3 Things to Keep in Mind About Global Tech

It”s an interesting time to be in business online, since the entire world can now be accessed through the Internet. Customers and services can be sold across borders now, but it”s definitely got its challenges.

There are at least three essential things to keep in mind, if you”re about to take the technological leap into global business!

1. Customs

We don”t mean border controls, although that certainly will come into play, so much as behavior and traditions in foreign lands. Customs in that sense matter in every way imaginable, and they can have an adverse effect on your sales and marketing, if you do commit a faux pas in a country you”re attempting to do business with.

Make sure to research a list of unique customs that are in force where you hope to do business, and broaden your knowledge before attempting to operate in a new country.

2. Tech limitations

Not every country has access to the same technologies that we do. Even if they do, it might not be as well understood or as fast. If your business depends on YouTube videos for tutorials, or Facebook page marketing, then you”ll want to make sure these are easily accessible in the country you”re hoping to market to.

If it”s a country like China, where Facebook is banned, that will obviously affect your marketing strategies.

3. Wording

Languages are different across the globe, so that”s no surprise to anyone. What”s a bit more difficult to anticipate and understand is how two countries can have the same basic language (like English), but completely different words for things.

A great example is New Zealand, which is primarily an English-speaking nation. Real estate services there are in demand as much as they are anywhere else, and you might think the players and processes would be called the same thing as they are in the United States; that is, real estate sales, property transfer, sales agents, and brokers.

However, sales people there are called solicitors, and the transfer of real estate is known as conveyancing in New Zealand. If you use the wrong terms, you”ll identify yourself as clearly not local to the area (or even the nation), and that”s apt to diminish your appeal, in terms of landing new clients and business.

People typically have a higher level of trust for others who speak their native language, dialect, and derivative lingo. So that”s something you need to be aware of.