How to Take Your Company

Global in 7 Steps
There’s a whole wide world out there with a target audience interested in
what you have to offer. So far, you’ve stayed within your comfort zone -
your own city, state, or country borders - because you weren’t ready
to grow your company globally. However, you are now ready to forge new
territories and take on the world. These seven steps will help take
your company global:

1. Research and narrow down your

markets of opportunity
In a rush to show the world what you have to offer, you may bite off more
than you can chew. You need to narrow down the markets for the
first phase of global growth by determining which markets are
most viable for what you offer. Market entrance and size, cost
efficiency, labor and resource supply, geographical constraints and legal
regulation must also be considered.

2. Be culturally sensitive
Prepare content that is culturally sensitive to particular areas. As with all
content, whether it’s a landing page or website, engaging with your
customer is crucial. You must understand how to engage your target
audience. You cannot assume that what works at home will work abroad
because creating an emotional connection in a global context is
challenging. Use visuals and content that resonate with the culture and its
various nuances.

3. Leverage local experts

To speed up your learning curve, turn to local experts for insights on
engaging your target audience. Let them know you have their best
interests at heart, help them understand your message and accept their
help on everything from content to social media. Ask local experts about
the local market and listen to their advice.
4. Learn the language
Language barriers can slow down your march across the globe. If you
only offer content in your native tongue, don’t just assume your
audience understands it. Use location-detection tools to convert your
content into another language. Consider hiring a freelancer translator to
generate multiple versions of your website in different languages. A great
option is starting with English-speaking countries until you are ready to
take on other languages.

5. Visit each country and start establishing

personal relationships
While more people enjoy the convenience of doing business online with
companies all over the world, it doesn’t replace the face time that is
necessary to build personal relationships and trust. Visiting each country
where you plan to do business also helps you gain a better understanding
of who you are working with, including interacting with outsourced staff,
vendors and partners, customers and the media. Show some pics on your
site with local people showing you sharing their customs with appreciation.

6. Focus on international marketing

strategies
During your research you most likely gathered information on what type of
marketing mechanisms and platforms are most widely used, including
social media, search marketing, and online advertising. Use this
information and continue gathering other data on blogs, forums, email
marketing, and other channels where you can get your marketing
messages out in the most effective way possible.

7. Set up your billing and payments

system for international customers
Currency exchange and varied payment systems can put off small
businesses from going global. However, with new billing and payment
tools, it has become a lot easier to work with customers in different
countries. There are now easy ways to deliver an online invoice in various
languages and currencies that also include the appropriate tax and fee
guidelines for that particular country. You can also access affordable
international credit card processing solutions that help you expand the type
of payment options you can offer your customers. More countries are
opening up to the idea of international transactions so this aspect of global
expansion will become much easier.
Although it takes considerable effort to expand your business globally,
there are more tools and strategies now available that make it more
convenient, secure, and affordable. Remember to build your empire slowly
and enjoy the new revenue streams and experience of serving customers
from all parts of the world, one step, one country, at a time.
What steps will you take to prepare your company for global
growth?