Marketing for MedTechs: International market expansion

How do you build an international market expansion strategy that sets you up for success?

As the UK healthcare market becomes increasingly competitive in the face of NHS funding challenges, tech companies developing medical solutions are looking further afield for new commercial opportunities. But what should a medtech brand be aware of when considering new markets and how should they best position themselves for international expansion?

In this article, we will explore internationalisation for medtech brands, examining the limitations of the UK healthcare market before looking at the opportunities and challenges of going overseas. We’ll outline how you can build and adapt your brand strategy for international markets, and how Rationale can help you achieve this.

Why look internationally?

The NHS is globally recognised as a name that represents innovation, trust, high standards, and world-class training.

Challenges around patient backlogs and the global shortfall of clinicians have in recent years presented an ideal opportunity for innovative companies to deliver transformative medtech solutions within the NHS. However, the realities of the UK healthcare system have instead meant prolonged procurement and a slow pace of adoption for new tech.

This is common for solutions that use AI, as slow uptake within the NHS and its regulatory framework holds back this relatively nascent technology within the UK. As a result, an increasing number of UK-based medtech companies are setting their sights on international markets, particularly in the competitive and highly commercialised US market where healthcare providers are actively seeking solutions that drive a clear advantage.

For a medtech brand looking to quickly establish itself and make a mark with its solutions, international markets represent a wealth of opportunity that you can capitalise on with a direct and dynamic brand strategy. In this case, it can be beneficial to establish strategic channel partnerships with healthcare brands in order to leverage existing relationships and contracts, build relationships, and grow trust among clinicians and patients alike.

The challenges of going international

While global competitiveness is high and presents excellent opportunities for UK medtech brands, regional or country-specific procurement systems often put the brakes on international sales strategies. Typically, these issues arise around securing regulatory approval, growing adoption, and demonstrating scalability.

The common regulatory, cultural and economic challenges of entry into new markets vary region to region, or sometimes country to country.

In Europe, for instance, healthcare systems tend to be centralised with government-level procurement in each constituent nation, which can slow things down. Variable systems and procurement pathways between countries require sellers to meet both CE clearance and country-specific regulations.

Meanwhile in the US, taking a direct sales approach presents big opportunities, but it can be time consuming. US procurement is influenced by budget cycles and also requires sellers to secure FDA clearance. APAC presents different challenges, as direct selling in this region requires a procurement or contracting partner. While in MENA, cultural differences compared to western Europe and the US require sales to be handled through local intermediaries.

Building your medtech brand strategy

So you’ve decided to enter a new market and have weighed up all the cultural, regulatory and economic considerations. Now what?

With varying barriers to entry in each region, the key is to streamline your brand proposition and fully equip your sales agents to deliver the right message.

This is especially important in the medtech space where decision-makers are often time-poor, risk-averse and focused on regulatory challenges as well as other local priorities. A clear, compelling proposition cuts through the complexity, not just by explaining what your solution does but by demonstrating why it matters in their specific context.

When you enter new markets, you’re not just competing on product, you’re also competing for attention and trust. A focused brand story makes it easier for your sales teams and partners to speak with consistency and confidence, no matter the country or customer. It helps remove ambiguity, reduces friction in the buying journey, and positions your brand as credible, capable, and ready to deliver at scale.

Differentiation is also key.

Messaging across your sales and marketing collateral should reflect what makes your solutions different and essential for the clinicians and patients, as well as touching on how your products or services meet regulatory frameworks.

If your solutions use AI in some form, be aware of common misconceptions and fears around the technology. Use your content to dispel any concerns clinicians or patients may have. Having multilingual contracts and brand collateral at the ready provides a huge head start, ensuring sales teams are fully prepared to follow up on leads or make new technology partnerships for regions like Europe and MENA.

Speaking of partnerships, if you have any already in place, be sure to leverage them through your collateral and brand positioning as this can help to show credibility, build trust among your audience and ultimately speed up procurement.

Sales agents with local expertise are also a crucial part of a successful market entry strategy, so leverage these when you can to develop your brand collateral and get them up to speed on your streamlined positioning.

How Rationale can help

If you have your eye on international horizons, but need strong brand positioning and content to bolster your sales strategy, Rationale will help you say it with impact. We work with B2B brands like yours to define, articulate, and amplify what matters most to their audiences.

And we specialise in regulated markets like medtech, where it’s vital to make complex brands compelling so they stand out from the competition.

Take your brand strategy and content to the next level, and say it with Rationale.

If international growth is your goal, and you feel your brand isn’t supporting that objective, then let’s talk. We specialise in making the complex, compelling, especially in regulated markets. Get in touch today at: hello@wearerationale.com.