Expanding into international markets is a step that brings challenges, but with the right help, it is possible to open doors to sustained and safe growth.
With a limited domestic market and a globalized world, internationalization represents a crucial strategy to increase the impact and resilience of companies.
In 2023, about 47% of SMEs in Portugal had a defined internationalization strategy, primarily focusing on European and Portuguese-speaking markets, according to data from the Portuguese Agency for Investment and Foreign Trade (AICEP).
SMEs represent approximately 45% of Portugal's exports, indicating a strong commitment to international growth. Machinery and appliances, vehicles and other transport materials, cellulosic pulp and paper, food products, plastics and rubber are the main categories of goods exported by national companies, AICEP reiterates.
The first challenges that the expansion strategy brings to Portuguese SMEs are related to the control of operations and processes that need to be managed remotely and in an integrated way, such as:
- Broaden customer base – Operating in other markets means reaching more people, creating impact in new geographies and strengthening brand presence.
- Diversify revenues – By reducing dependence on a single market, companies become more resilient to economic changes and fluctuations in a single country.
- Explore specific niches – In each market, some new needs and niches often do not even exist in Portugal. This can be an excellent opportunity to expand unique products or services.
However, there are more challenges to consider:
- Understanding of local culture – What works well in Portugal may not have the same effect in other countries. Each market has its own culture, preferences and habits – adjusting the message is one of the keys to success.
- Regulation and logistics – Each country has its own rules, logistics systems and business practices. Anticipating these differences helps to avoid problems and simplify the process.
- Remote customer management – Maintaining close relationships with international customers requires tools that facilitate quick and effective communication.
- Local competition – To enter a new market, you must be prepared to face competitors who are already established and knowledgeable about the local market.
Salesforce as a solution to support growing businesses. For companies taking their first steps into new markets, Salesforce is a safe and effective tool that helps transform all challenges into solutions for their business and relationship operations in an agile and fully integrated way. The LOBA team helps SMEs adapt and optimize the use of Salesforce CRM. Here's how:
- Centralization of Customer Management - With Salesforce CRM, it is possible to have all customer information in any market, on a single platform. For example, a global company operating in multiple time zones and currencies can, through the Salesforce platform, centrally manage customers and business opportunities from different countries.
- Marketing Personalization and Automation - Tailoring marketing campaigns to each market is essential. Through Salesforce, we help companies set up automatic campaigns that speak directly to the needs of each region. This includes campaigns targeted by country, time zone, and customer typology, ensuring that relevant content reaches the right recipient at the right time.
- Advanced Analytics with Salesforce Einstein - It's essential to have access to quality data for strategic decisions. Salesforce's Artificial Intelligence, predictive and generative, offers valuable insights into behaviours and trends, enabling SMBs to make data-driven decisions that are improved on the Salesforce platform.
- Flexibility and Scalability - Salesforce is scalable, and with LOBA's implementation and support, we ensure that each solution grows with the company, integrating with other tools and adapting to new challenges.
- Management of global teams and hierarchies - CRM allows the creation of hierarchies and permissions for different teams and users according to their location and role. This ensures data security and the efficiency of internal communication.
At LOBA, for more than 20 years, we have been helping companies in their internationalization journey, enhancing their competitive and relationship capacity and, thus, the success of their expansion strategies. Through Salesforce, we create solid foundations for our customers to achieve their global goals and make the most of opportunities across borders.
It is from our clients' inspiring stories and success stories that we consider inspiring and supporting other companies in their journey of growth and expansion. An example of this is the events that LOBA-Salesforce has been promoting, such as the event on "Intelligent internationalization of industries with Salesforce", held very recently at the Meliá Ria Hotel and Aveiro, where we brought together customers and partners to discuss the role of Salesforce CRM in supporting the international expansion of companies.
Clients such as Investwood and Lingote shared their experiences, highlighting how the Salesforce platform has been driving the efficiency of their businesses. CRYOPDP presented its internationalization case, explaining how CRM helps to manage global operations in different time zones and currencies. In this event, we also had André Carvalho from Scope Invest, who presented the main open financing measures to support the internationalization of companies.
At LOBA, we start from your business to create relationship experiences with all stakeholders in your business, ranging from your brand and communication strategy to the technological solutions best suited to your potential and ambition.
Let's grow your business.
