How to enter the foreign market

If for European and North American countries doing business on global sites is a common practice (Ebay, Facebook), then Russian companies serve, first of all, local consumers. Entering the foreign market is a serious step, which should be treated with a high degree of responsibility.

Instruction manual

1

For many companies, the main difficulty is the language barrier. The transnational language of business communication is English. The site and basic text materials should be translated into a language that is understandable to foreigners. A firm may need a full-time translator or freelancer to deal with customer issues. The head of the company and leading managers should also seriously approach this issue - sign up for trainings or go abroad, immerse yourself in the language environment.

2

Creating international contacts and feedback forms is one of the most important points. Otherwise, the company simply will not be able to receive requests from potential foreign customers. The simplest feedback option is the form of sending a message to the company's electronic mailbox. Programmers (both full-time and hired) will quickly and inexpensively help you with the request form.

3

If you can offer users of your site a new free service, the conversion (the ratio of the percentage of sales to the total number of visitors) will grow significantly. Examples of such services are calculators cutting material, weight; for design firms, these may be interior design services. The more useful your site, the more recognizable your brand will be abroad.

4

The problem of time zone differences can hit a small company hard. By the time your work day has ended, it can only begin in America and Europe. Conservative way: hire a manager who will sit on the phone while waiting for calls from foreign countries. The disadvantage of this approach will be low efficiency and the high cost of "customer focus".

5

There is an alternative solution - you can transfer communication with foreign clients to outsourcing. There are call centers that for a small fee will receive calls and provide sales information. Tariffs can be either fixed subscription or with payment for the result.

6

Opening an office abroad can seriously increase your status, but it will bring tangible costs. It’s more profitable to find a partner who will look for customers for a percentage of sales. This will motivate him; In addition, you will receive your "branch" for free.

7

You will need quality lawyers, accountants and logistics specialists. International law has a lot of pitfalls; transport and customs costs are high. Calculate profitability in advance taking into account possible risks. Perhaps international business, with all its status, will be unprofitable for you.