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Benefits of business internationalization: why should your company expand abroad?

Benefits of business internationalization: why should your company expand abroad?

TLDR
  • Le imprese italiane più orientate all’export hanno retto meglio inflazione e difficoltà di approvvigionamento delle materie prime, con mercati attrattivi come Germania ed Emirati Arabi Uniti.
  • Esportare allarga la base di mercato: quando le vendite estere non incidono sui costi fissi, aumentano la redditività complessiva dell’azienda.
  • L’internazionalizzazione diversifica il rischio, riducendo la dipendenza da un solo mercato e compensando eventuali difficoltà del mercato domestico.
  • Operare all’estero rafforza brand awareness, reputazione e vantaggio competitivo, e i mercati-trampolino come ASEAN e Paesi del Golfo aprono bacini di consumo vicini.
  • Prima di scegliere mercato e strategia conviene verificare vantaggio competitivo, adattabilità del prodotto, risorse disponibili e capacità di sostenere una domanda estera continuativa.
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We are living in a historic moment characterized by profound changes and, at the same time, by incredible opportunities. In this phase Italian companies with a strong export orientation have reacted better. and they have been less affected by the repercussions of inflation and raw material supply difficulties. For some time now, Italian export figures have shown that Internationalization of business is a rich source of opportunities, such as those represented by the attractiveness of countries like Germany and United Arab Emirates. 

But what are the real advantages of internationalizing a business? Discover how your company can increase revenue and profits through a greater presence in international markets in this article.

The advantages of business internationalization

Undertaking export activities or internationalizing a business can become a rich source of opportunities. for your business. Selling abroad allows you to increase opportunities for development and prosperity. Some advantages are easily identifiable and relate to short- and medium-term results in terms of turnover. Others are less immediate but equally important: they relate to the company's medium to long-term development, increased competitiveness, and the possibility of building a concrete competitive advantage over the competition. But what exactly are the real benefits of business internationalization? 

Increased turnover

It is the most obvious and immediate advantage: by exporting, a company It consequently broadens its market base. When additional sales generated abroad reach a level where they do not impact fixed costs, then these sales lead to an increase in the company's overall profitability., When will overseas activity take off and it won't just be a marginal section among the company's activities, this last one will undertake a growth process in terms of size, supported by the growth of the market base.

Risk diversification

Internationalization of business, and more generally exports, reduces dependence on a single market, Allowing a difficult or economically inefficient domestic market situation to be offset elsewhere. Not only that: no company can think of limiting itself forever to its target market, because in the current economic context things can change very quickly. If we don't compete in foreign markets, sooner or later foreign companies will come to compete with us in the Italian market. The experience of competing in the international market, carefully designed and managed under the best conditions, allows companies to build up the financial means and managerial skills to compete with foreign competitors even in the domestic market.

Strengthening of brand awareness and corporate reputation

The presence of your products in different markets has the inevitable consequence that Many more people will come into contact with your brand., learning to recognize it and to build loyalty. International presence will also give you the image of a strong and stable brand with positive effects in the domestic market as well. In other words, sell to international markets allows a company to take its story and results to the next level, bringing undeniable economic and social benefit to its stakeholders.

Improving competitive advantage

Skills and resources acquired abroad can translate into a significant advantage over competitors who choose to forgo export opportunities. Operating abroad means interacting with new realities and learning new operational methods: this is a valuable opportunity to broaden one's horizons. An experience abroad provides the tools to be competitive in an international context: Choosing to open a road into a new foreign market, perhaps one that is geographically strategic, can turn that market into a base for exporting to nearby and vast consumer areas. These are ’springboard" markets, often facilitated by regional free trade agreements, such as the’ASEAN Area o i Gulf countries.

The checklist for making a difference in business internationalization

Now that you've discovered the advantages of international business expansion, the next step is to understand What are your best selling points for international markets?. In detail, we've provided a checklist of questions you should ask yourself before starting to choose a target market and an internationalization strategy. Or, if you prefer, you can also compare the critical success factors of internationalization With the characteristics of your company.

  • What competitive advantage does your company have over its competitors?
  • What factors of your product or service, and your company, could determine the success of an international sale?
  • Does the product or service offered align with the regulatory, cultural, and economic requirements of the country where you would like to be present? Is it possible to modify it to adapt to these requirements, if necessary?
  • What marketing, technical, technological, and financial resources are needed? Are they available internally, and to what extent?
  • What returns do you expect in the medium and long term? Does your company have the capabilities to continuously meet new demand from abroad?

Conclusions on the advantages of business internationalization

Today's market, increasingly globalized and connected, is full of development opportunities for Italian businesses. Digitalization, global supply chains, and the development of new technologies have eliminated many obstacles to international trade, reducing transportation costs and fostering an unprecedented exchange of information and knowledge, thereby increasing the benefits of exports.

The main consequence of this process is that it has also allowed small and medium-sized enterprises to venture beyond more familiar markets. Now that you have discovered the advantages of internationalization, you have understood how exporting abroad can therefore be The winning choice in 2023 to give new impetus to the future of your business: a secure path in uncertain times, for the opportunity to consolidate its growth both in terms of profits and brand recognition.

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Best internationalization strategies for 2023 

Frequently Asked Questions

Quali sono i principali vantaggi dell’internazionalizzazione di impresa per una PMI italiana?

I principali vantaggi sono quattro: aumento del giro d’affari, diversificazione del rischio, rafforzamento di brand awareness e reputazione, miglioramento del vantaggio competitivo. I primi si vedono nel breve e medio periodo in termini di volumi di vendita, gli altri riguardano la crescita, la competitività e le competenze manageriali nel medio-lungo periodo.

In che modo esportare aumenta la redditività di un’azienda?

Esportare amplia la base di mercato e, quando le vendite aggiuntive all’estero non fanno crescere i costi fissi, aumenta la redditività complessiva. Se poi l’attività estera smette di essere marginale e diventa parte rilevante del business, l’azienda avvia un percorso di crescita dimensionale sostenuto dall’allargamento del mercato di riferimento.

Come aiuta l’internazionalizzazione a diversificare il rischio d’impresa?

L’internazionalizzazione riduce la dipendenza da un unico mercato, perché permette di compensare all’estero una fase difficile o poco efficiente del mercato domestico. Inoltre, competere sui mercati internazionali fa maturare mezzi finanziari e competenze manageriali utili a fronteggiare anche i concorrenti stranieri che arrivano sul mercato italiano.

Che cosa sono i mercati-trampolino e perché sono utili per l’export?

I mercati-trampolino sono Paesi, spesso geograficamente strategici, da cui si possono raggiungere bacini di consumo vicini e molto vasti. Sono agevolati da accordi regionali di libero scambio, come l’Area ASEAN o i Paesi del Golfo. Aprire un mercato di questo tipo permette di esportare anche nelle aree confinanti.

How does selling on foreign markets improve the brand's reputation?

Vendere in più mercati fa entrare in contatto con il marchio molte più persone, che imparano a riconoscerlo e a fidelizzarsi. La presenza internazionale trasmette l’immagine di un brand forte e stabile, con effetti positivi anche sul mercato di origine e vantaggi economici e sociali per gli stakeholder dell’azienda.

What questions should I ask myself before choosing a foreign market and an internationalization strategy?

Before leaving, it is advisable to ask oneself what competitive advantage one has over competitors and what factors in the product can favor foreign sales. It is necessary to verify compatibility with the country’s regulatory, cultural, and economic requirements and the necessary resources. Finally, the expected return and the ability to serve a continuous demand must be evaluated.

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