Now is the time to expand abroad

Roderic Michelson, from Aralex Consulting Ltd, is a company growth expert with a particular emphasis on breaking into new markets abroad.  Roderic feels than many companies don’t try to sell abroad because they don’t know where to start, so he has come up with his top tips for getting the ball rolling:

1 Your first port of call should be a large, local public library. Most libraries have a good range of materials available on doing business in your chosen markets, including online resources.

2 Your next stop is the nearest embassy of the country where you want to sell your product. If it’s not practical to visit them, call or email the Trade Section or ask for the Trade Representative.

3 Another excellent source is your local Chamber of Commerce. You will receive guidance on exporting procedures and should be able to get a list of potential partners from the Chamber’s library.

4 There are also some useful online resources. For example you can search for partners on http://www.kompass.com and http://www.kellys.com. These are two extensive resources that will enable you to build a list of potential partners abroad. Then google the company and visit their website.  Use this to build up a short-list of target companies.

5 Don’t email them. It’s far more effective (and professional) to fax or post your letter to them. Tell them that their name has been recommended to you and that you are looking for a partner to help sell your product in their territory. Follow up the fax or letter with a phone call.