What KFC Can Teach Small Businesses About Success in China

At a recent Gateway17 event in Detroit, small businesses learned more about the products in demand from Chinese consumers and some tips on marketing to them.

But you can also learn about selling to Chinese customers by studying international brands like KFC. The fast food chain is the largest of its kind in China. And it’s done so by really tailoring its marketing and customer experience specifically to Chinese consumers, rather than just re-purposing marketing used in the U.S.

Example of Marketing in China

Take KFC’s latest promotion, for example. The company has partnered with Chinese tech company Huawei to offer limited edition smartphones to celebrate both companies’ 30th anniversaries of doing business in China.

Buying a smartphone from a fast food restaurant might seem strange to some U.S. consumers. But the trends and buying habits are different in China. And brands like KFC that are willing to fully adapt their offerings to the market have a much better chance of succeeding.

For small businesses interested in breaking into the Chinese market, this doesn’t mean you have to release a limited edition line of smartphones. But you can learn from this promotion by doing something similar on a smaller scale. Maybe you can create a website that’s really specific to Chinese consumers. You could create a social mobile app specifically for your product. Or you could even explore social media channels that are specific to the Chinese market like RenRen or Weibo.

KFC China Photo via Shutterstock

This article, "What KFC Can Teach Small Businesses About Success in China" was first published on Small Business Trends