Strategic Market Launches

The ‚Big Bang‘ is the desire, the great hope. Under certain conditions, it succeeds. Positive factors can include large marketing budgets, but also luck: being in the right place at the right time, in the hands of the right person. However, market entry with a product or service is often hard, detailed work.

When market data is scarce, we only have a rough idea of who the target audience is and where to reach them. Sometimes, companies have access to extensive market studies as a basis for decision-making. These studies then paint a (supposedly) clear picture of how to conquer the market. Counterintuitively, companies can succeed or fail with both scenarios.

Since both scenarios (limited market data vs. in-depth market insights) don’t always guarantee success, a different approach is needed to conquer a market. The goal should always be to think big. However, on the way to achieving this, small baby steps are often more promising than a giant leap. So, start small! Why? It’s about collecting as many real-life experiences as possible:

• Do our messages about the offering work?
• Is there a demand in the selected target audience?
• Do our communication platforms perform well?
• Have we chosen the right distribution channel?
• Can our offering be purchased easily or converted into leads?
• What feedback do we receive from customers and stakeholders?
• And many other factors

Before every project starts, there are many assumptions. These are necessary to make decisions and move forward. However, all assumptions need to be constantly questioned and adjusted.

Taking baby steps offers several advantages:

• 1 – It allows for describing a clear test market (test country) within a manageable budget
• 2 – Success factors (KPIs) can be defined more precisely
• 3 – Churn, which can complicate assessment, can be minimized
• 4 – Everyone on the team knows specifically what they need to work towards
• 5 – Simplifies contact with consumers

For very few challenges in life, there is only one solution. This also applies to entering the market with a new product or service. Every company offering something new should be prepared that, despite all the intelligent groundwork, it may not work with the first attempt. This is where the right mindset is crucial. Not frustration, but the question: ‚Why was it good that it didn’t work now?‘ Often, negative experiences provide valuable insights with a fresh perspective. Those who have taken baby steps can quickly make adjustments now (compared to taking a giant leap at the start, which would limit flexibility). Develop new, more precise hypotheses (with a self-acquired and experienced database that was not previously available). Modify the set-up. Allocate available budgets in a new, targeted manner.

With our clients, we have experienced numerous scenarios together. Rapid success, but also extensive testing until the right path to scalability was found. Regardless of the journey, what always matters is the rare combination of business acumen and character-rich creativity. The ability to seek the way forward from every situation. The path is rarely a highway. Good partners consistently find intelligent approaches, even in challenging situations, to collectively achieve the set goal of ‚Thinking Big.‘

• Market Entries for Startups
• Brand Launches for Major OTC Manufacturers
• Market Entries for FMCG Brands
• Financial Participation in Start-Ups with all the Challenges of Market Entry