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Marketing a Business in Hong Kong

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 Hong Kong; finding a way to culturalise your business in order to reap the same results your business has achieved domestically. This is accomplished through one simple step: effective marketing when setting up a business in Hong Kong.

Marketing your business on indigenous soil is an art-form in itself; attempting to do it Hong Kong 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 Hong Kong

Advertising is vital in the promotion of consumer goods when entering the market in Hong Kong. The channels for advertising include TV, direct mail, illuminated signs, radio and posters. Hong Kong agents often expect advertising support to expand a business.

Sales promotions in Hong Kong are often based on trust. It is important to build a strong relationship with business partners and personal contact is seen as a vital part of the process when expanding a business in Hong Kong.

Cultural Sensitivity

Cultural sensitivity and understanding of protocol is paramount to effective marketing when starting a business in Hong Kong. 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.

Despite the people of Hong Kong living a very modernised life, superstition is still an important part of their culture and should be considered when preparing to expand. Numbers play an important role and the number 4 is regarded as unlucky. Concepts such as Feng shui are also taken very seriously.

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