According to recent statistics, nearly a quarter of European SME’s export or have exported at some point during the last three years, mostly within the EU. However, countries such as Russia, Brazil, China and India offer huge market potential. It is estimated that the BRIC group will account for about 60% of world GDP by 2030, but apparently under 10% of European exporters sell to these markets.
As a PR and Marketing agency that has worked with B2B and B2C companies across 18 countries (including South American countries, India and Russia), we have seen first hand the business expansion opportunities that are out there for exporting services in particular. With technology advancing at lightning speed and worldwide communications becoming faster, easier and cheaper every day, now is an ideal time to consider this business path.
For example, if you offer say highly skilled and specialized services (e.g., consultancy, export/distribution intermediary services, healthcare or information management technology) and are looking to expand your business then you are likely to find export opportunities across BRIC and the EU.
However, what you must remember is that selling a service requires even more people power than successful product sales, i.e superior communication skills, diplomacy and cultural awareness of your chosen territory. It is also vital to check if your require any licenses in your chosen markets as well during your planning process.
Chaz and the Team