Any intention to grow your business comes with some trepidations, but probably none will give you more cause for a combination of worry and excitement than deciding to take your products and services to the global market. Doing so involves more than hiring additional staff and signing up for international payment processing. Before you dive into this ocean, why not take some time to learn about your new environment so that you can succeed?

Reach out for help.

If you have done well selling to customers in your own country, you already know the importance of creating and maintaining a personalized shopping experience for each buyer. The same is true when dealing with clients from other countries, but the difference is that you probably are not as familiar with the local culture, buying styles, and payment preferences there. That is why, now more than ever, you need to reach out to experts with whom you can partner.

Specifically, you should establish collaborative relationships with distributors who can get your products to the international customers who want them in a timely way. Additionally, you will want to hire one or more customer service professionals who can effectively address issues and answer questions as soon as they arise and in a language and style that resonates.

Assess the market.

Even though shoppers in your native country have gone crazy over your products, that does not necessarily mean your merchandise will receive the same attention elsewhere. Unless you do some thorough research into your new market area, you won’t know about your competitive landscape; you will have no idea what people are buying, what is trending, and what is on the way out of favor.

This is where your local partners can truly be invaluable. When you benefit from their understanding of the unique culture and customs of the area, you can market your products in an appealing way that takes the perceived “outsiderness” away from your brand and makes it more attractive and approachable.

Consider political and economic factors.

Once you have determined that your products and services are likely to be well-received in your international region of choice, your work has only just begun. In addition, it is vital that you take a deep dive into that nation’s politics and economic stability, including their current relationship to your homeland as well as any looming potential conflicts that might explode onto the scene in the near future. Furthermore, you need to examine the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) and employment rate since these figures will give you a sense of the financial resources of your would-be customers.

Understand the region’s laws, taxes and regulations.

Just as is the case in the United States, every country has put in place rules, regulations, and limitations that govern how business is done there. Therefore, you must be fully aware of any restrictions or legal requirements that will pertain to your company before you even get started. After all, the last thing you want is to run afoul of the authorities before you even have a chance to establish yourself globally.

Again, this underscores the wisdom of partnering with local experts who have insider knowledge of the area. They can keep you apprised of all the domestic employment, trade, investment, and tax laws of your new business country. If they are experienced in the international compliance field, they can also ensure that you are adhering to the full set of laws and rules that apply to you so that you can avoid costly penalties and damage to your reputation and brand.

Enhance your transparency by addressing global currency concerns.

Any business that truly succeeds internationally needs to accept payments in multiple currencies. At its most basic level, doing so is necessary because customers feel more comfortable when they are able to pay using the monetary denomination with which they are familiar. They are already taking a risk entrusting you, a foreign seller, with their money. You want to make the process as comfortable and transparent as possible.

Your modern point of sale system can be configured to offer dynamic currency conversion in the denominations of your choice. This means that you offer shoppers the option to either pay in your monetary form or their own. Throughout the payment process, the customer can see how much their purchases will cost in both your and their currencies. They can then make the choice of which to use.

When they do, the conversion happens in real time, with the exchange rate being locked in immediately. Without dynamic currency conversion, the exchange rate is charged when the payment is processed, sometimes days later. Often, the customer is unpleasantly surprised with additional transaction fees that are imposed during that final processing. With dynamic currency conversion in place, all charges are prominently visible, with no nasty additions later.

Localize your store.

Once you have determined how you are going to approach accepting your customers’ funds, you should devote attention to making them feel right at home on your website. If English is not their first language, translate your content with the help of a native speaker. Ask others who are fluent to proofread your messages and product descriptions to prevent awkward or confusing turns of phrase that might alienate prospective buyers.

Then scout out some of your local competitors to see what their websites look like as well as the tone of their messaging. Yes, you want to stand out from the rest. But you want to do so in a positive way that encourages sales.

Clarify your shipping and returns policies.

Because your headquarters may be far away from your international customers, you need to make every effort to both make your shipping and return policies clear and to expedite deliveries whenever possible. Partnering with a fulfillment center in your target country is a highly effective way to enhance the efficiency of both deliveries and returns. But whatever you decide to do, make sure your policies are clearly and prominently displayed in all relevant languages. Additionally, train your customer staff on how to explain these procedures to reduce potential confusion and customer frustration.

As you stand on the precipice of global commerce, the stakes are high, and there are numerous factors to carefully consider. But as long as you do your research, collaborate effectively, and consider the needs and preferences of your customers, the rewards can be lucrative.