5 tips for UK market entry (before you think of marketing)

If you’re considering entering the UK, it is likely to be because you’ve reached a strong level of success in your market. Maybe you’ve received interest in your service from the UK. Whatever the reason may be, it is easy to assume that what proved successful in your home country will be equally as rewarding in a new foreign market. But this is not always the case and can often prove to be a costly mistake to make.

Scaling a business is not a straightforward task, let alone internationally.

Here, we list the top 5 things to think about before you make a move. Know Who You Are, And What You Do Best Before you even think about entering the UK market, you need to make sure you have a clear understanding of your product offering. Establish what it is that makes your product or service a success and learn to communicate its message effectively. The better you know this, the easier it will be to explain it to potential buyers. Especially when you will need to consider factors such as language barriers and cultural differences. After all, you may find yourself in a situation where there are only a couple of minutes to get your message across and if you can’t do it quickly or articulately, you’ll end up losing out.

Don’t Underestimate The Differences Language barriers, cultural differences, diverse organisational cultures, regulations and even mannerisms all affect how businesses operate. Not every market sector is organised and run the same way. Know your audience. Don’t underestimate the work involved in researching these differences before entering the UK market. Make sure you familiarise yourself with them and understand them, so you don’t find yourself in those tricky situations having said the wrong thing. Even if it’s a market close to home, there will still be some differences to consider. It’s also worthwhile to take into account regional differences. For instance, businesses in London have different routines and cultures to firms up in the north.

Gather All the Intelligence Before Entering

Language barriers, cultural differences, diverse organisational cultures, regulations and even mannerisms all affect how businesses operate. Not every market sector is organised and run the same way. Know your audience. Don’t underestimate the work involved in researching these differences before entering the UK market. Make sure you familiarise yourself with them and understand them, so you don’t find yourself in those tricky situations having said the wrong thing. Even if it’s a market close to home, there will still be some differences to consider. It’s also worthwhile to take into account regional differences. For instance, businesses in London have different routines and cultures to firms up in the north.Other useful sources of information are services or initiatives set up by government bodies. These regularly provide advice and support services such as market reports, networking events and even financing to make exporting easier.

Research and understand the differences between markets

While researching and understanding the differences between markets is a valuable first step; it is crucial that you arm yourself with as much information as possible. It is not uncommon to have certain preconceptions or views based on personal experiences about a country. So it’s often best to utilise the services of a UK based market research or trade assistance firm to gather the necessary and accurate intelligence.

Other useful sources of information are services or initiatives set up by government bodies. These regularly provide advice and support services such as market reports, networking events and even financing to make exporting easier.

Visit The UK And Its Networks Having already carried out a vast amount of research, you should now be able to identify contacts in the UK that would be worthwhile reaching out to. The firm that assisted you with the market validation piece should be able to advise you on which events and trade shows to attend. Before entering the UK market, arrange appointments with specific British companies and relevant trade bodies in your sector and build up your network.

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