More companies in the security industry are looking towards non EU countries for growth during the European financial crisis. We’d like to share how icomply achieved fantastic results when we expanded into Australia, South Africa and India.

Tip #1 Be committed to non EU growth

My first tip is to ‘be committed’. You have to be pushy to export your product outside Europe. Potential customers aren’t going to be beating a path to your door – the chances are they don’t know you even exist yet.

Tip #2 Which countries are right for you?

Think about which overseas markets will be interested in your product. Like icomply, you’ll be working from free research, and in part, your gut feelings. Read the industry magazines and find free reports online. We spoke to our contacts in the big security organisations about what countries they’re moving into and why.

Tip #3 Look for undeveloped markets

Look for countries with under-developed security markets that are now trying to catch up. We’re tapping into a large market for integrated security solutions in India. The 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks exposed the inadequacy of India’s security, and the Government is now taking big steps to improve the situation. Without existing security infrastructure, India is moving straight to IP and British companies can take advantage of this.

Tip #4 Find a local partner

When you’ve defined your target markets, the next step is to find a good local partner who loves your product offering. We partnered with Vox Orion, the leading independent telecommunications provider in South Africa. They were very impressed with V-TAS Pro and gave glowing reports to their own customers.

Tip #5 Think about hidden costs

Think about any hidden costs you may need to factor in, for example the cost of transporting your equipment or training employees. But you can’t afford to be greedy – your partner needs to make a decent profit on selling your product.

Tip #6 Attend international trade shows

You can find local partners at trade shows and exhibitions. IFSEC is one of the best international trade shows around. It shows in India, South Africa, West Africa and Arabia. Don’t exhibit on your first visit – we’ve made that expensive mistake before. Attend as a delegate to gauge interest in your product and develop some business links.

icomply attended IFSEC South Africa in June 2012, exhibiting alongside a South African company called Fibre Based Integrations. Having used LinkedIn to arrange meetings with potential partners and integrators before the event, we left South Africa with some really strong contacts – and we weren’t out of pocket!

Tip 7# Ensure your website has SEO

If you’re truly unique, customers all over the world could be looking for you. But without search engine optimisation, they might never find you. Make sure your website is optimised for global companies to connect with you.

icomply develop CCTV software for public space and private control rooms.  Contact us for a demonstration of V-TAS Pro, or use our ‘live chat’ box to ask any questions.