The Ultimate List of Free Resources to Help Your Business Sell Internationally
The internet is filled with information about international sales, but sorting through the information is another thing altogether. To help you’ve out we’ve created a list of the best 14+ free resources for international sales.
Basic Information About International Sales
Before we dive into more specific information, here are a few resources to help learn more about international sales and discover if it’s right for your business.
1. Different Paths to International Sales
First it’s important to know that there are a number of paths to international sales. In general, you can choose to sell directly to international customers (typically conducted online, on your website or another selling platform), or you can export (which can be accomplished in a number of different ways).
Get up to speed on different international sales strategies with this guide by the Federation of International Trade Associations.
2. General Knowledge
It’s also a good idea to get some general knowledge about international sales. We like this Inc.com article about How to Sell Internationally, which covers the major considerations such as choosing markets, doing market research, and assembling an international sales team – which is applicable for both exports and online international sales. You can also search within your favorite business information websites to see what they have written on the topic. These articles are likely to be general information, but it will give you a good idea of the process and more specific topics you should explore in greater detail later on.
3. Challenges of International Sales
Of course, there will be challenges to overcome when you embark upon international sales. Some of these challenges you should know about up front to make a smoother transition to selling internationally. This includes things such as cultural complexities, language barriers, shipping, and taxes.
For a great overview of the challenges of international sales, check out this article on the topic, via the CPC Strategy blog.