Market Development Strategy Examples: How Leading Businesses Brought Their Products to New Markets

If growth is the goal, standing still is not an option.

Every successful business eventually hits a point where the existing market is saturated—or simply not enough to support long-term goals. That’s when smart companies shift their focus from just selling more to selling smarter. Enter: the market development strategy.

A market development strategy is all about finding new paths to growth by introducing your existing product or service to new audiences. That could mean moving into a different geographic region, targeting a new customer segment, adapting your product for different use cases, or teaming up with partners who can help expand your reach.

In this post, we’ll explore what a market development strategy is, how it works, and share real-world market development strategy examples from brands that successfully broke into new markets—and won big. We’ll also show you how Leadpages can help fuel your own strategy through landing pages, testing, and marketing tools that accelerate growth.

What Is a Market Development Strategy?

Before we start covering market development strategy examples, we should briefly go over what market development strategy is. A market development strategy is a growth tactic where a business seeks to sell its existing products or services in new markets. These new markets could be defined by geography, demographics, buyer behavior, industry, or even distribution channels.

This strategy falls under the Ansoff Matrix—a classic business framework outlining four core growth strategies:

• Market Penetration (existing products, existing markets)
• Product Development (new products, existing markets)
• Market Development (existing products, new markets)
• Diversification (new products, new markets)

While market penetration focuses on deepening your reach within your current market, market development is about expanding outward—bringing what already works into a space where it hasn’t yet been introduced.

Businesses turn to market development strategies for several reasons:

Growth has plateaued in the current market

• There’s untapped demand in adjacent or emerging markets
• The company wants to de-risk by spreading sales across multiple regions or segments
• A product has proven potential but limited reach due to distribution constraints

Successful market development doesn’t rely on chance. It takes research, a tailored go-to-market plan, and often, bold moves backed by customer insights. As we’ll explore in the next section, some of the world’s best-known brands have pulled it off—and there’s plenty to learn from their approach.

Real-World Market Development Strategy Examples

Market development strategies are essential for businesses aiming to expand their reach and tap into new customer bases. Below are real-world examples illustrating how leading companies have successfully implemented various market development strategies:

Geographic Expansion: Starbucks in China

When Starbucks entered China in 1999, it faced a market dominated by tea drinkers. To succeed, Starbucks adapted its approach by incorporating local flavors, creating a unique store ambiance, and positioning its cafes as premium social spaces. This strategy resonated with the emerging middle class, leading to rapid expansion. By 2017, Starbucks was opening a new store in China every 15 hours, aiming for 5,000 stores in the country.

Targeting New Customer Segments: Apple in India

Apple recognized the potential of the Indian market, characterized by a growing middle class and increasing smartphone adoption. To cater to this segment, Apple implemented a localized approach, including opening official retail stores and tailoring marketing strategies to Indian consumers. This focus on regional branding and understanding consumer behavior contributed to Apple's success in India.

Product Adaptation for New Markets: Coca-Cola in South Africa

Coca-Cola's success in South Africa is attributed to its localization strategy. The company developed products like Sparletta Cream Soda and Stoney Ginger Beer to cater to local tastes. Additionally, Coca-Cola invested in community initiatives, such as the "Bizniz in a Box" program, supporting women entrepreneurs. These efforts strengthened Coca-Cola's brand presence and loyalty in the region.

Strategic Partnerships and Alliances: Amazon in India

Amazon's entry into the Indian market required significant adaptation due to diverse consumer behaviors and regulatory challenges. The company partnered with local businesses, invested in infrastructure, and tailored its services to meet local needs. For instance, Amazon introduced Amazon Pay to facilitate digital transactions, aligning with India's push for a cashless economy. These strategic moves enabled Amazon to establish a strong foothold in India.

Digital Market Expansion: Netflix's Global Growth

Netflix transformed from a U.S.-based DVD rental service to a global streaming giant by expanding into over 190 countries within seven years. The company achieved this by initially entering markets similar to the U.S., learning and adapting its strategies, and then scaling to diverse regions. By 2018, Netflix's international streaming revenues surpassed domestic revenues, highlighting the success of its global market development strategy.

Steps to Craft an Effective Market Development Strategy

A strong market development strategy doesn’t happen by accident—it’s the result of intentional planning, careful research, and ongoing optimization. Whether you’re entering a new region or reaching a different audience segment, these steps will help guide your expansion.

Conduct Thorough Market Research

Before you commit to entering a new market, get to know it inside and out. Use a mix of qualitative and quantitative research to understand:

• Market size and demand
• Customer behavior and preferences
• Competitive landscape
• Cultural or regulatory considerations (especially for international expansion)

This foundational insight will shape everything from your messaging to your product positioning.

Set Clear, Measurable Objectives

What does success look like? Whether it’s a specific number of new leads, a revenue target, or brand awareness milestones, define your KPIs early. Setting goals allows you to track progress and adjust your strategy based on performance.

Adapt Your Offer for Local Relevance

Rarely can a business copy and paste its current approach into a new market. You may need to adjust:

Product features or packaging

• Pricing models
• Language or imagery
• Sales and customer support workflows

This doesn’t always mean reinventing the wheel—but it does mean tailoring your offer to match local expectations and cultural context.

Develop a Targeted Marketing and Sales Plan

A new market requires fresh outreach. Create a plan that addresses the unique needs of your new audience. This might include:

• Landing pages tailored to new segments
• Localized advertising campaigns
• Strategic partnerships or influencer collaborations
• Region-specific content strategies

Monitor, Measure, and Optimize

No market development strategy is perfect out of the gate. Once you launch, monitor your key metrics closely. Track what’s working, what’s stalling, and where customer feedback suggests there’s room for improvement. The more agile you are, the more likely you’ll turn early wins into long-term success.

How Leadpages Supports Market Development Strategies

Expanding into new markets is exciting—but it’s also a high-stakes move. You need tools that let you test ideas, validate offers, and connect with new audiences quickly. That’s where Leadpages comes in.

Launch Campaigns Fast with High-Converting Templates

Need to target a new customer segment or test messaging in a new region? Leadpages makes it easy to spin up landing pages fast. Choose from hundreds of professionally designed templates optimized for conversions—then customize them for your new audience, no code required.

Test and Optimize with Built-In A/B Testing

Not sure what message will resonate in a new market? With Leadpages, you can run A/B tests on headlines, CTAs, images, and more to find out what converts—before scaling your efforts. This lets you gather insights quickly and make data-backed decisions.

Integrate Seamlessly with Your Marketing Stack

From email marketing platforms to CRMs, Leadpages integrates with the tools you're already using. This means your market development campaigns can connect directly to your lead nurturing and sales workflows—keeping everything streamlined and efficient.

Measure What Matters with Real-Time Analytics

Track visits, leads, and conversion rates from each campaign so you know what’s working and where to improve. These insights are especially valuable when entering unfamiliar territory, helping you pivot quickly and capitalize on opportunities.

Frequently Asked Questions About Market Development Strategies

Still have questions about market development strategies? We have answers.

What distinguishes market development from market penetration?

Market development focuses on introducing existing products to new markets—whether that's a different geography, demographic, or industry. In contrast, market penetration is about increasing sales within your current market, often through pricing strategies, promotions, or gaining share from competitors. Think of market development as expansion, while penetration is about deeper saturation.

How do I identify the right new market for expansion?

Start by analyzing where your product could solve similar problems for a different audience. Look at trends, customer feedback, competitor gaps, and data from your existing campaigns. Market size, demand, purchasing behavior, and entry barriers should all factor into your decision. Tools like customer surveys, keyword research, and competitive analysis can offer valuable insights.

What are common challenges in market development, and how can they be mitigated?

Some of the most common hurdles include:

• Misunderstanding the needs of the new audience
• Failing to localize messaging or offers
• Operational challenges in scaling delivery or support
• Underestimating cultural or regulatory differences

You can mitigate these by conducting thorough research, testing small before scaling, and partnering with local experts or influencers when appropriate.

How long does it typically take to see results from a market development strategy?

It depends on the complexity of the market and the resources behind the strategy. For digital campaigns or small-scale tests, you might see early results within a few weeks. Larger initiatives—like international expansion or new product-market fits—can take several months to gain traction. The key is to set short-term milestones and monitor progress along the way.

Have you been inspired by these market development strategy examples? When you’re ready to get started on your own strategy Leadpages is here to help. Try it free for 14 days and discover an easier way to share your products with a new audience.