How to expand DTC business in Japan with localised marketing

Localised marketing

Localised marketing is a way to build trust with customers, but it also has the added benefit of helping you gain more conversions and sales. By localising your marketing efforts, you can make sure that your marketing copy is targeted directly at Japanese customers. This means that instead of relying on a translator to translate your content into Japanese, which can lead to misunderstandings or cultural differences impacting the customer experience, you’re able to create relevant and engaging posts that speak directly to potential buyers in Japan.

DTC in Japan

Japan is a country with a high level of trust in brands. The Japanese people have very strong brand loyalty and are willing to pay higher prices for well-known brands, but they also expect high-quality products and services from the companies that make them. This means that DTC businesses must do everything possible to prove their credibility and expertise before customers will trust them enough to purchase from them.

Why use multichannel Marketing tools for DTC brands in Japan

DTC brands tend to focus on digital marketing, especially on paid ads on social media and search engines. But, this itself won’t work in Japan.

Why?

Japanese consumers generally only trust brands that have been around for many years and have a good reputation in magazines and TV or social media through influencers. This means that if you enter this market without multichannel marketing efforts, your chances of success will be pretty low.

Translating your marketing channels into Japanese

Translation is about understanding the audience, including culture, trends, online, off-line media, social media feeds, search engines, and marketplaces. In Japan, magazines and TV both still have a strong influence. When you start drawing customers to your website, it is important that your products are also recommended by the media. Otherwise, the level of trust from the customer will not increase,  resulting in fewer sales. It’s an investment in developing a localised strategy that will help you reach people who have never heard of you or visited your website before.

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Expanding a DTC brand into Japan can be challenging, but it’s not impossible

The Japanese market is NOT very particular about the brands they trust. When it comes to making purchases, Japanese consumers are very easy to navigate. In other words, they tend not to have their own opinions so if they don’t know what to get, they will follow what other people are buying as they want to blend in with the social norms. For instance, they will trust instantly if your brand has a Royal warrant or is favoured by celebrities. This has been true for generations and shows no signs of changing anytime soon. However, we can position your brand effectively by analysing current trends and creating awareness to navigate Japanese consumers to purchase your products. Also, the customers who were led by paid ads won’t become fans of your brand easily as they purchase your product for this reason. We can build trust between your brand and Japanese consumers and increase loyal followings to grow your brand in Japan.

Our strength is in creating the buzz and amplifying the marketing effort, integrating digital marketing, social media, and also print and TV. With over 20 years of experience, we understand Japan’s unique culture and consumer behaviour but also understand the needs of Western brands. Utilising our wide network, we can do any kind of creative campaign that raises awareness effectively to optimise sales and reduce costs.