Market testing before entry is the verification of demand and the competitive situation before a company invests in localisation, logistics and support. The cheap and fast version has three steps. The first is an analysis of search volume and competition in the given market, which shows whether demand exists and who is already serving it. The second is a small campaign in the local language directed at a simple landing page, which measures real interest – click-throughs, enquiries or pre-registrations. The third is a pilot sale of a limited offering, for example via a local marketplace, which verifies willingness to pay and reveals operational problems without building the whole infrastructure. Decide in advance what number you consider a reason to proceed. Without this criterion, the test turns into a justification of a decision that has already been made.
See also: Local search engines and markets, Testing before investment, Pricing for foreign markets.
