Harry Webster

 In today's interconnected business landscape, technology companies are eager to expand into new markets, and the UK stands out as a promising destination for growth. At Champion, we've had the privilege of assisting numerous tech firms that have made the leap into the UK market from various parts of the world. Their motivation? To tap into the UK's dynamic tech scene.  

However, this journey comes with its set of challenges. International tech companies often grapple with establishing credibility and building trust with potential UK customers. They frequently arrive with scant referenceable credentials or local customer testimonials, creating a formidable barrier to attracting UK buyers. 

Our tips for bridging the credibility gap and entering the UK tech market:

  1. Do local competitor research: The competitor landscape may not always be the same when launching into a new region. There may be smaller, more niche local players that have more market share, while the market share of some of the more prominent brands may be ordered differently. It’s important to understand who is doing well in the region you are trying to launch into before looking at what is causing them to do well. 
  1. Map your personas locally: It sounds obvious, but it’s important not to assume that the buying group you are selling to will comprise the same decision-makers with the same pain points when you launch into a new region. Do thorough research here to get under the skin of the personas you are selling to, what motivates them, and what their pain points are. 
  1. Adjust your messaging: Just because your messaging resonates well in one region doesn’t mean it will resonate in the UK. Buyers in each region will have different problems and pain points. As such, the messaging you use to target them must be nuanced and centred around these pain points. Extra tip: many UK brands don’t like messaging they perceive to be too American. 
  1. Get your evidence bank in order: One of the biggest challenges when launching into a new region is a lack of local evidence. It is worth noting that not all case studies and data points you have from other regions will be redundant just because they are from another region. As a first step, audit all the available evidence and prioritize which ones you feel could resonate in the region you are trying to break into. 
  1. Focus on building credibility and trust: No one will buy from you if they don’t trust you or if you lack credibility. One of the first things to do is fix the credibility gap. Focus on credibility-building activities - market research and case studies are a great way to do this. 

If you’d like to find out more about how we could help you expand your business into new markets, then get in touch here.