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Marketing a Business in Kuwait

The international transition of a business when preparing to expand 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 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 overseas 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 Kuwait

When expanding a business to Kuwait, direct marketing and sales promotion needs to be conducted in partnership with a Kuwaiti firm. Foreign firms setting up a business in Kuwait are not permitted direct access to the Kuwaiti market. There are numerous advertising agencies in Kuwait and direct-mail marketing is a growing media, as the Kuwaiti postal systems develop. Although English is widely spoken in Kuwait, it is recommended that any material is also available in Arabic for clients.

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.

In Kuwait, the roles of men and women are more defined than in Western culture. Interaction between sexes is still frowned upon in certain areas. When expanding a business to Kuwait, it is recommended that you avoid suggestive imagery, which could be perceived as offensive. Anyone setting up a business in Kuwait should also note that alcohol is banned and any marketing involving alcohol is not permitted.

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