If you’re a web developer, a digital marketing expert, an agency founder or a coach, this week’s newsletter is for you.
Today, I’ll explore how European service providers can secure clients from the American market, without even having to be physically present in the US.
Why does this matter?
Expanding your client base internationally, especially in the US, can bring you significant growth opportunities, diversified revenue streams, and exposure to bigger markets, where customers make faster buying decisions with higher budgets.
By learning how to attract and retain American clients, your business becomes more robust, more resilient, and more successful.
And it’s not as hard as you may imagine, especially if you already have a profitable business in your home market.
Unfortunately… many people struggle to get clients from the US. It remains a “I want to… some day…” goal.
They feel like the challenges are impossible. Not because they are. But because they don’t have the right strategy for adapting their approach.
What are the biggest struggles I’ve seen in my clients?
- Fear of wasting valuable time, money, and energy: Many believe that they don’t know how or where to start, and that their efforts will be wasted. So they don’t even try.
- Lack of a strong professional presence, in English: Without a strong online presence tailored to the American market, clients may not take you seriously. Your website, of course, but also podcasts, LinkedIn, and other “media” where they can learn about you.
- Inadequate personalization: Sending generic, impersonal messages that don’t resonate with potential clients. Americans are ALL about personalization, so if you’re sending the same message to 100 people, you’re doing it wrong, for sure.
- Cultural and language differences: Misunderstandings can happen if you aren’t mindful of cultural and language differences, especially in business communication. If you sound “off”, you have a harder time winning their trust.
But don’t worry! I’m going to explain how you can overcome all these problems and successfully get clients from the US.
Step 1: Tailor your outreach strategy to American practices
Understand the American Business Culture
This step is crucial. Americans appreciate directness, clarity, and a results-oriented approach. Your outreach should reflect these values. Use clear and concise language, and highlight the tangible benefits of your services, right up front.
Why is this important?
Understanding and aligning with American business culture increases your chances of resonating with potential clients. It’s as simple as that.
Examples:
- Web developer: Highlight how your responsive design increased a US client’s mobile traffic by 50%, leading to a 30% boost in sales.
- Digital marketing expert: Share a case study where your social media strategy grew a US client’s follower base by 40% in three months, resulting in a significant increase in engagement and lead generation. (If you don’t have US clients yet, use whatever case studies you have!)
- Coach: Emphasize how your coaching program helped an American entrepreneur streamline their operations, saving them 10 hours a week and increasing their productivity.
Step 2: Optimize your online presence for American clients
Showcase your successes:
Americans value success stories and proven results. Even better if you can put numbers to it! And even better if you can show how you can save them time or money, or help them make more money.
Make sure your website and social media profiles prominently feature testimonials, case studies, and any awards or recognitions your business has received. With numbers when possible.
Where many go wrong:
Failing to showcase credible success stories that resonate with American clients can result in missed opportunities. Or not downplaying their success and contribution to clients’ successes.
Examples, for a digital marketing agency:
- Website: Include a testimonial from a US client, such as, “Working with [Your Company] has revolutionized our online presence. Our website traffic doubled within six months, leading to a 25% increase in sales.”
(Again, if you don’t have US clients yet, share any testimonials you have. But try to quantify the result. Testimonials like “It was great working with FNAME, and I loved the experience!” are crap because they could apply to ANY business. - Social Media: Post a case study detailing how you helped a US-based client improve their SEO, resulting in a top-ranking position on Google for their primary keywords and a 20% increase in organic traffic.
Show what their problem was, how you analyzed it, what measures you put in place, and the results. Your prospects should be able to visualize what it’s like working with you, and see that you can get results. That’s how you build almost instant trust!
Step 3: Cultural and language considerations
Mind the culture and language gap
I can’t insist on this one enough.
You have to understand the cultural expectations and language nuances of your target market.
This will help you avoid misunderstandings and ensure your messages are clear, respectful, and make someone want to talk to you.
Examples:
- Avoid being too formal or sounding too aggressive : Americans generally prefer a more casual yet professional tone.
For example, instead of saying “I want to meet with you to discover how I can help you. When are you available?” you could say, “I’d love to chat about how we can help your business grow. Are you available for a call this week?” - Understanding directness: Americans appreciate direct communication, but it’s important to balance this with friendliness. And this is one point that I feel is the most misunderstood by Europeans doing business with Americans.
Either they try to be direct, but misinterpret “direct” to mean “without nice formulas.”
Or they send a long email with a lot of context, and build up to the main point too slowly.
You want to get to the point quickly but politely.
A good example would be starting an email with, “Hi [Name], I noticed your recent product launch and wanted to discuss how our services can boost your success.” (Of course you would add specific details: what product? Where did you see it? What kind of service do you offer?
But to keep it simple, imagine that you are writing to a 9-year old child. In other words, avoid jargon, or you’ll lose them immediately!
That’s all for this week.
See you next Thursday,
Christina
