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But what’s the route to garnering clients from countries other than Nigeria? In this article, we’ll walk you through 7 things you can do to make your business ready to serve international clients. Here they are:
Use Targeted Adverts
You may be aware that online ads can be primed to reach specific audiences in particular locations within Nigeria. What if you took things a couple of steps further, and point the ads in places outside of this country? Web and social media adverts allow you to do this as well. You just need to be sure about what locations you’ll be aiming at, and how other ad parameters should be fine-tuned, given the unique realities of those areas.Utilize SEO
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) has the potential to place your business in front of your preferred global readership, without you having to pay for it. You can research keywords related to your kind of product or service that people in your target market use frequently in search engines (e.g. Google), and use them in your website content. This, when implemented along with other SEO measures, will give your business a good chance of being seen by online visitors thousands of miles away from you.Plug in Language Options
Depending on the regions you’d like to serve, you may have to provide visitors to your website the option to read it in languages other than English. For example, if you want to sell to a market where French is the lingua franca, it’ll be a good idea to offer a French translation of your website’s content in its menu. Some businesses have multiple language options (e.g. Portuguese, Arabic, Spanish, etc.) on their site.Sign up for the Connect Nigeria daily newsletter
Have Compatible Payment Channels
Unless you’re able to easily collect payments from your customers outside Nigeria, you will struggle—and fail –to sell to an international clientele. So it’s important that you have payment channels that cater to customers elsewhere in the world and allow them to pay you in their country’s currency. Thankfully, there are several payment platforms that let you do just this.Make Shipping Seamless
Your business needs to be able to deliver its products or services to its customers wherever they are. To achieve this, you’ll want to partner with reliable courier companies that boast a global reach. A stress-free order delivery system will please your clients and increase the likelihood that they’ll recommend you to their contacts.Communicate in a Manner Your Audience Appreciates
Don’t assume that your international clients will think, act, and engage you the way your local audience does. Such an assumption may prove costly. Instead, try to understand the culture to which the people and organizations you’re selling to belong. A good grasp of their preferences, manners, and taboos will place you in good stead to successfully interact with them, and convert them into satisfied and loyal customers.Adopt a Global Outlook
The secret to winning on the global stage is meeting the high expectations that people across the world will have of brands in your industry. Strive to be exceptional at what you do. Sell world-class products, attend to customers promptly, communicate clearly and empathetically, and fix problems quickly. Whatever you do, aim to stand out of the pack with the quality of your service delivery.Register to attend the CN Business Mixer
Final Words
There are many reasons you’d want to attract international clients to your business. Whatever your reasons are, you’ll have to be strategic about marketing and selling if you’re going to succeed. Take the steps we’ve discussed here, and you’ll draw customers from across the globe to your enterprise. Featured Image Source: Shipping SolutionsGot a suggestion? Contact us: editor@connectnigeria.com
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