Speaking to your potential customers in their own language gives you a real competitive advantage.

Research by IDC shows that web users are four times more likely to purchase from a site that communicates in their own language.

If you promote your business only in English, you create a language barrier between yourself and half of your potential market.

Before you start selling on the Internet, ask yourself the following questions

What are the benefits?
A localised website brings you closer to your target audience and improves your business profile. If you can speak directly to your future customers you can grow your global business and increase your ROI.

Is my product sellable?
If you are a wine shop, it may not be profitable to ship bottles of Bordeaux to France!

How should I deliver?
Shipping and customs can be a big hurdle - make sure your infrastructure is able to cope

Which foreign markets have most potential?
You may have established clients in Germany, or maybe you get a lot of enquiries from South America. Alternatively, you might sell a typically British product and want to take advantage of a strong ex-pat market in a particular country.

What are my objectives?
Globalisation is a form of business growth. Some companies just strive to survive. Are you looking to expand your business or just maintain it? Or are you looking to keep up with your competitors, who have already had their website localised?

Have I got the right technology?
You will need the multi-currency payment systems in place. Online payment systems such as Moneybookers or PayPal can work well, but check whether they are in place in the countries you intend to market to. Ask your banking business adviser for support they can offer in payment transfers.

Which languages?
This will depend on the markets you want to operate in – there’s no point localising your website for the German market if you intend to start expanding in Spain. If localising for Asian markets, make sure you have the right character support to be able to receive queries and orders in another script.

Am I Legal?
Tax & trading restriction may apply, have you contacted the government authorities?