eLama had built a strong reputation in its home market, helping businesses optimize their digital marketing campaigns with cutting-edge automation tools. But as the market matured, customer acquisition slowed, and opportunities for further domestic growth dwindled. The company faced a choice: stagnate in a familiar market or take on the challenge of global expansion. With a powerful product yet little international recognition, the company saw an opportunity to reinvent itself for a global audience. But success abroad was not guaranteed. The challenge was not just entering new markets—it was about proving product-market fit, overcoming trust barriers, and crafting a marketing strategy that resonated with customers worldwide.
300%
MoM organic traffic growth
x3
conversion rate growth YoY
10,000+
webinar listeners and blog readers
Date
May 19, 2024
Topic
Case Study
Services Provided:
New Market Entry Product Management Product Marketing Digital Marketing Execution Customer Acquisition Strategy
elama is a paid advertising automation product for SMBs
Challenges: The Roadblocks to Global Success
Expanding internationally meant eLama had to navigate a series of complex challenges:
Breaking into unknown markets – With no prior brand presence abroad, gaining traction in foreign markets would require starting from scratch.
Establishing trust and authority – Businesses were unlikely to adopt an automation platform from an unfamiliar company unless eLama could demonstrate deep industry expertise.
Validating product-market fit – While the solution worked well in its home country, there was no certainty that businesses in other regions had the same needs or behaviors.
Competing in a crowded landscape – Major players dominated digital marketing automation, and many offered free trials, making it essential for eLama to differentiate itself.
Identifying the right markets – Entering a new region required understanding its digital marketing maturity, competitive landscape, and regulatory challenges.
Cultural and operational localization – Beyond language translation, the company needed to adapt its messaging, pricing, and payment methods to fit each market’s preferences.
Each of these hurdles presented risks. But for eLama, they also represented opportunities to build a smarter, more resilient, and globally competitive business.
Market Research: Finding the Right Expansion Strategy
Before taking action, we needed to answer fundamental questions: Where should eLama expand? What messaging would work? And how could we minimize risk while maximizing the chances of success?
Identifying Market Potential
The first step was to analyze and compare different markets using key criteria:
Total Addressable Market (TAM) – Measuring the potential customer base in different regions.
Digital marketing adoption – Assessing how businesses in each country used digital advertising.
Ad spend trends – Understanding where businesses invested their marketing budgets.
Competitive analysis – Identifying local and global competitors, their strengths, and their weaknesses.
Market entry costs – Factoring in setup expenses, regulatory requirements, and localization needs.
User behavior insights – Examining how businesses purchased, used, and evaluated marketing automation tools.
Gathering Insights from Real Users
To make informed decisions, we combined various research methods:
Customer interviews – Speaking directly with marketers, agency owners, and small business operators in target regions to understand their challenges and needs.
Competitor benchmarking – Analyzing leading MarTech solutions to pinpoint opportunities for differentiation.
SEO and keyword analysis – Using search data to uncover demand for automation tools in different languages and regions.
Engaging with local experts – Collaborating with marketers, consultants, and agencies to gain a deeper understanding of market dynamics.
Industry event participation – Attending international marketing conferences to connect with potential customers and partners.
A/B testing localized landing pages – Running targeted campaigns to assess which positioning and messaging resonated best.
Webinars & interactive content – Using free educational sessions to test market interest and engage potential customers.
This research gave us confidence in where and how to enter new markets while helping us fine-tune our approach for maximum impact.
Product Strategy Revamp: Rebuilding for Product-Market Fit
Expanding internationally didn’t just require a marketing strategy—it demanded a product that aligned with the needs and expectations of global customers. Our initial research and early acquisition experiments revealed a critical challenge: the existing eLama platform did not fully satisfy international demand. Product-market fit was particularly weak in the United States and Europe—two of the most lucrative and competitive markets for digital marketing automation.
Rather than force-fit an existing product into markets where it wasn’t resonating, we saw an opportunity. The data we collected shaped a new vision for eLama: to rebuild with a product designed specifically for international customers.
Product Discovery: Understanding What Customers Really Need
To ensure our next iteration was driven by real customer needs, we took a structured approach:
In-depth behavioral interviews – We engaged with digital marketers, agencies, and business owners to uncover pain points that existing automation solutions failed to address.
Competitor feature analysis – Understanding which features competitors offered helped us pinpoint gaps where eLama could differentiate itself.
MVP development – Using our research, we designed and built a minimum viable product (MVP) with a core focus on automation, ease of use, and cost efficiency.
Product demos & free trials – We tested the MVP through live product demonstrations and trial periods to measure engagement and gather further feedback.
The Breakthrough: A Winning Product Emerges
After multiple iterations and direct customer feedback loops, we identified the feature set that resonated most with international customers: an advanced paid advertising automation tool. This version of eLama allowed businesses to:
Automate complex bid strategies effortlessly.
Optimize digital marketing campaigns with AI-driven insights.
Reduce time spent on manual ad management while maximizing return on investment.
The response was immediate and positive. Early adopters in the U.S. market found the solution compelling enough to move beyond trials and make their first purchases. These initial sales were more than just revenue—they were validation. We had built a product that solved real pain points, giving us the green light to scale demand generation and customer acquisition efforts.
elama's main dashboard
elama's smart recommendations
Acquisition Strategy Development: Laying the Foundation for Growth
With clear insights and a solid product strategy, we crafted a scalable strategy to build brand authority, generate leads, and drive product adoption across multiple geographies.
Key Strategic Pillars
Content Marketing & Thought Leadership – Establishing eLama as a go-to resource for digital marketing best practices.
SEO & Organic Growth – Ensuring long-term discoverability through high-quality, search-optimized content.
Performance Marketing – Leveraging paid acquisition campaigns to accelerate entry into new markets.
Localized Positioning & Messaging – Tailoring communication to each region’s cultural and business norms.
Webinars & Partnerships – Partnering with industry leaders like Google and Facebook to enhance credibility.
Email & Retargeting Funnels – Creating automated nurture sequences to convert prospects into trial users and paying customers.
Mapping the Customer Journey
Every touchpoint was designed to guide prospects from awareness to conversion:
Awareness: Blog content, SEO, social media, and paid ads to introduce eLama to new audiences.
Consideration: Webinars, case studies, and free trials to educate and nurture leads.
Conversion: Product demos, in-app guidance, and onboarding support to turn trials into customers.
Retention & Advocacy: Customer success programs, workshops, and advanced training to reduce churn and foster long-term loyalty.
Execution: Bringing the Strategy to Life
A well-planned strategy means little without strong execution. To bring eLama’s global vision to reality, we rolled out a structured expansion plan:
Phase 1: Research & Preparation
Finalized market selection and entry strategy.
Product strategy optimization
Created localized websites, sales collateral, and messaging.
Set up analytics to track user behavior and conversion performance.
Phase 2: Market Entry & Brand Building
Launched SEO-driven content marketing campaigns.
Ran PPC and social media advertising to drive lead generation.
Hosted webinars and collaborated with industry influencers.
Initiated direct outreach campaigns to engage potential partners and customers.
Phase 3: Conversion & Scale
Optimized sales and onboarding processes to convert trials into paid users.
Expanded content marketing efforts to dominate search rankings.
Leveraged customer insights to refine product positioning.
Increased investment in top-performing channels and geographies.
Conclusion: A Blueprint for International Expansion
eLama’s journey from a domestic leader to a global player highlights the power of research-driven strategy, customer-centric execution, and relentless optimization.
By focusing on trust, authority, and product-led growth, the company not only broke into new markets but also set a foundation for sustained success. This case demonstrates that even without prior international experience, a structured, insight-driven approach can turn ambitious global goals into reality.
