International expansion is one way to grow business for many small business owners. After all, there is large untapped potential in countries such as India and China with their growing middle class population. These people are earning significant disposable income is are ready to use it on items imported from developed countries.
International expansion, however, comes with its own risks and stress. It is neither comfortable nor cheap to travel internationally – a necessity when you are trying to find partners, customers or vendors in those countries. You have to deal with significant expenses for airfare, hotels and other travel necessities. Dealing with jet lag and the unknown hassle of foreign countries adds to the headaches. The three tips provided below can to some extent alleviate your concerns about cost of international travel.
- Plane Tickets. This may sound like an old cliché, but saving on airfare is one of the best ways to make an overseas trip affordable. This is usually achieved by keeping a close eye on airfare deals, months in advance. If you have to book travel at the last minute, newer airlines like WOW can provide discounted rates. But if none of this is an option, see if you can leverage the importance of your business to secure a free flight. If you are obliged to go overseas to do consultation or a speaking engagement or something of that nature, it’s possible that you may get your overseas contact to comp your flight cost.
