Flowwow has demonstrated 50% revenue growth, attracted 300+ vendors, and localised the product to two markets. Maria Gmyzina, Flowwow Head of Expansion, delves into the significance of international experience, harmonising diverse teams, strategic market selection, localisation, and navigating expansion challenges.

Perform in-depth market research

Before fostering actions to expand globally, it’s important to do some in-depth research and understand the market potential for your business. Key factors include the state of the industry you’re developing (e-commerce, for example), evaluate the startup culture, internet accessibility and speed, GDP, emerging trends, and the competitive landscape.

Overall, we target markets where online shopping culture is ingrained, our indirect competitors, such as Amazon, operation and delivery services are readily available. In the case of our expansion into the UK, we recognise the presence of loyal sellers and existing orders, indicating a demand for our platform.

It’s also essential to look for the legal terms. A strong legal processes should be put in place to minimise unnecessary commercial risks

Look for experienced mentors and advisors locally

Networking plays a crucial role in our expansion strategy. We actively seek advice and insights from other businesses that have ventured into new markets. Founders and senior leaders are often eager to share their experiences, shedding light on what worked and what did not. Look for the experts in the industry who developed a business within your market or have worked in the similar industry. Do not hesitate to reach out via LinkedIn or Facebook. People are always open to sharing first-hand experience.

Another way to dive deeper into the market is to hire local consultants who help to establish a deeper understanding of each market’s unique needs and characteristics. In our case, we hire local PR agencies who help us to review the strategy and raise brand awareness through media locally.

Prioritise product localisation

When you understand that a new market is the perfect fit for your business, you have to adapt the product to the customers’ needs. Firstly, when you expand to a country where English is one of several common languages, translate your product and services into the local language. It’s not only a gesture of cultural respect but also an opportunity to make user experience easier for customers in new markets.

Language is not the only factor to keep in mind. At the research stage, you learn the customers habits, and behaviour. This knowledge allows you to adapt the product to the customers’ needs and keep the balance between supply and demand. For example, as a gifting marketplace, in the UAE we focus on the flowers and confectionery whereas in Spain our customers prefer live plants.

Be ready for unexpected challenges

Whether you’re testing a hypothesis, or looking for an SMS provider, you should always have a backup plan in case something goes wrong. When the market is new, you’re not sure about the culture of deadlines, work ethic, and other key factors that are significant in business relations. Having this backup plan will help you not to lose time looking for new solutions but direct your efforts into a new perspective that will bring business results.

At Flowwow we have faced authorisation and the use of different SMS delivery providers. For example, when one of our SMS providers went bankrupt, the service was automatically switched to another operator, and we had to make a series of swift decisions to ensure the SMS reached our audience. This experience has taught us the importance of always having a backup plan in place, particularly when it comes to the continuity of essential services.

Attract team with international experience

The role of international experience is crucial when you start to build the team to enter new markets. While linguistic proficiency is indeed valuable, our experience has shown that having a diverse team well-versed in working with different markets brings even greater benefits. Firstly, previous international experience helps to apply gained knowledge to solve upcoming expansion challenges quicker: people have already tested some hypothesis, applied frameworks, and worked with particular tools.

What’s more, it also extends to a particular mindset characterised by adaptability and a shared passion for our project. Those who embark on the expansion journey with us must approach it as one would a sports competition, guided by the motto ‘I came, I saw, I conquered.’ We also cultivate the ability to work with risks, acknowledging that international expansion always carries an element of the unknown. This adaptability and a willingness to shoulder responsibility and make decisions are the essential attributes we seek in potential team members.

Build transparent cross-department communication

As we advance and expand into new territories, our focus shifts from constructing a business from the ground up, to the management and growth of an established one. The transition underscores the importance of effective coordination across different teams and demands transparent communication. Maintaining transparency across teams, including HR, operations, and marketing, is critical.

During this stage of expansion, it is vital to be discerning about where and how we invest our time in the team. Decision-makers within the company must be adept at prioritising certain regions and countries and understanding the precise allocation of resources required for each. Staying informed externally regarding market conditions and internally across teams is crucial.

In conclusion: a journey of growth and resilience

Our journey of international expansion at Flowwow has been a remarkable experience. Through a dedicated and diverse team, synchronised operations, strategic market selection, and a profound understanding of local cultures, we have so far successfully navigated the challenges of expansion.

Our story demonstrates that international expansion is both an art and a science, requiring agility, adaptability, and a commitment to excellence.