Know the US market before you invest in it
A four-week audit for European manufacturers entering or growing in the US market. You learn who the American buyer is, where your positioning falls short, and what to do first. You leave with a 12-month roadmap you own outright.
- 25+ years in industrial B2B marketing
- One senior strategist, start to finish
- English, French and Spanish
Most US expansions start in the wrong order
Budget gets committed, a distributor gets signed, a booth gets booked, and only then does anyone ask who the American buyer actually is. By then, the materials, the messaging and the channel plan were built for Europe.
Credentials that don't carry
European certifications and references a US buyer does not recognize.
Specs without proof
Specification sheets where US buyers look for applications and case studies.
No local reference
Nothing answers the first question: who has used this here?
Metric-only, EU standards
Units, standards and terms that don't match how a US engineer searches.
Translated, not written
Copy that reads as translated rather than written for an American reader.
Engineer-only content
Nothing for procurement or operations, who also sign off on the purchase.
The audit reverses the order. Buyer and market first, spend second.
A roadmap your team could act on without us
A fixed-scope, four-week assessment of one product category in the US market. Every recommendation comes with a budget range, and the roadmap is yours to keep whether or not we continue.
The roadmap document
Executive summary, where you stand today, the US buyer, the competitive landscape, a positioning recommendation, a 12-month roadmap, budget scenarios and your first 90 days.
A research appendix
Competitor data and channel audit detail behind every recommendation.
A 90-minute findings session
The findings presented to your decision-makers, with time for questions.
Four workstreams, one picture of your US position
| Workstream | What we examine | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Market & competitor assessment | 6–10 competitors: the ones you name, US players you may not track, and other European exporters chasing the same buyer | A comparison table and a read on where the positioning gaps are |
| US buyer & distributor mapping | What engineers, plant managers and procurement each need, where they look, and how US distribution works in your category | A buyer map and a distributor model assessment |
| Positioning gap analysis | Your website, brochures, spec sheets and decks, tested against the US buyer | A gap table with severity and a recommended messaging architecture |
| Channel & asset audit | Website, search visibility, collateral, technical documentation and distributor materials | An inventory of what is US-ready and what is missing |
Four weeks, with your findings session at the end
- Week 1
Intake and kickoff
You return a short intake questionnaire and share analytics access and collateral. A 90-minute kickoff confirms objectives and the competitor set.
- Week 2
Market and buyer research
Competitor assessment, US buyer map and distributor landscape.
- Week 3
Gap analysis
Positioning gaps and channel audit, with priorities and budget ranges drafted.
- Week 4
Roadmap and findings
Your 12-month roadmap, presented in a 90-minute findings session. Documents follow within 24 hours.
The four weeks start when your intake materials arrive. At the end of week one, you receive a one-page scope confirmation.
The audit works best once the US is a decision
A good fit when
- The US is a decision, not a possibility
- Budget is set aside for US marketing in the next 12 months
- A launch, trade show or board decision sets the timing
- You already sell in the US and results are flat
Too early when
- The US is still one option among several
- No budget is allocated yet
A free 30-minute call decides it. If the audit is not the right next step yet, I will tell you.
Book a free 30-minute callClear boundaries, stated in writing before we start
Included
- One product category
- One market: the US
- All four workstreams
- Roadmap, research appendix and findings session
Available as a separate scope
- Buyer interviews, surveys or focus groups
- Legal, regulatory, tariff or certification advice
- Pricing strategy or margin modeling
- Producing assets: the roadmap recommends, it does not build
- Naming or introducing distributors
The roadmap is yours. Support is optional
Knowing what to do is not the same as having the capacity to do it. If you want help executing, the roadmap points to the right engagement.
Foundation
The gap is messaging, content and collateral.
Growth
Messaging works and the gap is demand.
Distributor Channel Support
The issue is your partner network.
Agile & On-Demand
Project work you can pause and resume anytime.
of the audit fee credits toward any retainer signed within 60 days of the findings session. See services and pricing →
One senior strategist, start to finish
I'm Séverine Rigaud, Founder & Global Fractional Marketing Director of ELIKYA Digital. The person on your qualification call is the person who runs the research, writes the roadmap and presents the findings. No account team, no handoff.
- Experience
- 25+ years in industrial B2B marketing.
- Bridge-building
- Fluent in European and US business culture, in English, French and Spanish.
- Local presence
- Based in Atlanta. Board member, French-American Chamber of Commerce Atlanta.
Questions before you start
How much does the audit cost?
It is a fixed fee with no hourly billing. Current pricing is on the services page, and half of it credits toward a retainer signed within 60 days.
Do we need to be selling in the US already?
No. The audit works before your first US sale or after several years of flat results. It looks at where you stand today, wherever that is.
What do you need from us?
A completed intake questionnaire, access to your website analytics, your existing collateral, and one named point of contact.
Who should attend the findings session?
Your marketing decision-maker, your commercial or export director, and whoever owns the US relationship.
Can the audit cover more than one product line?
Each audit covers one product category, so the recommendations stay specific. A second category can follow as its own audit.
Will you introduce us to US distributors?
No. The audit maps how US distribution works in your category and what partners will expect from you. Naming or introducing distributors is a separate scope.
Can we work in French or Spanish?
Yes. Calls and working sessions can run in English, French or Spanish. Deliverables are written in English for the US market.
What happens if we don't continue after the audit?
Nothing. The roadmap and research appendix are yours to keep and act on, with your own team or anyone else.
Tell me where you are
Fill in the form below and I will reply within five business days. Prefer to talk first? Book a free 30-minute call →
