Four Tips On Engaging Stakeholders When Opening Offices Overseas
It’s been a bumper few months for business in Cork, with several overseas companies such as HealthKit, Keeper Security and DataStax opening new offices in the city. We have compiled four tips on engaging stakeholders when opening offices overseas.
The common thread running through all these announcements is a recognition of the strong talent, support and resources available locally. The proximity to mainland Europe, its growing connectivity, its reputation as a tech cluster, and the English-speaking workforce means Cork is also increasingly seen as an attractive base from which to manage EMEA operations.
While there are many benefits, opening an office in a new market can seem daunting. However, there is plenty you can do from a communications perspective to help ease the transition into a new location.
Map local stakeholders
As with all things in life and business, it’s all about knowing the right people. Do some research ahead of time, and get to know the lay of the land locally. Identify your goals, and map your stakeholders to correspond with these goals. Once these are mapped, outline your process for reaching out, and record each step so you know the status of your outreach.
When it comes to Cork, there are many helpful business and industry organisations including the Cork Chamber of Commerce, Cork Business Association, it@cork and CorkBIC, as well as city centre hubs such as Republic of Work.
Use your digital platforms
Communicate your plans and lay the groundwork for the move across each of your digital platforms.
By leveraging content across your earned, owned and paid platforms, from guest articles to social media to sponsored posts, you can increase brand awareness, engage with key local influencers, and build your presence, all before you are officially on the ground.
Network, network, network
Once you have capacity, it’s vital to follow through on your initial outreach and meet people face-to-face. You’ll find most people are happy to share their insights and will welcome you into the business community.
Arrange to go for coffee, attend local conferences and follow up on any chance encounter with a personal message. For more advice on networking, read our blog here.
Make it official
To announce your arrival into the local market, we would recommend hosting a launch event. This could be anything from a simple lunchtime gathering to a more elaborate evening event.
At Springboard PR & Marketing, we manage many different types of launch events and it is an effective way of reaching out to media, building and strengthening existing relationships and thanking those who have helped you so far.
For more info on how we can strengthen your new market entry or help you manage an upcoming event, contact info@springboardcommunications.ie.
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