International marketing: We are all in this together

The first rule of international marketing is that if you don't work in head office you feel ignored, left out and intensely superior.

Head office just don't understand your needs and are too focused on the home market. You can't help but roll your eyes in frustration as you listen to them prattle on during conference calls.

In the meantime services are launched, campaigns created and budgets agreed without your input or knowledge. If only those damn Yanks/Brits/Aussies/Europeans/Indians (delete as appropriate) had travelled a bit and understood our culture and market!

Sound familiar?

Well I come bearing bad news, you and only you can change the status quo. And the status quo needs to change as you probably depend heavily on the central marketing team for core services.

While you make faces on conference calls and bitch with your local team you are losing valuable buy in and momentum.

Here is my guide on how to make international friends and influence people

• Lobby hard to get international objectives into goal plans - all objectives should state that that the target is an international one and include all markets. If possible get a specific target for your local territory.
• Avoid conference calls - use video conferencing or webcam as much as possible. If you have no choice talk more than you would normally and if someone is too far from the phone to hear, tell them.
• Set up regular 1:1s with key stakeholders - work hard to build personal relationships with the various marketing leaders.
• Constructive criticism only - it is too easy to provide negative feedback to the central team. Even if it won't work in your market ensure you are constructive in your feedback. Talk them through the detail on your market need and what changes would increase effectiveness. The more negative you are the less you get included.
• Reward good behaviours - jump quickly if someone does something positive focused on your region without asking. Make them feel good about themselves and good in front of the team. Talk about it in your meetings with other marketing leaders.
• Understand where you are different and complimentary - differences can be frustrating but also very positive for the development of teams. What makes your team different from the central team? What service can you provide globally that makes you stand out and provides benefit to all? Make yourself invaluable.
• Behind enemy lines - if you get a chance to get a central team leader into your territory then jump on it. There is no better way to get someone engaged than for them to experience it and feel a part of its success.
• Join non-core team calls - you are going to have to work much hard to stay up to date with the company and its strategy. Join relevant global team calls especially sales, product marketing and product management - you will undoubtedly pick up invaluable information that otherwise you would find out too late.
• Build central team resource requirements into annual planning - It is generally good practice never to provide a promotion/marketing plan without resource needs, but it is too easy to forget about outlining the man hours needed from the central team. Ensure you arm the central team for the resource discussion by providing realistic estimates of your demands.

You are going to have to work hard to get this right, but once you do it will pay huge dividends. Remember when you make CMO that the international teams need a bit of love now and then.