How to Connect International Business When You Cannot Travel
It almost sounds cliche to say it, but these are certainly unprecedented times that we are all living through in more ways than one. Just about every aspect of daily life has been impacted. Perhaps nowhere has this been felt more than with individuals who conduct business on an international scale. With the borders being closed in many nations, it is no longer feasible to travel internationally to conduct business. Rather than neglect opportunities when they arise altogether, it is important to look for alternatives that will get you through until travel opens up once again. Since it is important to stay connected when you are unable to travel internationally, here are a few suggestions to do so in a productive way.
Set Up Conference Calls and Web Meetings
Everyone needs to feel a part of the team. Just because you cannot travel to meet with people overseas, this does not mean that you cannot help everyone to feel more connected. This goes for your staff, vendors, and clients. Everyone benefits from talking together from time to time. This can now happen online. There are many opportunities to connect in the virtual world. Conference calls are perfect for large gatherings where having everyone on video may not be practical. This also does not require a strong Internet connection. Everyone can dial in and participate in the same call. By the same token, Zoom meetings have become the way of the virtual world. Everyone can connect and share videos and desktops in a seamless fashion. It is a great way to connect across time zones on a regular basis.
Use Electronic Calendars to Send Out Meeting Invitations
No matter if you have a large or small organization, organizing online meetings can be difficult. Just have a few of these scheduled yourself and you will understand how true this is. It is important to have a way to organize the meetings and make sure that everyone knows what time to arrive and how to connect to the meeting. This is particularly important given the different time zones that are involved. Electronic calendars are a great way to make this happen.
Use a Payment Processor to Easily Transfer Money
The lack of travel opportunities available today should not preclude you from being able to conduct business on a global scale. When that happens, you need to have a way to transfer money easily and effectively. When you want to send money to India from Australia, you will want to have a payment processor like Western Union in place that can do this for you. With a payment processor like Western Union, you can continue to conduct business and make sales or receive payments from your clients overseas.
Following these strategies will help you to stay connected with your international clients and prospects. It will also enable you to maintain a global workforce and to encourage everyone to stay productive. It is important to keep moving forward and strive to sustain a certain level of growth, even in the midst of these uncertain times. It can happen virtually to begin with, so implement these steps to get headed in the right direction.
