International marketing is just the application of marketing philosophy to more than just one country. Nevertheless, there is a crossover between what is generally expressed as international marketing and global marketing, which is a related term.

The connection is the effect of the process of internationalisation. A lot of American and European authors consider international marketing as a mere extension of exporting, whereby the marketing mix is basically adapted in some way to take into account dissimilarities in consumers and segments. Consequently that global marketing uses a more standardised tactic to world markets and focuses upon similarity, in other words the similarities in customers and segments.

International marketing means a marketing company that carries out in markets outside its core community. This strategy uses an broadening of the techniques used in the domestic country of a company.

At its minimal level, international marketing engages the firm in making one or more marketing mix conclusions across national boundaries. At its most complicated level, it involves the firm in setting up manufacturing facilities out of the country and coordinating marketing tactics across the globe.