mouthful?

Work with the local team to prioritize key elements, like the UI, onboarding sessions and guides, or even the support structure (ticketing system language, phone or email support). Do not underestimate contracts; it is not about translation only but also localisation to fit the local legal system. Lead time and costs can sneak up on you so don’t forget to plan ahead.

There are two Ways to Tackle Translation:

• Agency: Consistent with house style but potentially lacks industry nuance.

• Local Team: Knows the jargon, but availability might be an issue

Best bet? Mix it up—if you have the budget (my jaw dropped the first time I found out) let agencies handle the grunt work and have local teams sense check everything

5. Local Certifications: The Surprise Hurdle

You think you’re ready to go live? Not so fast. In regulated industries or if you are dealing with the public sector, local certifications can make or break your launch. If you’re lucky, they’re self-certifications—still demanding but manageable. If not, third-party certifications can be a real time and cost sink. Missing this step could derail your strategy, so make sure you’ve done your due diligence early on and create a certification roadmap to cover all requirements.

6. Pricing: Let’s Not Talk Money… But Let’s Talk Money

Local competitors are fierce. They’ll happily undercut you to win over clients. But here’s the thing: are they comparing apples to apples, or apples to vanilla-flavored widgets? Ensure your local team gets detailed competitive quotes and digs into the actual offerings behind those lower prices. Don't stop there—experiment with pricing strategies across different segments and make sure billing systems are set up to avoid any financial mishaps. Make sure to set up intra company agreements or billing if needed too.

7. Get yourself a bestie!

Find your bestie in the local team. They’ll be your sounding board, your guide through the nuances of the local market and team- your partner in crime. A trusted advisor who knows the ropes, can help you brainstorm, course-correct, and even rally the troops when needed. They’ll make your local journey much smoother—and way more fun!

To sum it all up, going local isn’t just a process—it’s an adventure. You’ll make mistakes, you’ll learn along the way, but most importantly, you’ll become part of the market you’re trying to win over. The key to success? It’s not just the product. It’s about human connections, local insights, and a whole ecosystem that you get to build and nurture. What a great privilege- I am rooting for you!