Every successful company has a marketing department that works diligently to make the company known throughout their country and eventually the world. Global marketing is simply marketing to the entire world and destroy the differences between barriers and meet the expectations of varieties of consumers all over the world. Marketing consists of establishing relationships with others through planning, execution and successful distribution of goods to satisfied consumers.

Some of the most successful companies to achieve global marketing include auto manufacturers such as Toyota, Ford, Honda, General Motors, and Volkswagen. These companies all started as small entities in their own countries and eventually achieved successful global implementation. New companies have modern marketing tools to help them achieve successful global marketing. The internet and e-commerce immediately makes a company a global business. Since the internet is a world-wide entity, a small company based in South Dakota can easily reach customers in China with the click of a mouse. Customers can literally come from anywhere.

Successful global marketing was not achieved overnight for companies. Global marketing is a process just like other aspects of marketing. Usually a company starts out with a small export base. They work hard to achieve domestic marketing first and then they begin tackling the rest of the world. Some companies tackle the small export base and they don't get any further from there. Global marketing is more than just exporting goods to another country; it is successful implementation of a product into a foreign trade market. Marketing decisions are made at the home front and sent overseas and expected to sink or swim. The foreign customer is very different from the domestic customer. Language barriers, customs paperwork, and shipping costs deter many companies from becoming global entities.

Cultural ignorance could hinder a company from global marketing. One of the best ways to target the foreign market is to create products in the country that are based on the needs of the local customers. The marketers that create local product development are called polycentric. A polycentric marketer understands that each country has different needs and they must market to the country differently than they would in their country.

The world is one big market for companies to take advantage of. There must be marketers in each country that will help the company meet the needs and expectations of all the countries in which they sell their products. A good example of a successful global marketing company is the Coca-Cola Corporation. The soda beverage remains the same, but the can changes. The advertisements are different in each country. Instead of being intolerant to the needs of each country, they have translated their logo and brand name to suit the needs of each country in which they market. The goal of global marketing is to become like the Coca-Cola Corporation and sell the same product to everyone in the world, with perhaps just one or two small changes to the product that will suit the needs of everyone in the world.

There are 4 simple steps a company must establish to start global marketing.

First, a company needs to achieve domestic dominance. If a company is trusted at home, it is easier to integrate their focus into the global market. A company that only focuses on marketing to their own country will eventually run out of people to market to and lose its place. Some companies can remain successful domestic entities because the demand for the product on the home front is high. Dairy farmers are a great example of domestically oriented organizations.

Second, a company must have a home focus with exporting. The products and message from the company should be based on home values, but it should be able to cross country lines and incorporate the message to foreign markets.

Third, marketing to global markets must be mixed with overseas organizations. Changing the marketing strategy to become a polycentric strategy is the best way to adapt to the needs of all the potential customers throughout the world.

Fourth, the value of the product must be on demand in a global market. The company needs to focus on serving the needs over customers throughout the world; this is achieved by targeted marketing to individual countries and determining the customer needs in each country. Global strategies must be developed to recognize the financial aspect of each consumer and respond to different marketing ploys. Global marketing is unpredictable and marketers must be aware of different opportunities and be willing to adapt and create new products for global demands.

A good marketer follows the "Four P's" of marketing. Product, price, placement, and promotion are the "Four P's" of marketing and successful implementation of each "P" will transform even the smallest of companies into a global entity. Going back to the Coca-Cola example, they have reached successful global implementation by creating the same product for every country with minor changes to the packaging. The design of the can or bottle is exactly the same, only the language on the can or bottle changes. The bottle and can is a unique brand on its own.

To achieve global marketing, marketers must recognize the different price variables for each country. While $2.99 may not be expensive in the United States, that can be quite expensive for Cambodia. The price will always vary for each market because it is affected by several variables. Price is affected by the cost of the product development, cost of manufacturing, delivery, and competition. The profit margin for a product will change depending upon the goal of the company. If marketers simply want to be known world-wide, they may not care how much money they make off a product in every country, as long as the cash flow remains positive.

Products must be marketed differently to each country. A billboard with a Victoria's Secret model may be okay in the United States, it would be quite offensive in India. The product must be distributed differently in each country. Marketers must consult with local marketers and discuss the needs of the target market. The placement of product promotion and distribution are important aspects of the overall global marketing strategy. Advertising is the most expensive portion in successful global marketing. A global corporation will seek to find ways to reduce costs and still reach their target market. If a company decides they want to use the same marketing campaign to the entire world, they must deliver the message in a relevant, engaging fashion.

Technology-driven corporations are one of the easiest companies to market on a global scale. Technology usually is not culturally bound. Computers and software applications are developed with a global scale in mind. Since technology companies spend millions and sometimes billions of dollars researching and developing products, it forces the organizations to recoup the cost from a global market. Marketers of technology firms have larger marketing budgets than other companies and they are able to use international advertising.

Building relationships with foreign companies is one of the best ways to achieve global marketing. Foreign companies understand the needs of the local market and are able to provide advice on advertising ideas and market research. Using proven results and methods to reach a foreign customer will save your company time and money. Market research of foreign markets will discusses the needs of product and company branding, attention flow, and emotional need. The international forms of communication are based on visual elements. For example, McDonalds is a great example of a company that has achieved successful global marketing. The yellow and red "M" can easily be identified in practically any country and verbal elements do not exist.

Once a company establishes global marketing, the advertising costs will slowly start to be reduced over time as people recognize the company and product. The scope of the company will increase and the demand will also become larger. A company will gain international power and can create uniformity amongst marketing practices and procedures. Global marketing can also help to establish relationships. While some countries may have a particular impression of the United States, they may accept the products we produce. The Apple iPod is a great example of a product that has crossed into a world-wide product. Countries that may have problems with the United States are sill willing to buy the iPod because it is a good product with successful global marketing.

As with any consumer, global market demands are different. Companies will need to adapt their product and services to meet the needs and wants of individual countries. It is always important to do target research on countries before you begin global marketing. There are legal elements to consider with global marketing that need to be taken into consideration before the marketing plan even begins. Product placement and product development need to be considered heavily by the marketing team before they jump into the goal market. The best way to start global marketing is to establish a good web site where people can go and research the company before the ads begin hitting the billboards in foreign markets.