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Marketing a Business in Finland

The international transition of a business is more than just costs and procedures. It's more cultural acclimatisation than calculatory acumen. It's making sure your product or service fits the inclinations and idiosyncrasies of a nation; finding a way to culturalise your business in Finland in order to reap the same results your business has achieved domestically. This is accomplished through one simple step: effective marketing.

Marketing your business on indigenous soil is an art-form in itself; attempting to do it in Finland is nigh-on miraculous. Countries may be becoming more heterogeneous, but the foundations of a culture rarely budge for anything: their sensitivities, traditions, humour, discourses, protocols are essentially unchanging and stubbornly unaccommodating. Therefore, the identity of your product or service needs to seamlessly fashion itself upon a nation, not the other way around, shoehorned in, hoping for the best.

Advertising and Sales promotions in Finland

When setting up a business in Finland you may consider various routes of advertising. Advertising in Finland is big business, with nearly £1 billion being spent annually in the Finnish mass media.

Newspapers account for over half of the advertising media advertising, but television and journals are equally important. Radio is perhaps not a route to go down as it only accounts for a small percentage.

Advertising agencies can help with potential marketing campaigns. There are many different routes as all media in Finland is open fro advertising.

English is known as the international language of business and can be used in correspondence when starting up a business in Finland. However out of courteously it is advisable that documents such as technical manuals are translated into Finnish.

Marketing and labeling must be in both official languages of the country, Swedish and Finnish.

Cultural Sensitivity

Cultural sensitivity and understanding of protocol is paramount to effective marketing. The intricacies of a nation its beliefs, even its superstitions can make or break your business. Know the market; immerse yourself in it. Never assume your marketing strategy will be transplantable to a foreign country. There is only a slim chance language will translate well. Anglophonic countries may be susceptible, but if your product or service plays on a quintessentially British characteristic or joke the chances are, it will not be well received.

As for other countries, don't bank on using the same strap-lines or gimmicks. Unless they are perfectly transitional, your product or service could suffer especially if it relies on humour.

Unless you are certain your product or service can sell itself on indigenous merits, it is probably wise to revise its selling-points for a foreign market. As always, however, only your own fastidious research can conclude this.

When greeting a person in Finland remember to shake hands, maintain eye contact, and smile. One of the biggest parts of Finnish lifestyle is the sauna. It plays a vital role in the family and friend circle and after big business meeting it may be offered as a way of continuing the conversation on a more informal basis.

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