Factors to Consider When Going Global

anthon 22 may 2011

20 Factors to Consider Before Going Global

Before you set one foot on another shore, read these tips from an international business expert to improve your chances of global success.

BY Laurel Delaney | December 16, 2004|

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Never in the history of the world has the entrepreneurial spirit-the spirit of adventure-been more alive or in a more favorable position to reach out to the world for business. International trade increases sales and profits, enhances a company's prestige, creates jobs, and offers a valuable way for business owners to level seasonal fluctuations. But one thing gets tricky: what factors to consider or develop before going global.

As with any new business plan, the first step you should take before crossing borders is to do your homework. Take these 20 critical factors into account before you begin:

Factor 1: Get company-wide commitment. Every employee should be a vital member of your international team, from the executive suite to customer service through engineering, purchasing, production and shipping. You're all in it for the long haul.

Factor 2: Define your business plan for accessing global markets. An international business plan is important in order to define your company's present status and internal goals and commitment, but it's also necessary if you plan to measure your results.

Factor 3: Determine how much you can afford to invest in your international expansion efforts. Will it be based on ten percent of your domestic business profits or on a pay-as-you-can-afford process?

Factor 4: Plan at least a two-year lead-time for world market penetration. It takes time and patience to build a great, enduring global enterprise, so be patient and plan for the long haul.

Factor 5: Build a website and implement your international plan sensibly. Many companies offer affordable packages for building a website, but you must decide in what language you'll communicate. English is unarguably the most important language in the world, but only 28 percent of the European population can read it. That percentage is even lower in South America and Asia. Over time, it would be best to slowly build a site that communicates sensibly and effectively with the world.

Factor 6: Pick a product or service to take overseas. You can't be all things to all people. Decide on something. Then stick with it.

Factor 7: Conduct market research to identify your prime target markets. You want to find out where in the world your product will be in greatest demand. Market research is a powerful tool for exploring and identifying the fastest-growing, most penetrable market for your product.

Factor 8: Search out the data you need to predict how your product will sell in a specific geographic location. Do you want to sell a few units to a customer in Australia or ten 40-foot containers on a monthly basis to retailers in France? Doing your homework will enable you to find out how much you'll be able to sell over a specific period of time.

Factor 9: Prepare your product for export. You should expect to adapt your