FrescoData is a company with a global mindset. This is because our data comes from a variety of different sources around the world. For us, we are not just trying to impact one market. We are trying to have a positive effect on the entire global marketplace.
On the blog, we’ve recently been covering different types of email design and the effect these designs have on different types of audiences. We have covered standard email designs in our recent article, Want Your Emails to Stand Out? Here Are 3 Eye-Catching Design Ideas, and also other types of email design in another recent article, Have You Ever Thought About Right to Left Email Design?
With this global perspective in mind, we understand that the world is becoming a more connected and globalized place. We also understand that with this booming global community there is a need to market products to different parts of the globe. A US company may want to expand their reach and advertise their products to the Japanese market, and the way US consumers respond to marketing campaigns will be much different than the way Japanese consumers respond to the same marketing campaigns.
A one-size-fits-all approach is a wrong approach to take in a global marketplace. In contrast, we suggest tailoring your marketing campaigns to the particular audience you are trying to reach. This way, you will connect with a larger audience in these targeted and region-specific campaigns. In Japan, specifically, there are many steps you can take to reach a larger audience and have higher success with your advertising.
Email Marketing in Japan
Japan is a proud country. They are more likely to purchase items from local brands rather than global ones. Japan boasts the third-largest eCommerce market in the world. This means you may be interested in this large market. In order to flourish in the Japanese market, it’s essential for global brands to build trust with Japanese consumers. This will create more engagement with your audience which can lead to positive responses to your marketing campaigns. Below we have outlined five tips for having more success with email campaigns in Japan:
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Customize your email design for a Japanese audience
The Japanese have a very dynamic and rich culture. They respond to certain design elements more so than others. In Japan they tend to prefer bright colors in advertising; it catches their eye and keeps their attention. They also tend to prefer cute imagery, such as those used in anime. Using high-quality images also has a positive impact on the Japanese audience. Something else to keep in mind is that many tend to prefer quality over scoring a deal in Japan. Being detail oriented and making your brand seem luxurious to a Japanese audience can increase the success of your marketing campaigns.
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Tailor the text in your campaigns for the Japanese language
There are three types of character sets in Japanese: Kanju, Hiragana and Katakana. The type of character set you use for certain blocks of text has a different effect on the tone interpreted by Japanese audiences. This can be region specific as well, further complicating things. We suggest using a professional translator who is a native Japanese speaker to create the copy for your email campaigns. They will be able to best determine how to stay on brand while also taking into account the subtle nuances of the Japanese language and cultural specificities of your target audience.
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Add more information and detail to your copy
In Japan, they are also tolerant of large blocks of text. They prefer having lots of information about a product or service presented to them at once. This will allow them to make an educated decision about whether they want to purchase it or not. The Japanese character set allows you to condense large amounts of information into a relatively small amount of space. Using this approach will allow you to gain credibility with a Japanese audience since they will see that your campaigns are thorough and detailed.
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Demographics matter—Pay attention to them
Japan has a population that is rapidly-aging and shrinking in size. Young people are focusing their time on their careers rather than starting families, with experts predicting that Japan’s population could decrease by as much as a third by 2060. Plus, 40% of the population is expected to be over the age of 65 by 2060, showcasing a sharp increase in the median citizen age.
You must take these factors into account when advertising to the Japanese audience. Will it have a greater effect on a dynamic, technology savvy young population or will it be more useful for a more traditional older population? These are the types of questions your company should be asking itself before marketing in Japan.
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Email is great, but so is print marketing
Japan has three of the give largest circulated daily newspapers in the world. This most likely is because of Japan’s aging population. Seniors in Japan tend to read paper newspapers and are loyal to their paper of choice. This means that if you’re trying to target a senior population with your marketing efforts, you may want to consider a more traditional paper advertisement rather than an email campaign.
Despite these challenges, over 93% of the Japanese population has access to the internet and over half of all media is consumed online (PMG). Plus, over 70% of it’s 94 million internet users regularly shopping online. Email campaigns can still be successful in Japan as long as they are tailored to their specific target audience.
Marketing in an international market can be hard, but at FrescoData we are committed to making that easier. We are experts in providing premium data information: including email lists, marketing lists, and data-driven solutions. We have a vast global network you can tap into which will help drive successful advertising campaigns. Furthermore, our solutions can be drilled into for regional and country-specific applications, giving our data a lot of value. For more information about FrescoData and the data solutions we offer, please reach out to us here.
