In recent weeks we have reported how Made in Italy exports have reached a record value of 576 billion euros in the last 12 months.
A figure that on the one hand makes us proud, because it is not at all obvious after almost two years of the pandemic, and on the other hand should also be able to stimulate companies that have not yet considered an internationalization strategy.
Many economic operators are still inactive in international markets or become so on call onlyi.e. when they receive a request from a customer or a foreign contact.
It is a behavior that does not lead to profits in the long run. Above all, respond to requests spot it does not allow the company to be structured adequately and indeed makes it more fragile and exposed to market risks, to the detriment of competition.
That is why, to overcome these and other problems, many entrepreneurial realities should access Digital Export, as it allows you to open your own production and sales activities directly reaching the final consumer.
More and more companies are increasing foreign sales by relying on e-commerce, as shown by the latest data from Politecnico di Milano, And those who have not already moved in this direction risk falling behind and to lose the opportunity to develop a real competitive advantage.
Looking into the data, it turns out that the Italian digital export of consumer goods has grown by +15% in 2021, reaching 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%).
On the other hand, B2B online exports are worth over 146 billion, 28.3% of total exports. In this case, the sectors with the best performances were the automotive, textile-clothing and mechanical industries.
The first step is to be aware that your sales business will be done on a global scale, with all the difficulties and challenges involved. In this context it is therefore essential to keep in mind that Potential consumers or buyers have completely different life experiences and purchasing habits: they speak different languages, have a different sensibility, and may even have a completely opposite approach to sales 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 an initial market research for the countries considered as targets.
So it will be necessary analyze the trends of that market, the purchasing habits (Where is the product mostly purchased? On which marketplaces is it mainly purchased?), the competitive context (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 context and related costs (what are the transport costs? Are there any barriers to entry? Are specific certifications required?).
Once the market analysis has been developed, it is necessary to set up a correct communication strategy for Digital Export. The best method to build customer loyalty necessarily passes through a targeted communication activity, to increase the brand identity of your company and consequently the trust and consent of consumers. Correct use of live chat, email support and instant messengers can make the difference in expanding your business and giving the image of a company that is always present and available, despite the physical distance.
In this article we have seen how the Digital Export is of fundamental importance to obtain a competitive advantage: the data show how internationalizing your business can be the next step to increase turnover and increase profits.
We also studied what are the steps to set up a correct Digital Export plan, starting from the fundamental questions to be asked before entering a new market, up to considering a correct 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 listed below, or if you prefer, contact us directly by clicking the button below. "Contact us": we will listen to your internationalization project and study with you the best solution for your company.
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