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Writer's pictureGreat Companies

Are You Taking Your Business Internationally?


Sep 21, 2017

For many entrepreneurs, taking their business global can undoubtedly prove the most significant decision of their firm's existence, and possibly the toughest one to execute. But with the procedure being so invaluable to achieving wider prominence, it's perhaps worthwhile to take a few key considerations into account.

Before almost any step can be taken toward taking one's product to the world, extensive amounts of time and effort must be dedicated toward determining the specific markets the entrepreneur seeks to debut their product in boast of cultures and traditions even supportive of their sales, let alone having the potential to achieve profits. A thorough and honest analysis of the nations that can present themselves as potential markets is a procedure that should be conducted even before the decision to go global is taken, and the results stemming in the form of concrete numbers and statistics are the only factors that should motivate an ambitious entrepreneur to do the same.

Initially, it's essential that one determines whether they intend to sell their product through traditional means, on the ground and in direct unabashed competition with local leaders of the industry, or through the internet. Although products sold on e-commerce are often shipped internationally from varying countries by a multitude of suppliers, establishing a solid presence through warehouses of such websites and making products available for customer service and the like without actually selling at traditional marketplaces is an increasingly viable alternative, and taking into account whether their business is suited to an extreme approach toward either of these methods, or a more balanced one factoring in both is a necessity right off the bat of going international.

Further factors to consider along similar lines are the securing of supply chains and the like, for procuring the services of a trusted supplier is a must for selling one's product in a foreign land. Conducting business with such a figure can often guarantee stable costs and unchanging agreements, while coming into contact with such figures can effectively be done at business expositions and shows, a task which lies entirely with the entrepreneur at helm him or herself. Talking to a person also well versed with the market swings of a particular economy and how they affect the sector the entrepreneur is seeking to step into can is of great help, and such advice can often be found in suppliers themselves, though hiring a professional for the same isn't an outlandish idea, either.

Another professional task that relies almost entirely upon the contacts one procures is the hiring of foreign staff for store locations and other such traditional marketplace locations. This process can be greatly aided if the entrepreneur chalks out what they desire their salesmanship in foreign lands to resemble, employees suiting which can then be recruited by someone hired for the same. Such a process can also be one of the aspects best tailored to the entrepreneur's preferences, and thus dedicating ample time to it can in no way be perceived as a sacrifice.

But, the enabler of each of these aspects is, of course, financing, ample fresh rounds of which are required for any business to achieve a Goliath feat such as up scaling internationally. The backing of banking institutions can be secured to a limited extent, but to ensure such financing through methods the likes of loans requires the fulfillment of a myriad of previously etched out standards, the realization of which can often necessitate a period of conducting business with discipline by an entrepreneur. In third-party options, investors are always willing to jump on board for an opportunity as enticing as a business with the potential to achieve mainstream global prominence, although convincing them of the same is a task easier mentioned than seen through to fruition.

Like much of a business's proceedings, this process must also be undertaken and later overseen with great attention by the entrepreneur him or herself, for the crux of the plethora of responsibilities that lies with the same lies entirely with them. But beyond the initial struggle that it might bring about, going global presents a potent chance to capture market shares the world over, and maximise a business to extents that simply confining to one nation wouldn't have ever brought about.


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