Entering a new market takes time, knowledge and contacts. Digital tools don’t replace personal relationships, but they let you get there sooner, with more information and at lower cost. In this guide, we look at how to digitise your entry into new markets at every stage, from research to the first contact with the customer, with a practical approach for B2B companies.
Why digitise market entry
A few years ago, exploring a new country meant travel, trade fairs and a lot of intuition. Today, much of the groundwork can be done from the office: studying demand, identifying companies, checking who decides in each one and starting conversations. Digitising doesn’t guarantee success, but it lets you test a market with less investment and quickly rule out what doesn’t work. It is one of the ideas behind our approach to market entry in IBD Markets.
1. Research the market using open sources
Before investing, gather verifiable information. Useful sources:
- Foreign trade and industry statistics from public bodies.
- Country reports and guides from chambers of commerce and export promotion agencies.
- Industry associations and lists of trade fairs and events.
- Company registers and business databases.
- Industry news and specialist publications.
With them, you can estimate the size of demand, identify competitors and spot which types of company buy what you offer. Always note the source and date of each figure: it will help you update the analysis and justify decisions.
2. Build a database of target companies
Once you have defined your ideal customer profile (sector, size, country, problem, decision-maker’s role), build a list of companies that match it and keep it in a CRM. Each contact should hold useful information: who decides, what need they may have, what relationship exists and what the last step was. A well-used CRM avoids duplicated effort and makes measurement possible. To go further, see how we organise prospecting in IBD Markets.
3. Prepare a digital presence that makes sense locally
- A website or dedicated pages in the market’s language, with adapted examples and messages, not just a literal translation.
- LinkedIn profiles kept in good shape, both the company’s and those of the people who will contact customers.
- Useful content that answers the questions buyers in that market are asking.
- Clear contact details and a simple form.
Whoever receives your first message will look at your website and profile before replying. Making them look credible and relevant to their sector makes the difference.
4. Prospect with judgement, not volume
Automation helps organise the work: email and message sequences, reminders and logging replies. But it works best when each message is personalised and addresses a real problem for the recipient. The basics:
- Segment the list by company type and problem, and write a different message for each segment.
- Be brief and specific: who you are, what you have noticed about their company or sector and what you propose.
- Combine channels (email, LinkedIn and phone) and leave several days between contacts.
- Follow up: many replies come after the second or third message.
- Log every interaction in the CRM.
More ideas in prospecting automation: how to save time and work more effectively. Remember also to check with legal advisers that you comply with the data protection and commercial communications rules that apply in each country.
5. Measure and adjust
Set up a small dashboard covering the whole journey: contacts made, replies, meetings, proposals and sales. That way you’ll know where opportunities are lost: if many contacts don’t reply, the problem is usually the message or the list; if there are meetings but no proposals, it’s the offer; if there are proposals but no deals, it’s the price, the terms or trust. Review the data every few weeks and adjust.
6. What not to digitise
Meetings with decision-makers, negotiation and building trust still need people. Digitisation should free up time for that part, not replace it. A good balance is to use technology to prepare and organise, and conversations to persuade and close.
Quick checklist
- Market and ideal customer defined in writing.
- Initial list of target companies with the decision-maker identified.
- CRM up and running, with contacts logged.
- Website and profiles ready for that market.
- Messages and contact sequence written and tested.
- Indicators and review date agreed.
FAQs
Which digital tools do I need to enter a new market?
At a minimum, a CRM to organise contacts, LinkedIn to identify and contact decision-makers, a website adapted to the market and an email tool with tracking. What matters is the process; the specific tools are interchangeable.
Can you sell through digital channels alone?
In B2B, rarely. Digital channels help you reach people, inform them and organise the work; significant sales usually require meetings and direct negotiation with people.
How much does it cost to test a market digitally?
It depends on the scope, but it is usually much less than opening an office or hiring a local team. The key is to start with a limited pilot, measure and then decide.
How INOBERICA can help
At INOBERICA, we help innovative B2B companies enter new markets, both domestic and international, and reach the decision-maker. We work from Bilbao with a practical approach: defining the market and the target customer, preparing the proposal, opening conversations with decision-makers and measuring what works. You can learn about our Innovative Business Development approach or tell us about your project so we can work out together where to start.
