Page 120 - 100 Great Marketing Ideas (100 Great Ideas)

56 IF YOU’RE ON THE WEB,
YOU’RE GLOBAL

Most companies nowadays have a website of some sort, and in the
majority of cases they are interactive. What many managers forget,
though, is that the internet is global—which is why it’s called the
World Wide Web, of course.

This means that everyone from Valparaiso to Vladivostok can access
your website—and many do. Even if you think you only have a local
clientele, there is nothing to stop you from picking up business
from anywhere in the world.

The idea

Caja Granada is a “caja de ahorros,” the Spanish equivalent of a
building society or a savings and loan company. It is non-profit-
making, and operates almost entirely within Andalucía. Recently,
however, the company has started to offer internet banking, and
it does so in both Spanish and English. People from outside Spain
can open accounts, but must obtain a certificate of non-residence in
order to have interest paid tax-free: Caja Granada can arrange this
for a small fee.

Expanding into the global market has opened up new possibilities.
Deposit accounts denominated in euros can be offered to people
outside Spain, which means more cash flowing into the company,
which in turn means it can lend more. The company also gains a
competitive edge on some banks when dealing with people who
own vacation homes in Spain—which, in Andalucía, amounts to a
large number of people.

100 GREAT MARKETING IDEAS • 111