When we think of small businesses, we think of them being local to our neighborhoods. We don’t consider them to be international. Yet, there is a trend among small business owners to break this mold and truly begin to export their services and products to further fields. The key question is, will this be sustainable? Can small businesses begin to find and keep foreign clients when there is so much competition from larger worldwide brands? Will it be financially worth it? Will marketing campaigns be adequate enough to achieve goals effectively? These are all questions we have to take seriously and answer.
Make it easy to buy
Firstly, if you want to sell your products to foreign customers you need to have a good checkout and or gateway system that can automatically work with foreign banks, convert currencies and make everything secure. Using an online payment gateway that does have international service, is very recommended. So if you are an American company wanting to sell your products online to Europeans, make sure that customers in this part of the world can see how much your products cost in their own currency. This service will work with lots of banks to make secure transactions, using purely online means. Apart from integrating an online payment gateway, it is vital to team up with a dependable logistics partner to ensure that your product finds its way to your customers. Visit https://www.shipnetwork.com/ and meet the team of devoted experts determined to deliver top-notch eCommerce fulfillment and logistics services across the globe.
Respect their culture
Far too many brands don’t understand, not only will they need to convert their product prices into foreign currencies, making sure that they make new ads to fit the language, but they also need to rebrand. For example, if you want to take your services and products to the Middle East, you cannot engage in behavior that does not suit their culture. Don’t produce ads that have alcohol, women that may be wearing a mini skirt, and other similar cultural no-nos. It’s a good idea to work with a foreign culture and relations company. These are usually for political purposes but there is also a commercial side which businesses utilize to understand the foreign customer.
Logistics and demand
Even if you have great products and services, you have to be able to meet the logistics challenge and the demand your client might have. This means, you organize and design the supply chain, such as the delivery, freight, travel, cost of fuel and time schedules for when the cargo shall arrive. This means you need to have brilliant communication with your new client, making sure that you can meet their logistical needs. You are the upstream supplier so designing a reliable system for delivering your products consistently does also mean you need to learn the rules and regulations of trade of the country your goods will be entering. Working on a business continuity plan (BCP) shall also be in your best interest, should a port no longer be open, delays along the route or perhaps damage to cargo in transit.
Yes, small businesses should seek foreign clients. However they must be half-hearted. You must invest in research of the language, customs, culture and online gateways.
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