National Marketing Strategies and the Role of National Marketing in the Export of Goods

Being present and very hospitable will win the hearts of many people to live, work, study and develop their careers.

The marketing plans of managers, state leaders and businesses cannot be successful without the understanding and joint participation of the community of that country. The national marketing orientation and plan must be widely disseminated and accepted by the people because there is no greater power than the power of the people. This is also the art in the process of building, defending and developing the country for generations of our people. They are the ones who show enthusiasm and friendliness to welcome foreign tourists. They are dynamic, intelligent, skillful workers and also passionate about their work. All will form a good impression of the land and people of a country in the hearts of tourists, investors and businesses around the world. Citizens will be the ones who contribute significantly to the success of their national brand marketing strategy.

However, in Vietnam, with a political situation that is considered one of the most stable in the world, product prices are generally low and many areas are favorable for attracting investment, but Vietnam has not really satisfied its customers. In the minds of many foreigners, Vietnam appears next to the Ao Dai, with friendly smiles, with fertile lands, green forests, but also with scenes of beggars, pickpockets, chaotic traffic jams, poor service quality, unfriendly service style, ... These factors have a significant impact on the image of the country and reduce its attractiveness.

1.2. National marketing strategies and the role of national marketing in the field of goods export

1.2.1. National marketing strategies

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A country has many issues to consider and depending on the conditions, it chooses the most suitable national marketing strategy. There are four general strategies for a country to attract visitors, residents and workers, business and industry, and export development. Those strategies are:

 image marketing

 marketing attractions

 infrastructure marketing

 human marketing

1.2.1.1. Image Marketing

Today, countries around the world are integrating into the common development rhythm, shifting from the trend of confrontation to dialogue and cooperation for development. Many opportunities are opening up but competition is also becoming more and more fierce. Therefore, countries must attract potential investors by building a strong and suitable image and then bringing that image to the world. Here, the image of a country means " the sum of beliefs and ideas people have about that country " 2 . Without a unique and distinct image, a country, no matter how attractive, can still be lost in the vast world market. One of the goals of image marketing is to develop a smart, trustworthy slogan that can be proven to be true to that slogan. We can see this method very clearly in the case of Singapore. Singapore has used the slogan "Singapore - One of the

2 Peter D. Bennett (1995 ), AMA Dictionary of Marketing Terms, McGraw-Hill Companies, page 28.

The tigers of Asia.” This slogan was built and Singapore has proven that this slogan is absolutely right. Although Singapore is the smallest country in Southeast Asia, located in the south of the Malaysian peninsula, its central location has made Singapore a natural center of trade, transportation, banking, tourism and communications in the region. Indeed, Singapore's initial success is mainly due to its ideal location on the busy sea routes connecting the East and the West. Singapore has successfully applied the image marketing strategy, thereby creating a good effect for development.

However, not all slogans work. Many countries are saturated with bland and unimpressive slogans. Mali and Senegal both have the slogan " One people, one purpose, one faith ." This slogan is similar to the slogan of Nazi Germany " One people, one nation, one leader ." 3 Therefore, it does not create the uniqueness and novelty to attract the world's people to know. Therefore, the image marketing strategy needs to be carefully planned and must be integrated into a broader marketing strategy. A national image must be valuable, communicated in many ways and through many channels if it is to survive and succeed.

A nation's image can fall into one of five states:

 The image is too attractive

Some countries are suffering because some of their localities have an overly attractive image. One example is the Thai city of Phuket, which is often seen as overcrowded, noisy, and crowded during peak season.

3 Authors, May 11, 2007, National slogans of countries around the world,

http://lichsuvn.info/forum/archive/index.php/t-1172.html.

Long queues and high prices everywhere. This not only benefits Thailand but also costs the government and regulatory agencies a lot of time, effort and money to manage the problems that arise.

A similar situation that is damaging the image of the Philippines is the situation that is happening to the island of Boracay in the country. Journalist Daffyd Roderick describes the paradise island as follows: “ The island, once known for its beautiful white sand beaches and turquoise waters, is now surrounded by a carpet of mossy green algae, which some say is the result of a combination of overtourism and a lack of sewage treatment. The moss is warm and pleasant under my feet, but it also makes me feel uneasy about the state of the water I am swimming in. ” 4 This is not only affecting the country’s tourism industry, but also negatively affecting other sectors of the economy.

 Positive image

This is the image that many countries want to build for themselves. This image must create a good impression in the minds of target customers and be remembered by customers whenever they encounter anything related to that country.

Countries that have built a positive image have used that to their advantage to grow their businesses. We can see commercial vehicle manufacturers exploiting their connections to Japan; semiconductor manufacturers focusing on their links to Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan; or gem and jewelry manufacturers linking to Thailand. Although the world market is now much more global,

4 Dffyd Roderick(2000), Tourism numbers for 2020 are scary to say the least , Time Asia.

Although many businesses have expanded to many countries around the world, they are still focused and identified with one or a few single countries with a positive image. From there, we can see the great benefits that a positive image brings to the country that creates that image.

 Blurry image

Many countries fall into this category. They lack a marketing strategy with a clear message and leadership. A weak image can be due to a small population, not following the right path in line with international trends, being located in a region lacking resources, not being blessed by nature, having a harsh climate, etc. This category is mostly for underdeveloped countries in the world. These countries have to be particularly skillful in changing their image. They may have attractions but cannot turn them into competitive advantages. Without an effective image, these localities will remain anonymous.

 Contrasting images

Many countries have contrasting images because people have contrasting views on some of the characteristics of that country. For example, Japan is seen as a modern, highly developed country, but there are also opinions that this is an expensive country, especially " the capital Tokyo ranked second in the list of the most expensive cities in the world according to the research results of the human resources consulting firm Mercer announced today.

7/24/2008. " 5 Or like Brazil, famous for its beautiful beaches, is a land

country with an export-oriented free market economy. Currently, Brazil is the leading economy in Latin America, with a gross domestic product

5 Hai Ninh, July 25 , 2008, 10 most expensive cities in the world , http://vnexpress.net/GL/The-gioi/2008/07/3BA04CC7/ .

GDP of more than 1.6 trillion USD/year (2008), ranked 10th in the world. 6 "Besides, Brazil also appears with the image of the country with the most terrible traffic jams in the world. The city of San Paulo in Brazil constantly has to endure traffic jams regardless of morning, noon or night. During rush hour, the queue of cars can stretch up to nearly 200km ." 7 This has significantly reduced the image of San Paulo in particular and Brazil in general.

Many developing countries also have a contrasting image. No matter how good these countries are, people still believe that they lack professional ethics, sense of responsibility and entrepreneurial spirit. A very clear example is Vietnam, which also falls into this contrasting image.

The strategic challenge for country marketers is to highlight positive images while trying to change negative image realities. This is especially difficult because first impressions are often long-lasting and difficult to change.

 Negative image

Many countries and territories face the challenge of being associated with a negative image. A prime example is Macau. Located off the southeastern coast of China, Macau was once a Portuguese colony. Over the years, the archipelago’s historical significance has faded. Once considered “one of the most important trading centers of the Orient” and a useful place for spreading Christianity, the island is now known for its triads and gangsters. Hmmm

6 Pham Ba Uong, Counselor, Tran su, Attaché at the Vietnam Trade Office in the Federal Republic of Brazil, September 2008, Researching the Brazilian market, http://www.tinkinhte.com.

7 Nguyen Ha, April 23, 2008, Strange things in the world's most terrible traffic jam , http://dantri.com.vn/c36/s36-229348/nhung-dieu-ky-la-o-noi-tac-duong-kinh-khung-nhat-the-gioi.htm .

Deep in the public memory is the 1952 film “Macao,” directed by Josef Von Stenberg, which depicted a corrupt, sinful gambling culture. The Asian Economic Times described Macao as “ a stain of gambling and prostitution .” Since 1996, bloody feuds between triads, or gangs, have turned Macao into a replica of 1920s Chicago, with machine-gun killings outside casinos and gang leaders with nicknames like “ Fat Panther ” and “ Broken Tooth .” Criticism in the press can damage the image of the place. Although Singapore is a dynamic country, it has also been called “the most boring city ” and referred to as “ a nanny state ” because of the government’s strict quarantine measures. 8

Countries with negative images need time to develop a new strategy to create a better image. For example, the Singapore government has allocated funds to develop the country's culture and arts and thereby provide more entertainment. Singapore is also gradually becoming a destination for performers and entertainment visitors from around the world.

However, it is not easy to build or change an image. Image promotion is not an overnight adjustment. It takes many years to create or change an image effectively. Many government regulations only take place within three or four years, making significant changes in image difficult. Image marketing requires research on how residents, tourists, domestic and foreign investors feel about a place. Individuals and groups choose an image together.

8 Phillip Kotler (2002), Chapter 3: How Places Market Themselves , Fulbright Teaching Program 2004 on Marketing Asian Places, page 22.

Creating a new image is not easy, let alone investing in making that new image valuable is even more difficult. Therefore, the country should have a strategy to build its own image and have sustainable value with a long-term vision so that the image will last forever.

1.2.1.2. Marketing attractions

Improving an image is not enough to increase the basic attractiveness of a country. Countries also need to invest in specific attractive aspects. Many countries are blessed with nature, attracting investment and tourism. For example, Indonesia has the beautiful island of Bali, which attracts investment and tourism development. Bali is known as the " island of God" or " the dawn of the world ". Beautiful beaches, friendly people and a long history have turned this place into a world-famous tourist destination. Vietnam also has many regions with favorable conditions to become attractive destinations. For example, the Mekong Delta has very favorable conditions for growing rice, thereby attracting rice exporters to invest and do business. The Mekong Delta has become an attractive destination for rice in our country. Or the Central Highlands of Vietnam is an attractive destination for investment, developing production, processing and exporting coffee products. These attractions need to be paid more attention and marketed to be able to promote their strengths. "Marketing" according to Phillip Kotler is defined as " a social and managerial process by which individuals and groups obtain what they need and want through creating and exchanging products and values

with others ." 9

Many other countries also inherit a great heritage from historical traditional buildings. For example, India, in addition to the Immortal Lake and the Golden Temple, also has the monument of love, the Taj Mahal. Cambodia is famous for its temples.

9 Phillip Kotler and Gary Armstrong (1993), Principles of Marketing , Free Press, New York, page 5.

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