We work with contributors to develop guest posts that will help TechCrunch+ readers solve actual problems, so it’s always a delight to present a comprehensive “how to” article.
In this case, Barnabas Birmacher, CEO of Platform as a Service company Bitrise, shared the lessons he learned as his team attempted to enter Japan.
Launching a product in a foreign market where you’re unfamiliar with the language and culture is a necessary step for growing companies, “but the barriers to entry are high” in Japan, Birrmacher notes, which is why building community was foundational to their expansion.
Instead of relying solely on strategic partners, his team visited Japan before ramping up to host events and engage directly with early adopters.
Setting aside traditional media and marketing tactics, Bitrise hired a manga artist to create a comic featuring a mobile developer, developed “Japan-first” swag to hand out, and even crafted a full-sized mascot costume for conferences.
“We left the suit with one of our customers and now people wear it while they’re drinking,” he writes.
If your startup is at or near the point where you’re considering an international expansion, this post contains several tactics you can adapt and test.
“Whether or not these things make sense for you, the most important thing to do while you’re there is to show up and be a part of the community,” says Birmacher.
Thanks very much for reading TechCrunch+, and I hope you have a great week.
Walter Thompson
Senior Editor, TechCrunch+
@yourprotagonist
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