Effective PR tactics for business growth in the Latin American market
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In recent years, due to its growth and business projection, the Latin American region has become ever more relevant in the business plans of the world’s most important brands and corporations. However, this market has a series of complexities that must be evaluated in detail when deciding to enter any of the countries that comprise it. Although it may seem like a territory which presents similar challenges and opportunities, but, in fact, each country is a unique universe and must be treated as such.
To achieve appropriate positioning that directly influences the growth and consolidation of the company in the market, it is important to understand the environment and audiences that will be addressed. Building a parallel public relations strategy can make the process much easier. In this scenario, understanding how to align your PR strategy with business objectives to enter the Latin American market successfully can add great value.
The Power of Localization
Once the decision has been made to start operations in a Latin American market relevant to business objectives, it is important to remember that, although your service or product has been very successful in other markets, it will not necessarily have the same luck in this region unless the local economic, social and cultural environment is considered when communicating it. With this first step, we will efficiently connect with potential validators and users.
Although the territory may seem similar from Mexico to Argentina, the truth is that each country has its own unique recipe, and not understanding this distinct differentiation can be a stumbling block to establishing locally and, most importantly, efficiently achieving business objectives in a particular market.
Strategic communications add great value to this process. Having a public relations agency that truly knows and understands the territory will contribute to the construction of adequate narratives. This will support the consolidation of a solid reputation that highlights the trajectory, differential value and local contribution ultimately reflected in the positioning of brands chosen and loved by the public.
Defining PR Objectives Aligned with Business Objectives
Another point – where the relationship with an agency that knows and understands the local communication context can contribute – is in defining clear and grounded communication objectives to achieve the desired positioning. By establishing SMART objectives (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound), a clear roadmap for building a reputation aligned with the local business plan will be put into place.
It is crucial to strategically identify the primary need of the brand or organization in this new territory, the audiences to be conquered (including the media, opinion leaders and decision-makers), the best channel to achieve this, the organic and paid tactics that work best and the most effective narratives to drive awareness, trust, credibility and engagement locally.
PR Tactics Contributing to Business Success in LATAM
Localization is the key to success in aligning your PR strategy with business objectives when entering the Latin American market. Once the roadmap for launching a brand in a Latin American market has been defined, it is time to advance with the tactical development to seek positioning, influence, thought leadership and valuable relationships. How are we going to implement everything previously defined on paper?
To begin, a local narrative must be constructed by landing global corporate messages into the reality of the Latin American market being addressed. This way, there will always be an overarching narrative that preserves the brand or organization’s identity and essence, but at the same time, presents itself as a response to the needs and aspirations of local decision-makers and users.
In this process, building short, medium and long-term relationships will be fundamental with both the media and opinion leaders to drive the brand’s influence and the recognition of its spokespersons as reliable sources of information and thought leaders in their respective industries. This exercise will not only help build third-party validators that will be very relevant in times of crisis or in the local positioning process, but will also be the platform to generate trust and credibility that strengthens the business vision.
Generating highly relevant and valuable content that, in addition to informing, responds to the questions and needs of key audiences is a fundamental part of local positioning. Although it may sound simple, this point is one of the most complex. Content can be the holy grail or a complete catastrophe. For this reason, it requires the support of an expert hand that, in addition to having all the necessary communication skills, possesses creativity, astuteness, attention to detail and local knowledge to seize everyday moments and transform experiences into strong and compelling messages for speaking to audiences.
Digital Marketing and Social Media to Expand Reach
Along with public relations, digital marketing is gaining momentum in order to complement the power of the communication strategy aligned with market objectives.
It is no secret that social networks continue to consolidate themselves as one of the main sources of information for people in Latin America. A recent study by the Reuters Institute shows that 77 per cent of Latin Americans access digital news through their mobile phones. This makes social networks a crucial channel for approaching key audiences. From Facebook to TikTok, each country has its preferred social media platforms, and understanding this allows for better targeting of messages to generate engagement and reach the “top of mind” and the “top of heart” of the Latin American consumer.
In the last 10 years, the power of influencers has continued to grow. More and more people generate content based on their experiences and feelings, connecting with hundreds of people who feel represented. This influence, if well channeled, can add great value to the business strategy of a brand or organization in Latin America.
It is worth remembering that not everything that glitters is gold, and a high number of followers is not necessarily a reflection of reality or the key to achieving objectives. In this process, having an expert influencer marketing team that aligns with the PR strategy and can make recommendations based on analysis, relationships and an understanding of the local environment.
Conclusion
Aligning a public relations strategy with business objectives when entering Latin America is essential for long-term success. This involves adapting messages to each country’s cultural and economic contexts and defining clear goals that directly contribute to the company’s growth and positioning in the market. By following these steps and learning from past success stories and mistakes, companies can maximize their opportunities in a dynamic region with considerable growth potential.
If you are considering taking the leap into any of the region’s markets, having an experienced, reliable ally who knows the local markets well will make all the difference. Sherlock Communications, as a multimarket expert agency in Latin America, not only has in-depth knowledge of the region’s opportunities and challenges but can also help you align your public relations strategy with business objectives when entering the Latin American market.
This content is a joint venture between our publication and our partner. We do not endorse any product or service in the article.
