Expanding your business to serve international clients is like taking your little boat out to the open seas. It can be scary, but the rewards are worth it.
Here are a few reasons why:
1. Increased revenue.
When you expand your business to serve international customers, you're opening up your business to a whole new market, which means more potential customers and more revenue. It's like having a lemonade stand on a hot summer day. The more people you serve, the more money you make.
2. Diversification.
Serving international customers means you're not just relying on one market, which can be risky. Diversifying your customer base can help mitigate that risk, like having a well-diversified portfolio. It's a smart financial move.
3. Global brand recognition.
Expanding your business to serve international customers is also expanding your brand's reach. Do you imagine being a famous celebrity? It's a lot like that when you expand to international clients. The more people know about you, the more valuable you become.
4. Learn from different cultures.
Serving international customers can also give you the opportunity to learn from different cultures and ways of doing business. Remember how most influencers are telling you to travel more? Taking a trip to a foreign land is a great way to broaden your horizons, be more understanding of other people, and be a person of the world.
5. Stay ahead of the competition.
By expanding your business to serve international customer, you're also staying ahead of your competition. While most of your competitors are focusing on local searches and clients, you're thinking global and reaching more international clients.
It's like being the first person to invent the wheel. You'll be miles ahead of the competition and be able to reap the rewards. It's always good to have a head start. You don't want to be the last one to the party and miss out on all the fun.
Expanding Your Business to Reach More International Clients
If you're a small business owner, you know that the world is your oyster. You can sell your products and services anywhere in the world. Still, if you want to ensure that you're reaching out to people interested in buying what you offer, it's crucial to understand how different cultures differ.
- You can expand your business to serve/cater to international markets by ensuring that you have a website easily translated into different languages. It would help if you also considered hiring a translator or creating an automated translation system so that when customers from other countries come to your site, they can understand what message you're trying to convey.
- Offering convenient shipping options for people in other countries will make you more attractive to the foreign market. For example, if you sell t-shirts online and someone in France orders one of them, they may want to receive it as soon as possible (especially if they paid extra for expedited shipping). In this case, you have to communicate that you offer international shipping options and be transparent on how long it will take for an order to arrive at its destination country.
- Social media is a great way to reach out to potential customers all over the world. Posting on Facebook and Instagram will help you find new markets, and it can also help you maintain relationships with existing ones--especially if you have followers from different countries sharing their experiences with your brand (and each other).
- Create an account on Alibaba/Aliexpress/Amazon/etc., depending on what kind of product you sell, and start selling there! Taking this step will allow you to build up a following of potential customers who are interested in buying from overseas sellers--and then, when they're ready, they'll come looking for you!
- Find new products and start selling it! These new products can be anything from clothing to gadgets and toys. There are tons of products you can sell online and make money, so don't be afraid to try something new!
- Create a website, if you don't already have one. A website is your online storefront for the global market. Your foreign clients will have the chance to find out more information about you and your product and make it easier for them to purchase from you when they're ready.
- Promote your website everywhere! You can only sell products if people know about them, so you need to spread the word online and offline as much as possible for your business to grow.
Image taken from a Strikingly user’s website
- A blog is an excellent marketing tool that allows you to build a community (local and foreign clients included) around your products and promote them at the same time. You can write about anything related to your business, from customer service experiences to how you came up with the idea for your product in the first place.
The best way to get started is by creating a free blog on Strikingly (yes, totally free). Once you have your blog set up, add a few posts and start sharing them on social media. In the meantime, it's essential to keep your blog updated with fresh content, so people continue to visit it regularly for new information about your business.
Best Practices on How to Sell Your Products to International Customers
If you're a small business owner, you know that selling your products to international customers can be a challenge. But it doesn't have to be!
Here are eight tips on how to make the process easier:
1. Know your audience.
It's crucial to research the cultural and economic nuances of the country you're trying to sell to. You wouldn't want to offend anyone, or worse, make a faux pas. Don't go in blindly.
Do your homework and make sure you're aware of the customs and traditions of your potential customers. After all, you don't want to be the one who sends a shipment of pork to a Muslim country, or worse, a shipment of beef to a Hindu one. Trust us. You'll be left with a lot of unsold meat and a lot of offended people.
2. Translate, translate, translate.
Your website, product descriptions, and marketing materials should be translated into the local language of the foreign market you're targeting. Nothing screams "I don't care about you or your business," like a website that's only in English. It's like showing up to a party in your pajamas. It's just plain lazy and disrespectful.
Image taken from Strikingly
Of course, you also don't want to miss out on potential customers just because they can't understand your website. It's like having a fancy restaurant with a menu written in Klingon. You'll only attract a very specific crowd.
3. Get to the point.
International customers may not have the same attention span as you do, so make sure you get to the point quickly and clearly. Don't beat around the bush. It's time-consuming and frustrating for your international clients.
Instead, be like a good news headline, straight to the point and easy to understand. Because let's be real, no one has time to read a novel when trying to buy a product. And you don't want your customers to lose interest and move on to the next thing before they even get to the good part.
4. Show off your credentials
If you have certifications or awards, make sure to highlight them. It helps to show that you're a reputable and trustworthy business. Think of it like a trophy--it's the shiny object that makes you look good and gives you credibility.
Having certifications and awards is like having a Harvard degree. It shows that you've passed certain standards and have been recognized for your achievements. It's a seal of approval, a stamp of excellence that tells your customers from your international marketing you're the real deal, and they can trust you.
5. Be flexible with payment methods
Different countries have different preferred methods of payment. Make sure you offer a variety of options, such as credit cards, PayPal, and bank transfers.
Image taken from Strikingly
Everyone has their own preferred payment method. Some people prefer credit cards, some prefer PayPal, and others prefer bank transfers. When you offer a variety of options, you make it easy for your customers to choose the payment method that works best for them and help you close the deal faster and smoother.
6. Timing is everything
Be aware of time zones, holidays, and cultural events when reaching out to international customers. You don't want to call a Japanese businessman on a national holiday. It's like showing up at a funeral in a clown suit. It's disrespectful and in bad taste.
Just like different cultures have different customs and traditions, they also have different time zones and holidays. By being aware of these time differences, you can reach out to your customers at the right time and avoid any potential blunders.
7. Be responsive
International customers may have questions or concerns that you need to address promptly. In this case, you need to have customer support available 24/7, or at least during the hours your customers are awake.
Think of it like being a doctor on call. You have to be there for your patients when they need you. The last thing you want is for your customers to feel ignored or neglected. By being responsive, you're showing that you value their business and are willing to go the extra mile to ensure they're satisfied. It's like having a butler who's always ready to serve. It makes your customers feel special and well taken care of.
8. Don't forget to follow-up
Follow up with your international customers to see how they're doing and if they need any help. Building a relationship with your customers is key, especially when they're far away.
Treat your foreign clients like an old friends. You want to ensure they're doing well and that you're still in their good books. You can use newsletters or email to send follow-ups. If you do this, you're not only showing that you care about their experience with your product and that you're interested in building a long-term relationship with them.
Use Strikingly to Expand Your Business and Serve International Clients
Strikingly is a website builder that serves multiple clients. They started out supporting English clients, but now, they're supporting 16 different languages--and they're looking to introduce more!
Obviously, you can use Strikingly to expand your business and serve international clients. Here are a few ways:
1. Create a multilingual website
Strikingly allows you to create a website in multiple languages, which is crucial when attracting international customers. Your website should be more accessible to your international clients if translated into their local languages.
Image taken from Strikingly
You have the option to translate your site manually or auto-translating them using Strikingly's auto-translate feature.
2. Showcase your products and services
Showcasing your products on your website is like putting your best foot forward on a first date. You want to make a great first impression and show off all your best assets.
It helps your potential customers see what they're getting before they commit to the purchase. Can you imagine trying to buy a car without ever seeing it first? It's the same concept!
It's also a great way to build trust with your customers and give them all the information they need to make an informed decision.
3. Create a blog
With Strikingly's blogging feature, you can create a blog that's as unique as your business. Share information about your business, products and services, and let the world know what you're all about. Not only it's a great way to attract international customers, but it's also a great way to keep your current customers in the loop about your business.
With a blog, you can take your business to new heights, and who knows, you might attract more customers from all corners of the world!
4. Utilize SEO
With Strikingly, you can optimize your website to make it a search engine friendly. Imagine your website ranking higher than Beyoncé on Google search results. Not only will it attract more international customers, but it will also make it easier for them to find you in their local language.
It's like putting a "You Are Here" sign on your website, except it's in every language!
5. Incorporate social media
Strikingly allows you to easily incorporate links to your social media accounts. This way, you can use social media to connect with international customers and promote your business.
6. Create a newsletter
With Strikingly, you can easily incorporate links to your social media accounts, and it's like having a secret weapon in your marketing arsenal. Imagine being able to connect with international customers and promote your business with just a click of a button. It's like having a direct line to your customers' hearts (and wallets).
It's Time to Expand Your Empire
Image taken from Strikingly
Why settle for a small, local business when you can expand your empire? With Strikingly, you can have it all!
- Create a multilingual website and speak the language of your international customers.
- Showcase your products and services and make it easy for them to fall in love with your business.
- Start a blog and let your personality shine.
- Optimize your website for SEO and rise to the top of search results.
- Incorporate social media and connect with your customers on a whole new level.
- And last but not least, create a newsletter and keep in touch with your international customers like a pro.
With Strikingly, the world is your oyster, and the possibilities are endless!
