Are you a small business owner who loves to travel?
These combined passions can be difficult to balance at once – any globetrotting dreams you may have are often pushed to the backburner by the demanding nature of business ownership, which takes up much of your time and energy.
But as the market becomes increasingly international, the right kind of growth for your business could present new and exciting franchise opportunities to travel and see the world whilst fulfilling your professional ambitions.
This article explores how your business can open up adventures around the world.
Perfect your enterprise
This is the first and most crucial step – if your business model doesn’t work in its current setting, globalising your efforts will only create more problems than it solves.
Growth looks different for each individual business, but don’t be afraid to think outside of the box when it comes to finding new avenues of exploration and experimentation.
Business networking is something that many SME owners avoid, but the connections formed from these introductions can lead to exciting developments for you and your business. Networking hubs like Arise Innovation provide creative and dynamic opportunities for businesses of all sizes to link up with other entrepreneurs, as well as academics.
Focus on building with your customers too, and if you’re unsure of your next step, ask them! Surveys, social media and reviews are a great way to work out your next move and discover gaps in the market.
Mobilise
The closure of physical shops over lockdown forced many businesses to become flexible and adapt, with many turning to ecommerce to stay afloat.
But consider – could increasing the mobility of your service maximise your reach? For instance, could your services be offered from your car, or a van? By finding as many ways as possible to reach customers, you not only expand your business but create chances to travel that could take you across the country!
This may be particularly useful for niche markets, where people would ordinarily travel to visit a special interest supplier, as well as everyday services like hairdressers.
Internationalise
This is the big one! Ok, so you’re not going to end up with 38,000 locations overnight.
But by branching out bit by bit, your business could cross borders and build bridges with consumers overseas.
Start small – undertake a little market research to determine where there is likely to be a demand for your product, and begin by targeting your ecommerce towards locations with a high chance of success. This may mean tailoring your online presence, providing translated content on your website and even establishing social media profiles targeted towards your international audience.
These measures may sound laborious but they are a serious investment into your businesses future, and once you have secured a loyal customer base in another country, you can start to think about a physical location there!
Naturally this will involve a certain amount of travel, so try and pick somewhere you’d be happy to spend long periods of time.
We hope these three tips can help you transform your business into an enviable travel opportunity!
