Even in your home market, a knowledge of the language is nowhere near enough to guarantee successful business development, market expansion or new product launches. And in a foreign market, there are even more factors at play.

In the domestic market, if you want to open a branch in a new city, you probably have to employ new staff. If you want to expand your home market, you need more salespersons, perhaps a new strategy, or some additional promotional activities. These can be complicated enough even without the language barrier.

For many companies approaching the challenges of a new international market, the first obstacle they focus on is the language. It would be far more important to recognise, however, that operating on a foreign market involves carrying out the same functions as at home. It is not only the local language that is different, but also the culture and the business environment. Consumer practices will probably not be the same, and there will be different competitors and rival products, not to mention the regulations governing the sector, and countless other differences.

The language barrier may turn out to be less of a problem than a lack of knowledge about local market conditions and the competitive environment. It is generally not too easy to find somebody, let alone a service provider, who can solve these problems all together in a tailor-made fashion. Here at TOO International, however, we offer a compact package of services to meet these needs.

When all the necessary functions, information and services required for entering and/or developing a foreign market are handled locally, in alignment with the domestic strategy preferred by the owner (exporter), the risks can be significantly reduced and the chances of success can be just as significantly enhanced.