Priorisation des marchés multiples

Many American companies start selling products overseas without taking into account the differences in doing business in the United States vs a foreign country. Some countries may also present significant barriers to trade. Look out for selling few products to high maintenance markets. You can also click on the menu links below for specific answers to common international business problems.

Obstacles étrangers

Gérer des marchés multiples

Avez besoin de renforts

Concurrence internationale

Proactive Planning

Obviously, the best and least risky approach to a new market is by developing a plan.

How big is the total market?
Are there competitors in the market?
How much do they sell?
Is it legal for US companies to sell products to that country?
How long will it take to generate a profit from sales to that market?
Do they require translation of user materials, labels and other communication in the local language?
Does your company have that expertise?

Information Resources

The internet can provide a wealth of information about new markets, but just because a country is larger, has higher population, or higher GDP, determining whether it is a good prospect for your company is a significant question. Here are some resources we use:

CIA World Factbook (public information, published by the Central Intelligence Agency)
Small Business Administration
US Export Administration (within the Department of Commerce)
Local US Embassies

Evaluating the data

Depending on the industry you are in, specific statistics will be most valuable in your analysis. For example, selling computer equipment may be extremely problematic if the power infrastructure is limited to small areas of the country, or if power blackouts, brownouts or power surges are common. Your customers may also have to invest in their own power supplies, generators and / or backup systems. Other categories of products that rely on consistent power supply include medical devices and manufacturing facilities. The resources listed above can help you determine whether investment in the market will produce sufficient returns.

McDonalds in Russia

High tech firms are not the only ones that have to closely evaluate market potential. When McDonalds first proposed establishing restaurants in the Soviet Union, the company explored all the potential risks.

The infrastructure for transporting fresh produce from farms was primitive.

The quality of agricultural products was terribly inconsistent.

Local customs import procedures made acquisition of fresh produce from other countries unreliable.

Therefore, McDonalds made an agreement with the Soviet government to take over management of certain farms where they would produce the meat and vegetables necessary for their products. The company would also invest in road construction between the farms and processing centers, and work with local truck manufacturers to develop refrigerated vehicles that were reliable enough to transport the food from the fields to the processing centers.

When the first McDonalds opened in Moscow in January 1990, it was the largest McDonalds in the world. Later the same year, the first McDonalds opened in the Hong Kong suburb or Shenzhen.