International business expansion guidance and advice
Trade Horizons’ Market Entry Blog
Our market entry blog covers a range of topics relating to international business expansion. Articles tackle many different subjects, including the initial planning and preparation stages of growing your business, advances in technology you can take advantage of, through to sales & marketing, packaging and branding advice. Written by leading experts in their field, you’ll be sure to find something of interest and real-world practical advice if you are looking to grow your business around the world.
Latest Articles
5 Typical Fails in International Expansion – Part 4
One of the most common hopes that I hear expressed is 'we just need a PO to get going'. Companies that are looking for their first sale or contract to generate enough revenue to sustain expansion into a new country are more often than not doomed to fail.
5 Typical Fails in International Expansion – Part 3
A surprising, but not uncommon, market entry fail is when companies expand to a new territory and are not clear about what they are trying to achieve, nor have an approach that defines tactical objectives and a clear estimate of the costs of the exercise. It's an approach which is entirely, 'Let's start and see".
5 Typical Fails in International Expansion – Part 2
Following on from my previous post, the second typical fail I frequently see in international expansion across many business sectors is what we call "Trying to be All Things To All People". Generally this is an error that happens when companies have not taken the required time to study the foreign market they are looking to enter and they have no focus.
5 Typical Fails in International Expansion – Part 1
I recently returned from participating in the Catalyst Seminar Speaking Tour in India. My slot was on how to drive commercial success when entering a foreign market. Working with companies from all over the world, of differing sizes and from different sectors, we see recurring themes in international expansion that cut across these including common issues, typical mistakes, as well as formulas for success. Here, I'm going to share five major mistakes that we encounter time and time again which can put a company's foreign market entry at risk and typically lead to failure and financial loss.
Package your Product for UK Market Entry – 7 Tips for Effective Packaging
As the UK economy continues to outperform other EU markets, many international brands are choosing the UK as a launch platform to enter Europe. However with such diverse cultures and tastes, aesthetic preferences, languages, and legal disclosures, how can a brand successfully steer through the landmine of product packaging and deliver not only a legally compliant product, but also one that appeals to the consumers of the UK and rest of EU? To help get you started, here are 7 tips for making sure your product packaging is fit for UK market entry.
Market Entry: Selecting the Right Lead Person – 3 Key Soft Skills
Preparation is essential when expanding to a new market - it will make the difference between success or failure. However, the success of your market entry plan will also be dependent on the right lead person in the new market. Do they possess the right 'soft skills' to execute your plan and develop your business? Three essential 'soft skills' are considered here for selecting the right person to lead your market entry.
