Places to consider when expanding your business abroad
The most successful people in the business world are always thinking about the future and, specifically, how they can generate opportunities for their businesses to grow in order to meet their ambitions. As international travel becomes more accessible and the dramatic evolution of communications technology allows us to do business with remarkable speed and convenience, increasing numbers of businesses are now considering expansion in other countries.
The following are a few of the most popular regions, and why they have become such important considerations for business owners looking to expand their interests overseas.
Europe
Thanks to the EU, with its relatively relaxed borders and a shared currency across many of its members, Europe has developed a reputation for being business-friendly. It is also, generally speaking, a well-developed and affluent continent which means there are potentially very profitable customer-bases to be tapped into. This advantage also presents some challenges because business in the region is already active and well-established. As a result, many industries can feel crowded and competitive, and difficult to break in to as a result.
America
America is another large and affluent market, which is known for being business-friendly, so the appeal of expanding into this region is clear. Such expansion may not be straightforward however, so consider the following.
• Research the market. It is critical to know what is happening, in detail, within your industry from a global perspective.
• Recruitment. If you are planning to recruit from within the region, it is essential that you understand local employment law and how you will manage unions, for example.
• Logistics. Office space, IT, and other basics, which can seem relatively easy to manage in your home country, can have the potential to become complicated issues when managed remotely. So, make sure you have the right resources for streamlining different aspects of logistics, maybe by using software like Tenstreet (https://www.tenstreet.com/) or approaching logistics management service companies.
The Middle East
As an emerging market, the Middle East offers incredibly exciting opportunities. The business territory is perhaps not as well established as Europe and America, but this actually has a great deal of advantages.
Perhaps the most useful step anyone considering expanding into this area can take is to learn from the experts. That is, people who have already made a success in this region. Fahad Al-Rajan, MD of Kuwait Real Estate Investment Consortium KSC, is one such individual who has helped the region expand in the business world by facilitating connections between the Middle East and other parts of the world.
An exciting future
A genuinely successful business has to grow in order to stay relevant and competitive. It is simply not enough to keep doing what you have always done, if you want your company to really achieve its full potential. One way to facilitate this growth is to explore new markets and there is no reason why these markets have to be limited to those within our home country as it is easier today than it ever has been to extend your exploration into other countries. The potential benefits in doing so are huge, as entirely new audiences can be found, and relationships built.