getting your website ready for international buyers

Internationalize & Optimize Your Website to Generate Export Sales

GETTING YOUR WEBSITE READY FOR INTERNATIONAL BUYERS

International Website Basics• Be aware of cultural differences

– Avoid American symbols

vs. – Avoid hand gestures or body parts– Avoid religious symbols

– Avoid controversial photos

International Website Basics

• Make your content easy to read– Keep your message simple and to the point– Do not use humor

• American humor is often misinterpreted– Especially sarcasm

– Publish a glossary

International Website Basics

• Ensure design will handle text expansion

English

Russian

welcome

добро пожаловать

willkommenGerman

International Website Basics• Avoid placing text in graphics

– Graphics and text will remain unchanged while content in text boxes changes languages

(Content in graphic does not change)

Welcome to our website Добро пожаловать в наш вебсайт

(Content in text section changed to Russia)

International Website Basics• Use an international friendly CMS (such as Kentico)

– Provides for local format• Calendar• Currency• Date/Time• Numbers

– Allows for text expansion– Right to left reader support– Automatic time zone conversion– Language translation– British vs. American spelling– International symbols

International Sales

• Let your potential customers know you welcome their business– Explain services you offer to accommodate their concerns– Use photos with names

International Sales

• Show your physical location– Use Goggle maps– Use photo of office and/or building

International Sales

• Use proper international order forms– Know international rules and regulations– Provide correct international shipping costs and fees

International Sales

• Be accessible by phone– International customers like to engage in phone

conversation to establish relationships– Offer a friendly reception– Be prepared to deal with accents and dialects– Have multi-lingual capability

401 Jacobson Drive, Poca, WV 25159304.755.1324

Internationalize & Optimize Your Website to Generate Export Sales

Brent Pauleybrent.pauley@terradon.com

Tina Cobbtina.cobb@terradon.com