Given that we are in the midst of a rapidly unfolding pandemic, it might seem strange that businesses would be planning to expand. But once things have calmed down and the dust has settled, it might well be that the global trade bounces back – and, given that this won’t happen for at least a few months, and more likely a year or more, there’s plenty of time to put plans in place for a switch to an international model.
So what barriers will you need to surmount? Let’s take a look at a few of them.
Marketing to Different Culture
Different sorts of people respond differently to marketing messages. What’s effective in New York might not be quite so effective in Dubai. In order to establish a foothold in a foreign territory, you’ll need to thoroughly research the mores and tastes of your would-be customers, and market accordingly.
Physical distance
Perhaps the most obvious barrier in place here is physical distance. If you’re selling a service over the internet, then physical distance won’t matter so much. If you’re selling perishable goods, however, then it’ll matter a great deal. The art and science of logistics is something that you’ll need to grapple with as you slowly expand your operation.
Taxes and Tariffs
Shipping goods across borders will often incur tariffs. These will vary considerably according to which part of the world you’re shipping to. If you fail to account for these costs, then you might find the business that you thought was viable is actually completely unviable.
Organisation
If you’re spreading different branches of your business across multiple territories, and your supply chains encircle the entire planet, then it’s vital that you have the right channels of communication in place so that decision makers at the top have the best possible idea of the way things are developing. If your sales and shipping are analogous to the lifeblood of your organisation, then your channels of communication might be thought of as akin to its nervous system. Without a nervous system, your ability to respond to incoming challenges will be greatly reduced.
Personnel
One of the major benefits of going international is that you’ll be able to draw from a far larger pool of talent. If you have a position open, and there’s a candidate available in a foreign territory, then you’ll be better positioned to bring them in. In order to do so, you’ll need to jump through the relevant legal hoops, which means seeking out legal advice from a reputable firm like Withers. The same applies if you have an office opening overseas, and you need to ship out an existing team member to oversee things.
