I've had quite a few questions lately on how to move towards a globalized website.

And the marketer in me responds my looking at the clients current business and what the client is marketing.

Save Through Knowledge

It is important for any online business with a desire for international expansion to know what is involved in website globalization.

Why?

There are things you can do today, no matter how many international sales you have already made or how many you have in the channel that will save you time and money later when you actually need to move towards website localization and website globalization.

This is the key reason why website globalization is such a buzz word.

But, remember, the internet is mainly a medium to communicate with your clients and prospects. Of course, it does have other major roles in your international business expansion. But it is first and foremost a means to communicate.

Know Your Current Business Needs

You need to clearly identify where your company is in the realm of international business before looking at the other functions of the internet for your international expansion.

If internet is a way to communicate with your clients and prospects, what will you be saying to them? Where is your current internet marketing?

Here are the basic types of international marketing with a short definition:

Domestic Marketing = selling your domestic product to your domestic market

Export Marketing = selling your domestic product to your foreign markets

International Marketing = adapting your product and selling it to one country

Multinational Marketing = selling your foreign product to a small group of countries

Global Marketing = selling one product to the whole world

Most online businesses are basically in the Export Marketing phase.

They may say or think they are in Global Marketing phase but international and multinational marketing are between the two phases.

A Global Marketing company has all of the market knowledge to be able to position their product well throughout the world. They have gone through the other stages of international marketing to have the knowledge, experience and power. These are generally very large companies.

Plan Your Next Step

Once you know where your company is on this simple scale, you will find it easy to see where your company needs to go to. It is generally one step up.

Trying to move more than one step up at one time needs mega investment, and is not easy.

Let's say you are currently in the Domestic Marketing phase and want to jump straight to the International Marketing phase.

This jump is possible. You will just pass over Export Marketing but will require a lot more investment in market research. It is possible and has been done by countless other organizations..

Take Action Towards Your Next Step

If you were to spend a little time actively doing Export Marketing you will gain foreign market knowledge that may surprise you.

During the time you were active in Export Marketing you could use internet marketing practices to actively incite foreign customer feedback and adapt your product to one foreign country.

Define Your Website Needs

So how does this help you in developing your globalized website? Your website needs to communicate with your market.

Your website is your most powerful means of communication during each of your marketing steps towards a global market. But it is your medium for your current marketing needs.

• Look at where your current business revenue comes from.
  
• Identify what you need to do to move towards more international business.
  
• Be realistic in your international expansion goals.
  
• Take things one step at a time.
  
• Plan for your internationalized websites, your localized websites and your globalized websites in a time frame that corresponds with your business objectives as they progress towards further international development.

Adapt Your Website Globalization To Your Plan

By looking at your current international business and knowing what you need to do next, it is fairly easy to see when you will need an internationalized website, a localized website and a global website.

Internationalize your website as soon as you are marketing your domestic products to foreign markets.

Move towards website localization as soon as you are marketing to specific countries.

Plan for your website globalization by implementing the internationalization and localization processes with good internet marketing practices and you will be ready when your international markets need it.

Internet's Second Major Role In Your International Business Development

While planning for your website globalization do not forget the second biggest advantage internet brings towards your international business development.

International Market Research

Plan for your internationalization, localization and globalization with your international market research in mind. The more client research you can do online the more successful your business will be. Internet makes your research cheaper, faster and easier to carry out. But you need to plan on testing methods to get feedback.

Internet is much more than a medium to communicate, it also gives you the means to find out all about your international markets. Keep your marketing in mind as you plan for your international websites.