Does your company follow a strategy to go global? International expansion brings endless opportunities. Statistics show that companies that export boost their productivity by 34% on average over the first year. They are also more likely to survive in the long term when compared to companies with a local focus. 

However, we must emphasize the fact that foreign trading comes with risks. Currency, credit, intellectual property, transport, logistics, ethics… you’ll be dealing with a lot throughout this journey. Being aware of these risks and taking steps to minimize them will ensure the success of your brand’s international trade management.

10 Tips on How to Minimize Foreign Trade Risks 

Make Sure Your Products Are Allowed for Distribution

This is the first thing you need to check: are you allowed to trade with your products in the respective country? For example, the EU has strict regulations that prevent many goods from China from being imported. Each country has its rules, which your business must respect. Otherwise, you would waste a lot of time and resources planning an impossible expansion project. 

You can get familiar with the rules by reading relevant laws and regulations or contacting the customs services.  

Focus on the Legal Aspects of Business Expansion

Each country has its own regulations regarding businesses from abroad. Legislators set the legal framework and conditions for FFcustomers, sales, and particularities regarding the industry. It’s important to be aware of all these details ahead of time. When designing your strategy and drafting the initial contracts, you should make sure you stay within the legal framework of the country where you expand the brand. In addition, you should be aware of potential legal disputes and their solutions. 

Most business owners hire lawyers in their respective countries. A lawyer from your own country can also make connections and give you the details you need.   

Get Shipping Insurance

Everything looks well on paper. You consider the costs of production, transport, marketing, sales, and everything else related to selling your goods abroad. But there’s a risk that business owners often forget: damage during shipping. Items may break or get lost during transport. Your shipment may become a subject of theft or even vandalism. Accidents and contamination happen during transport all the time. If you don’t get good insurance for your shipment, you risk losing a lot of money. 

Proper insurance is not cheap. You should talk to several agencies to get the best offer on international shipments. We recommend using the best finance apps to plan all costs, including insurance over a longer period of time. These apps will help you calculate a decent budget and determine a final price that won’t leave much space for losses. 

Consider All Currency-Related Things

When planning foreign trade financing, you’re guided by the official currency in your own country. You focus on evaluating the risks related to credit, but as most business owners, you might forget about one thing: currency conversions may initiate losses, too. 

The COVID-19 crisis hasn’t been kind in this aspect. In March 2020, emerging-market currencies faced losses of up to 30%. That’s something that nobody could have predicted. However, you can analyze the movement of relevant currencies and estimate potential losses. You might need to work with a financial expert to make these evaluations.  

Evaluate the Risk of Protectionism

Trade protectionism is a policy for protecting domestic industries from foreign invasion. If, for example, a particular country stimulates the domestic flour milling industry, it will impose import quotas, tariffs, and other handicaps on foreign traders. Governments do this because they don’t want foreign products to drop the market prices and get the domestic industries in trouble. 

If you plan for global exposure, you have to learn about these policies. You must take the additional expenses into consideration, so you’ll evaluate a realistic final price. Will it be acceptable for the living standard of the respective country?

Register the Corporate Names and Trademarks

When doing business abroad, you risk violating another brand’s intellectual property rights. You can avoid that by registering your brand’s names and trademarks. If that process goes undisturbed, you can feel free to offer the products on the respective market. 

Consider the Risk of a Changing Market Environment

No market situation is stable and rigid for all times. You will develop a general strategy, which will be based on solid international risk management. But no matter how well you predict potential risks and future circumstances, you cannot be 100% sure that you did it properly. 

In Deloitte’s Global Trade Management Survey, none of the Swiss chief financial officers who participated thought that the global trade environment would become less complex. Only 15% of them said they expected the conditions to remain the same. 

Your company must continuously review the strategy and make the needed adjustments as the market circumstances evolve.   

Evaluate Foreign Ethical Standard

When offering your products on a global market, you should think about the differing ethical standards that you’ll face. For example, Israel has a thriving vegan culture. It might not be a good idea to trade fur there before evaluating the risk of getting your brand dragged through discussions as an unethical one. 

Get well informed about the customs and social conditions in the country where you plan to expand. 

Invest Time and Resources on Collaboration

Business owners often neglect the need to get comprehensive advice through collaboration with foreign lawyers and governmental services. They want to save time and money, or they simply forget that getting insider information is crucial before international expansion. 

You need to talk to experts who will explain the laws and regulations. You might need finance experts from abroad as well. In addition, you have to collaborate with industry insiders who know the market and can help you build a solid network of connections.

Get Acquainted with Foreign Business Customs

You may be used to a direct, friendly approach with a bit of humor in the mix. But in a foreign country, such an approach may be considered unserious or even offensive. Intercultural differences are a major factor in foreign trading success. 

You have to get acquainted with business etiquette when entering a new market. You can find this information online, but it’s best to hire a business advisor from the country in question. You’ll get proper guidance from someone who knows the target region and the communication etiquette in the particular industry. 

The country’s culture, politics, and economy are also important. Learn as much as possible, so you can start and maintain a productive conversation with potential partners. 

Foreign Trade Is a Complex Endeavor

Yes, it will be a rewarding experience for you as a business owner. With the right approach, you’ll take your brand towards substantial growth. However, you have to conduct basic research regarding the risks you’ll face during the expansion. This is a process that requires thorough planning, so don’t rush through it.

___________________________________________________________________

James Dorian is a technical copywriter. He is a tech geek who knows a lot about modern apps that will make your work more productive. James reads tons of online blogs on technology, business, and ways to become a real pro in our modern world of innovations.