International trade needs you to operate outside the typical comfort zone. And that is where the magic happens regarding flourishing and achieving your business objectives.
Because the global village is continuing to get smaller, you will need to prepare yourself to face significant differences between markets, human behavior, in addition to markets and other countries.
International trade has a way of exposing you to various unique challenges. Therefore, you should be in a position to answer some questions if you aspire to succeed.
Language Barrier
It goes without saying that if you happen not to speak the same language as your consumer’s communication will be a significant challenge. It is possible to run a brand description via Google Translate, which happens to be a substantial tool in many circumstances. However, it is highly recommended that you do not rely on it to represent a brand in a new company.
Solution
It is highly recommended that you work with one person in the team who speaks that local language. This strategy makes expanding into a foreign country such as the UK more appealing.
And of course, one needs to bear in mind that there are local differences in the language spoken too. A company in the UK may refer to a thong as flip flops because ‘thong’ has a different meaning in British English.
If that kind of confusion exists between countries that share a language, imagine the type of challenges you may end up experiencing when it is time to expand the business into a country that has a radically different culture.
Apart from that, you should overcome such challenges by doing web research. You should be amazed at how readily available the information is, including how much you will be capable of learning from it. For instance, if you are one of those punctual individuals, you would not really expect the same from a customer based in the foreign market. Expect delays in various countries, regardless of the scheduled meeting.
Local Competition
If you are certainly making a killing selling high-quality knives in the US, you may think that you can just export your business model into the United Kingdom. However, what if there is another brand selling the same products- a company that is also based in the United Kingdom?
Obviously, that can put you at an added advantage straight from the beginning. You will be imposed to deal with different import tariffs, slower turnaround times, in addition to two currencies. The British counterpart, on the other hand, will be working in pounds sterling.
Solution
You should be cautious and remain aware of the local competitors. Know what they are up to counteract the existing advantages they have over your business. Other than that, the proliferation of different e-commerce websites has certainly made selling goods abroad easier for businesses as well as consumers.
But, the payment methods commonly accepted in the local home market can be unavailable in the foreign state. So determining the acceptable method of payment should be your central consideration especially for a business that wants to trade internationally.
Bribery
We all live in a pretty much scary world. It is, therefore, important to protect our territories, especially when it comes to exporting products, including weaponry as well as military equipment.
By regulating such products, the state helps to protect national security so that sensitive information does not end up in the wrong hands. Primarily, details for trade compliance is met since the department deals in different cases regarding national security.
Away from that, you need to know that in some countries, your business will not move forward until you can part with some bribe. The use of cross border bribery and kickbacks to win foreign sales is vastly eroding the existence of fair trade while undermining perfect governance across the world.
Although often seen as a discreet act by most unscrupulous business professionals, bribery in international business is often driven by two major push and pull forces. These elements seem to be larger than the firms involved.
Solution
Be adamant and say no before you think of getting involved in such deals. Do not do something that would jeopardize your business in any way. Do not get involved in something that will have you regretting every step you took to be part of the business.
You also need to follow the code of conduct stipulated by your company, which should prohibit such actions. More importantly, it is also crucial to follow the laws of your state.
Finally, if at all bribing someone was one of the significant reasons you won a contract, then you can easily be replaced by another company that is willing to part with more. Creating a long-lasting relationship should be a fruitful agenda towards elevating the status of your business.
Final Thoughts
Business is progressively changing. New revolutionary products, coupled with new technologies, are significantly innovating incrementally. All too often, market trends have been known to change quickly.
So your business needs to keep up by remaining open to the new views. If you are one of those individuals who can take a considered approach to these new ideas, then implementing the ones that fit with the business objectives and then discarding the ones that do not can help the business expansion plans gravely.
