Trading internationallyCreating the right impression If you are serious about growing your business through international trade, you cannot afford to ignore language and cultural issues. If you think that languages don’t matter because everyone speaks English these days, remember your overseas competitors speak English too. Communicate with your clients in their language and understand their culture – not just to secure a first order, but to follow up invoices, offer after-sales service and build a growing business relationship. Read our International Communications Planning guide. Recruit and train staff with the right language skills
Consider language training for colleagues – especially those with a successful track record in language learning – as a cost-effective solution. Read our Language Training and Recruitment guide.
Build a relationship with translation and interpreting suppliers Work with qualified interpreters for meetings, presentations and trade fairs – or with a telephone interpreting supplier for enquiries in languages that your team does not speak. Read our Translation and Interpreting guide.
Make your website work for your customers – wherever they are
Take a staged approach to translation – with a landing page, enquiry form and key product information available in two or three languages. Gradually add more languages and localisation - adapting the language and visual and creative aspects to the culture of each market. Read our Website localisation guide.
Understand the culture of other countries and their business practices Knowledge about greetings, body language, eye contact, gifts, dress codes, entertaining and diet will help you to break the ice and maintain good relationships with overseas clients. Read our Intercultural skills guide
Adapt your brand, products and promotions for international markets As a rule of thumb, if you used a copywriter for the original English version, you will need to do the same for new markets – for your brand, sales literature, advertising, press releases and packaging. Read our International marketing and promotions guide
Learn from other businesses
Geeta's
Foods (64KB, PDF) Northern
Edge International (71KB, PDF) Tequila (107KB,
PDF) Useful links
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Offer a placement to an international student or recruit a native speaker or languages graduate to deal with enquiries, meet clients and share their knowledge of how business is done. 
They can advise you on the right languages for each market and options that may reduce costs. Use professional translators for written information such as manuals, reports, legal documents and correspondence. 
Make sure that your website is in clear, jargon-free ‘international’ English. 
It is crucial to be aware of key cultural differences in your target markets. Culture affects the degree of formality, the way decisions are made, how meetings are conducted and attitudes to time-keeping, gender, age and status. 
Creativity and media awareness are essential to translate and adapt the visual and written aspects of your promotions overseas. 
Read case studies of other 
