How To Successfully Market Products To Thais?

[jkinbkk]

I wonder if there are any good books in English written by Thai's (or Expats for that matter) explaining the ‘does and don’ts’ of product marketing to Thai's?

There are some good books about bridging the cultural issues at work and socially, but I am not aware of any books specifically aimed at how to successfully market products to Thai's?

Ok I know that if a product is deemed ‘Suai’ (beautiful) then it is generally accepted regardless of what the product is. But if the product you are trying to market has great benefits to the vast majority of the population but has little or no ‘sex appeal’ as such, then how would one make this attractive to the general Thai population?

What's the correct cultural angle to market successfully 'Non Suai' products to Thai's?

If you guys know of such a book, please let me know?

[dondraper]

What are you selling? Vitamins?

Advertising works on 2 primary fronts from my observation, sex and fear.

Either tell them that this product will get them laid or that without it they will die.

If its marketed towards women, tell them they will get a rich husband with this product or they will die without it.

[lannarebirth]

The best sales tecniques I've seen here is when one abuses their perceived status and uses greng jai against the consumer. The consumer then feels compelled to buy because someone of a higher status told them they should.

[gvallee2]

it doesnt matter how you market it, as long as its banned in every other country and completely useless you will make a hit

dam_n those guys who brought the boob enhancing pills and those abs-tronics system here.

[trashy]

Just make sure the product looks cheap, gaudy, brightly coloured, and guaranteed to breakdown soon after purchase.

[jkinbkk]

What are you selling? Vitamins?

Advertising works on 2 primary fronts from my observation, sex and fear.

Either tell them that this product will get them laid or that without it they will die.

If its marketed towards women, tell them they will get a rich husband with this product or they will die without it.

Brilliant, you have answered my question already...Fear is the key, because with this product you reduce the risk of accidents while driving.

I guess the marketing towards mothers would be the added passive safety issue for the family or for all women the fact that it reduces the chances of being stuck on the road side when driving alone.

[dondraper]

that type of product sells itself.

[Heng]

Just ask the guy who copies your idea in week 2, and sells it for 50% less.

[Geekfreaklover]

Get the product a patent then hit the market hard and fast with a wide distriubution net-work.

If it does well it will be copied, at which point it's time to come up with a new product and repeat the process. A patent is a good deterent but you probably won't want to bother with long intelligantal property litigation battles. Proffesional indemnity insurance would be an advantage - but not sure if you can buy it over here.

So try it by all means - but keep your eggs in different baskets

Edited August 14, 2009 by Geekfreaklover

[Hawaiian]

Get the product a patent then hit the market hard and fast with a wide distriubution net-work.

If it does well it will be copied, at which point it's time to come up with a new product and repeat the process. A patent is a good deterent but you probably won't want to bother with long intelligantal property litigation battles. Proffesional indemnity insurance would be an advantage - but not sure if you can buy it over here.

So try it by all means - but keep your eggs in different baskets

A few years ago I did some construction work for a gentleman who owned a machine shop. The owner had invented a machine to process macadamia nuts which he patented, manufactured and made good money selling to the small orchard owners. He showed me his new improved version and said he was not taking it to market right away. He said it was only a matter of time before "illegal" husking machine began showing up. Then he would his release the new model since it worked twice as fast as the old model.

[mca]

with this product you reduce the risk of accidents while driving.

What is it? An ignition immobilizer that detects when there's a local driver behind the wheel and won't allow the engine to start?

[Harcourt]

Just make sure the product looks cheap, gaudy, brightly coloured, and guaranteed to breakdown soon after purchase.

Make sure it has flashing LEDs and makes a BOOiing sound.

[Ricardo]

Just make sure the product looks cheap, gaudy, brightly coloured, and guaranteed to breakdown soon after purchase.

Make sure it has flashing LEDs and makes a BOOiing sound.

Don't forget the sticker, claiming that it has been medically-tested overseas, and also whitens your skin !

[Soutpeel]

Just make sure the product looks cheap, gaudy, brightly coloured, and guaranteed to breakdown soon after purchase.

Make sure it has flashing LEDs and makes a BOOiing sound.

....you beat me to it....Booing...

[MaryWorth]

White packaging, write the word whitning and white on the packaging as often as possible, put the white face of a pretty Thai woman on the packaging, then if its cheap enough that the general population can afford it, it should sell ...

[thaimate]

I always find that increasing the price by about 200% then marking it 'REDUCED BY 80%" works a treat ,it always gets my wife to buy , and as stated before ,if it whitens your skin while using it or if its used by someone of high status that will help.

[Harcourt]

Get the product a patent then hit the market hard and fast with a wide distriubution net-work.

If it does well it will be copied, at which point it's time to come up with a new product and repeat the process. A patent is a good deterent but you probably won't want to bother with long intelligantal property litigation battles. Proffesional indemnity insurance would be an advantage - but not sure if you can buy it over here.

So try it by all means - but keep your eggs in different baskets

Before trying to get a patent, you want to be very sure that it's worth it. I started negotiations with a patent attorney late last year for my own invention, so I have a little experience: patents are very expensive, are only valid in the country where it was granted (so the expense goes on to each country in which you want protection), and time consuming.

For an invention that is cheap and quick to market, unless you envisage a huge turnover with excellent margins, a patent is a waste of time and money. Best just to flood the market as quickly as possible and put your efforts into marketing.