The International Marketer - An interview with Christian Klepp

My latest guest on the Marketing Tales show is a well-traveled and incredibly cultured international man of mystery who entered this world in the shadows of the Austria Alps, grew up in the Philippines, received his education in the city-state of Singapore, and developed his marketing acumen in Shanghai, China. Meet Christian Klepp, the co-founder and director of client engagement at EINBLICK Consulting Inc., a Toronto-based consulting firm, and host of the B2B Marketers on a Mission Podcast. Christian received his business/commerce degree from the Management Development Institute of Singapore (MDIS) before starting his marketing career over two decades ago. After an initial stint as a marketing executive at a firm in Germany, Christian moved back to the Far East and remained there for nearly 15 years, learning the language and cultural norms of the Chinese people before relocating to Toronto, Canada, where he started his agency. When I asked him "Why China" in our pre-show interview, he answered: "Why not?!" revealing a stereotypical ignorance within me I didn't know I had. We fear what we don't understand. 💡This show sometimes helps shine a light on those corners of the world that often remain hidden in our Western bubble. The first thing Christian learned about the cultural differences during his studies at MDIS is "being disciplined in everything that you do," he recalls. "In life, there will always be problems, but you have to learn to view the problems from different angles to come up with the right solutions."Talking about problems. In this age of economic globalization, businesses can offer products far beyond their borders, and the Chinese market, with its estimated $14.9 trillion GDP, could prove lucrative for many Western corporations. But there are several pitfalls companies could find themselves in if they fail to do their homework before entering markets abroad.Two common barriers Christian observed companies struggle with when entering the Chinese market: 1- The language barrierThe language has profound meaning with several layers of complexity a simple AI translator can't navigate. If companies try to translate their marketing copy with Google Translate, they'll quickly alienate themselves from their prospective target audiences. 2- The cultural barrierMany Asian societies, including China, are based on hierarchy and the "concept of face," not observed in the West. The "losing of face," the "saving of face," and the "keeping of face" are fascinating nuances explained in the video.Check. It. Out.To learn more about the different approaches marketers should know about when promoting products abroad, connect with Christian on LinkedIn or check out his agency, EINBLICK Consulting, to help you stand out in the market and drive revenue to your business.A special thanks to Robb Conlon for the intro to Christian. Until next time. ✌#marketing