Digital Export: why is it important for your business?

In recent weeks we have reported how Made in Italy exports reached a record value of 576 billion euros over the past 12 months.

A figure that on the one hand is proud because it is by no means taken for granted after almost two years of pandemic, and on the other hand should be able to stimulate even those companies that have not yet considered an internationalization strategy.

Many economic players are still inactive in international markets or become inactive only on call, that is, when they receive a request from a customer or foreign contact.

This is a behavior that does not lead to profit in the long run. Above all, respond to requests spot Does not allow the company to be properly structured and in fact makes it more fragile and exposed to market risks, to the detriment of competition.

Here is why, to remedy these and other problems, many business entities should access Digital Export, as it allows them to open their own production and sales activities by directly reaching the end consumer.

More and more businesses are increasing foreign sales by relying on e-commerce, as shown by the latest data from the Polytechnic University of Milan, e Those who have not already moved in this direction risk being left behind and miss the opportunity to develop a real competitive advantage.

In fact, delving deeper into the data reveals that Italy's digital export of consumer goods grew by +15% in 2021, touching a record value of 15.5 billion euros. Among the most important and representative sectors are fashion (8.6 billion, 56%), food (2.2 billion, 14%) and furniture (1.2 billion, 7%).

In contrast, B2B online exports are worth over 146 billion, 28.3% of total exports. In this case, the best performing sectors were automotive, textile-clothing and mechanical engineering.

But what are the success factors of a Digital Export business?

The first step is to be aware that one's sales activity will be carried out on a global scale, with all its difficulties and challenges. In this context, it is therefore crucial to keep in mind that potential consumers or buyers have completely different life experiences and buying habits: speak different languages, have different sensibilities, and may even have a completely opposite approach to selling from what we are used to seeing in Italy.

For this reason, the best Digital Export strategy cannot exclude these differences a priori, and indeed analyze them in detail with initial market research for countries considered as targets.

It will therefore be necessary to Analyze trends in that market, buying habits (Where is the product purchased most? On which marketplaces is it mainly purchased)?, the competitive environment (Which companies are most similar to your company in that market? What products do they offer and at what price? How can your product stand out from the competition and be successful)?, the macroeconomic environment and associated costs (What are the transportation costs? Are there barriers to entry? Are specific certifications required?).

Once the market analysis is developed, it is necessary to set up a proper communication strategy for Digital Export. The best way to build customer loyalty necessarily comes through targeted communication activities to increase your company's brand identity and consequently consumer trust and acceptance. Proper use of live chat, e-mail support and instant messenger can make all the difference in expanding your business and giving the image of a company that is always present and available, despite physical distance.

Conclusions

In this article we saw how the Digital Export is critical to gaining a competitive advantage: The data show how internationalizing one's business can be the next step in boosting sales and increasing profits.

We have also studied what are the steps to set up a proper Digital Export plan, starting from the basic questions to ask before entering a new market, to considering a proper communication strategy.

If you want to go into even more detail, and fully understand what to do to start exporting abroad through digital channels, we recommend that you also read the articles below, or if you prefer, contact us directly by clicking further down the “Contact Us” button: we will listen to your internationalization project and study with you the best solution for your company.

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