How to Achieve Business Growth Using Global Marketing
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Expanding into new markets is a major growth opportunity for B2B tech companies. So, is there a repeatable playbook or framework for successful global marketing?
In this episode, host Karen Lloyd speaks with Ana Castrillon, Head of Marketing at Toku, about what it really takes to drive business growth through global marketing.
Ana shares insights from her experience scaling brands across Latin America, EMEA, and the US, exploring key differences in buyer behaviour, the importance of localisation, and whether a repeatable marketing playbook exists for entering new regions.
Whether you're a CMO planning international expansion or a CEO looking to understand marketing’s role in global growth, this episode is packed with practical takeaways to help you navigate new markets effectively.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
✔️ The biggest mistake companies make when expanding into global markets
✔️ Why cultural nuances impact sales and marketing strategies
✔️ The difference between translation and true localisation
✔️ How to tailor your go-to-market approach for new regions
✔️ Why enterprise marketing requires a different playbook to SME marketing
✔️ The role of events vs. digital in winning high-value deals
✔️ How to structure your marketing team for international growth
EPISODE OUTLINE AND HIGHLIGHTS
[00:00] Introduction to Ana Castrillon
[03:11] Marketing Differences Across Regions
[07:42] Enterprise vs. SME Marketing
[15:20] Building Marketing at Tuku
[20:04] Event Marketing vs. Digital Marketing
[24:22] Branding and Marketing Integration
[30:04] Hiring for Marketing Success
[33:02] Final Takeaways & Advice – Ana’s biggest lessons on international expansion
WHY COPY-PASTE MARKETING DOESN’T WORK IN GLOBAL EXPANSION
Many companies make the mistake of assuming that what works in their home market will work everywhere else. Ana explains why businesses must tailor their approach and shares key lessons from her experience marketing across Latin America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific.
Cultural Expectations Shape Sales Cycles
In Latin America, face-to-face relationships are essential for closing deals, particularly in enterprise sales. Buyers value trust and personal connections, making in-person meetings and events a crucial part of the sales and marketing strategy.
In contrast, US buyers are often comfortable closing deals remotely, relying more on digital marketing, online demos, and virtual sales engagements.
European markets vary - countries like Germany and France prefer a formal, localised approach, whereas the UK aligns more closely with the US in terms of digital adoption.
Market Maturity Affects Messaging
In the US, cloud adoption became mainstream years ago, so marketing campaigns tend to be focused on differentiation rather than education.
In Latin America in contrast, many businesses were still in the early stages of digital transformation, meaning marketing needs to focus more on educating the market about cloud solutions before pushing for adoption.
Comparatively, some European markets have more traditional, compliance-driven decision-making processes, meaning messaging needs to reflect regulatory concerns and risk mitigation strategies.
Localisation is More Than Just Language
Ana explains that many businesses assume that translating their marketing materials is enough when it comes to localisation. However, true adaptation requires modifying visuals, messaging, and even the channels used to engage buyers.
For example, in LATAM, WhatsApp is widely used for business communications and customer engagement, whereas in North America and Europe, email and LinkedIn play a more significant role.
Advertising imagery also needs to be adjusted— Ana demonstrates how using visuals that reflect local work environments and cultural norms increases engagement and relevance.
POSITIONING, GO-TO-MARKET AND ENTERPRISE SALES STRATEGY
A strong positioning strategy is essential before scaling marketing efforts globally. Ana explains how she developed Toku’s market positioning and how businesses should approach go-to-market strategy when targeting enterprise clients.
Positioning First, Demand Generation Second
Many companies focus on lead generation without a clear positioning strategy, leading to weak messaging and lower conversion rates.
Ana used April Dunford’s positioning framework to define Toku’s unique value proposition before investing heavily in marketing campaigns.
This approach ensured that marketing efforts resonated with the right audience and communicated the company’s differentiators effectively.
Enterprise vs. SMB Marketing: Different Playbooks
Selling to SMBs is often transactional—buyers are more likely to discover products via digital marketing and make purchasing decisions independently.
Enterprise sales, however, involve multiple stakeholders, long sales cycles, and higher deal values, requiring a completely different approach.
Ana highlights the importance of account-based marketing (ABM), targeted events, and strategic partnerships in engaging enterprise decision-makers.
Budget Prioritisation: Where to Invest for Maximum Impact
High-ROI channels for enterprise marketing:
Trade shows and industry events – Meeting decision-makers in person builds trust and accelerates deal cycles.
Exclusive executive events and roundtables – Hosting C-level discussions fosters stronger connections and positions the brand as a thought leader.
Strategic partnerships – Collaborating with ecosystem partners can help gain credibility and market access in new regions.
Channels that work well for SMBs but may be less effective for enterprise sales:
Paid search and social media – These are great for inbound lead generation but often don’t reach high-level decision-makers in large organisations.
Mass email marketing – More effective for SMB sales but less impactful in complex, multi-stakeholder enterprise deals.
TODAY’S GUEST
Ana is the Head of Marketing at Toku; a global Marketeer with over a decade of experience driving growth and innovation across LATAM, EMEA, and the US. Bilingual in English and Spanish, she enjoys building bridges between people, ideas, and organisations, helping businesses thrive in complex global markets.
Passionate about empowering the Latin American community, Ana founded the London chapter of Latinas in Tech and hosts a podcast in Spanish, Hack Tu Startup that shares inspiring stories to connect and uplift audiences.
With a proven track record in brand leadership, product launches, and community building, she combines creativity, empathy, and strategic vision to drive meaningful impact.
You can connect with Ana on LinkedIn, or listen to her podcast Hack Tu Startup on Spotify
OUR HOST
Karen Lloyd is a passionate marketing head-hunter and recruitment expert specialising in marketing and C-suite in the technology sector. With over 25 years of experience in the recruitment industry, Karen brings a unique depth of expertise that sets her apart from most recruiters.
Over her career, Karen has accumulated a wealth of experience that includes serving as a Board Director and being actively involved in growing a business for 13 years. Karen has been a part of five start-ups, giving her first-hand knowledge of the critical importance of hiring the right people.
Currently, Karen is the founder and Director of Armstrong Lloyd. She leads a very special team that partners with businesses and empowers them to build industry-leading marketing teams for some of the most exciting B2B technology brands - from small agile and disruptive start-ups to global giants providing a wealth of product and service offerings.
