10 best PR practices for successfully entering the Canadian market

You only have one chance to make a good first impression. This is particularly true when entering a foreign market. Being tone deaf to the culture or ignorant to local sensitivities can put a well-loved brand on the next flight home.

Expanding a business internationally is very costly and risky, and now more than ever, proper planning is vital to launching ventures across borders.

Indeed, communicators can make all the difference between a successful expansion and an unsuccessful one. Over the years, I’ve helped many U.S. and European brands enter the Québec and Canadian markets and have learned the best strategies to help them land smoothly.

Here is a list of 10 best practices I’ve collected along the way:

1. Plan ahead and partner with a local firm. As soon as you decide to expand your business, it’s important to find the right communications partner that will facilitate your entry, connect you with the right people, and inform you about the challenges you may face.

2. Fully acknowledge any differences. Accept that there are differences between where you’re going and where you’ve been and fully engage yourself in identifying how they impact how you conduct business. Do not put your head in the sand thinking challenges will go away; it will backfire for sure.