How Global Brands Expand in Asia Successfully

Written by Mitos Aguadera
how brands can expand to asia

Why Asia is on Every Global Brand’s Radar

Asia has emerged as the go-to region for global companies seeking scale, innovation, and sustained growth. With its dynamic markets, fast-growing economies, and tech-savvy population, the region offers lucrative potential. Clearly, more organizations are leveraging market expansion services in Asia to streamline entry and scale operations quickly and efficiently.

But expanding business into Asia isn’t just about opening an office in Singapore or launching a website with multiple language options. It involves a deep understanding of the market, strategic planning, cultural immersion, and adapting global best practices to local conditions.

Let’s explore how top companies expand in Asia successfully and what lessons you can learn from their journeys.

Why Companies Expand Internationally

The next appropriate question would be, “Why do such big companies expand to Asian countries?”

I mean, why not? It’s no secret that some companies hesitate due to unfamiliar regulatory environments, political instability, or cultural differences. Nevertheless, global giants like Oracle, SAP, and Amazon have done their homework before entering Asian territories. Feasibility studies and market opportunity reports guide their decisions. They know the risks, but they also know the rewards.

Multinational companies (MNCs) expand internationally to:

  • Diversify their customer base
  • Access new revenue streams
  • Gain a competitive advantage
  • Leverage regional manufacturing or tech talent

Take Salesforce, for instance. Their decision to aggressively pursue growth in Japan and Southeast Asia wasn’t random. It was based on clear signals—high CRM adoption potential, digital transformation investments, and mobile-first economies.

Thinking of Expanding into Asia? Start with a Free Market Readiness Audit.

Book a Strategy Call

Asia’s Business Growth

Here are some statistics to support why businesses are expanding in Asia:

These numbers alone reveal why expanding business in the region is not just a trend but a strategic imperative.

How Do Multinational Companies Expand in Asia?

Successful market entry isn’t built on uncertainty. It’s the result of market intelligence, regional partnerships, and adaptability. Let’s break down what this looks like through real-world examples:

1. Understanding Cultural Differences: The Foundation of Global Success

Cultural misalignment is one of the biggest reasons international expansions fail. Successful brands recognize that consumer behavior, purchasing habits, and communication preferences differ across markets.

Lessons from Global Brands:

  • McDonald’s customizes its menu for every country—no beef burgers in India, seafood-heavy menus in Japan.
  • Salesforce ensures that its CRM products in Japan include native-language support, localized integrations, and consultative onboarding that matches Japanese corporate etiquette.
  • Oracle has tailored its go-to-market approach in Southeast Asia to prioritize face-to-face consultations, which resonate better in markets like Indonesia and Thailand.

Cultural adaptation isn’t just about translation but deep localization. This includes pricing models, channel preferences, and even the methods salespeople use to follow up with leads.

2. Developing a Market-Specific Strategy

A one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work in international expansion. Companies must adopt market-specific strategies that are informed by real data to expand their business.

A. Conducting In-Depth Market Research

Understand competitors, customer pain points, regional tech adoption, and decision-maker behaviors.

Utilize market expansion services in Asia that offer on-the-ground insights, legal and compliance support, and demand generation assistance.

Example: SAP partners with local governments and chambers of commerce to tailor its ERP solutions to meet government procurement rules and the needs of mid-sized enterprises in Malaysia.

B. Build Local Partnerships

Salesforce partners with regional resellers to navigate regulatory environments and accelerate adoption.

C. Choose the Right Entry Model

Amazon Web Services (AWS) opts for local data centers in South Korea and India to meet data sovereignty laws, ensuring compliance while boosting service speed.

3. Leverage Multi-Channel Outreach

To expand your reach across Asia’s fragmented markets, global companies use multi-touch, multi-channel engagement models.

Why? Because:

  • B2B buyers use 3–10 digital channels to research and purchase
  • 76% get frustrated by generic, non-personalized content
  • 75% prefer a rep-free sales experience

Example: Microsoft utilizes a combination of virtual events, LinkedIn campaigns, and voice outreach for its APAC product launches. The result? Highly contextual engagement that meets buyers where they are.

Find out what drives Multi-Channel adoption in Asia

4. Invest in Local Talent and Infrastructure

Local hiring isn’t just about language support. It’s about cultural alignment, sales effectiveness, and faster relationship-building.

Case in Point:

  • SAP established a Co-Innovation Lab in Singapore to collaborate directly with clients and partners on regional ERP challenges.
  • Amazon launched seller training centers across Southeast Asia, investing in ecosystem development rather than just customer acquisition.

Building these capabilities is essential for maintaining a long-term presence, not just achieving quick wins.

Discover how an Australian Software Vendor taps Callbox to Fast-track Sales in Asia-Pacific

Considerations When Expanding Business to Asia

Expanding business to other countries—especially in Asia—comes with a learning curve. Here’s what your team must evaluate:

  • Regulatory Complexity: Each country has unique data protection, tax, and incorporation laws.
  • Sales Cycles: Enterprise deals take an average of 11.5 months to close. For multinational buyers, it could stretch to 16 months.
  • Stakeholder Involvement: Firms with 100-500 employees typically have an average of 7 decision-makers per purchase.
  • Mobile-First Mindset: 80% of buyers use mobile throughout their journey. Your site and campaigns must reflect that.

Failing to address these can lead to costly delays or unsuccessful market entry.

Read more marketing tips for companies expanding into APAC

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

Some well-known companies that expanded internationally failed in Asia because they:

  • Treated Asia as a single monolithic market
  • Applied Western sales tactics without localization
  • Underestimated competition from agile local players

Example: Uber’s exit from China serves as a reminder that aggressive scaling without regional insight can have unintended consequences.

Example: Uber’s exit from China serves as a reminder that aggressive scaling without regional insight can have unintended consequences.

Final Thoughts

The opportunity to expand in Asia is massive. However, it rewards companies that come prepared—those that strike a balance between cultural understanding and digital precision, and bold ambitions and long-term strategy.

Whether you’re offering enterprise software, cloud solutions, or ERP platforms, your expansion needs to be more than global—it needs to be glocal.

So, before you launch, ask yourself:

  • Is your message regionally relevant?
  • Are your teams locally enabled?
  • Are your channels and touchpoints personalized?

Because businesses expanding into Asia today are laying the foundation for tomorrow’s global dominance.

TL;DR: Key Takeaways to Expand in Asia

  1. Asia is a digital-first powerhouse for B2B growth.
  2. Localize your strategy based on real market data
  3. Invest in regional partnerships and infrastructure
  4. Use ABM, multi-channel marketing, and market-specific content to drive success.
  5. Build local teams for cultural alignment
  6. Leverage expert-led market expansion services in Asia
  7. Brands like SAP, Microsoft, and AWS offer blueprints for expansion done right.

Want to expand in Asia? Start by adapting—not just scaling.