According to recent statistics, nearly a quarter of European
SME's export or have exported at some point during the last three years, mostly
within the EU. However, countries such as Russia, Brazil, China and India offer
huge market potential. It is estimated that the BRIC group will account for
about 60% of world GDP by 2030, but apparently under 10% of European exporters
sell to these markets.
As a PR and Marketing agency that has worked with B2B and B2C
companies across 18 countries (including South American countries, India and Russia),
we have seen first hand the business expansion opportunities that are out there
for exporting services in particular. With technology advancing at lightning
speed and worldwide communications becoming faster, easier and cheaper every
day, now is an ideal time to consider this business path.
For example, if you offer say highly skilled and specialized services (e.g.,
consultancy, export/distribution intermediary services, healthcare or
information management technology) and are looking to expand your
business then you are likely to find export opportunities across
BRIC and the EU.
However, what you must remember is that selling a service requires even more
people power than successful product sales, i.e superior communication skills,
diplomacy and cultural awareness of your chosen territory. It is also vital to
check if your require any licenses in your chosen markets as well during your
planning process.
