From Kick-Off to Export Plan: how to create a winning internationalization strategy

Kick-off

At this preliminary stage, the internationalization project is structured. In other words, the structure of the company is checked, Identifying its strengths and areas for improvement. You then need to understand what you want to achieve, analyzing your production and commercial capacity, your organizational structure, then defining a medium/long-term investment budget and, of course, return expectations. Finally, you define operational activities, draw up a project plan, and share and validate your plans and business model.

Product and market analysis

The second step is to analyze the target market and one's product. In this regard, the analysis of certain variables, such as the general level of imports into the target country. A market with a higher level of imports than exports certainly represents a country more likely to import a given product, and therefore potentially more attractive to your business. In addition, is the country growing economically and demographically, or is it stalling? It is logical to think that a growth phase is matched by better future prospects, and this may indicate an interest in products in your field in the years to come as well. Another question to ask yourself concerns the level of appreciation of Made in Italy: by analyzing the levels of imports from Italy, you may find that the products offered by your business are highly liked in one country rather than another. Finally, another element of fundamental importance is then the presence of customs duties, and more generally the legislation of the destination country. Consider product requirements, The required certifications and costs at customs is indeed a fundamentally important step.

Input mode

At this stage we consider the possible ways in which market relations with another country can be developed, and they are basically of two types:

• Direct mode: when the presence in foreign markets is carried out without mediation. This is the effective methodology par excellence, but also the most costly;
• Mode indirect: when the presence in foreign markets is carried out with mediations. This is a less effective but also less costly methodology that delegates sales and after-sales activities to third parties, such as distributors.

Export Plan

Finally, the research developed is compiled into a single final document that you can consult at any time. This report will be the reference point for putting in place the business and implementation activities proposed earlier.

Conclusions

Thanks to our ability to build structured paths and to perform analysis, as well as the essential ability to have view of markets, we apply each of these steps with each client in the more than 900 projects we have successfully completed over the past 20 years, contributing to the growth of Italian businesses abroad. 

Do you want to find out how to structure an effective export project, considering the elements mentioned in this article? Then contact us to schedule an initial meeting by clicking below.

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