Going global: how to enter international markets

What is internationalization and why is it worth it?

Company internationalization is the process of expanding operations beyond national borders: from exports, through franchising, to opening foreign branches. For many entrepreneurs, this is a natural next step after gaining a stable position in the local market. However, internationalizing a company is primarily a shift in how you think about customers, brand, and organization: logistics and formalities are the easiest part here.

Why bother? Because foreign markets often offer higher margins, less competition, and access to a larger customer base. But beware: business internationalization requires preparation. From our experience at Growth Group (16+ years, 60+ clients, budgets under management of 160 million PLN), companies that enter new markets without a plan quickly retreat. The key is systematically building an advantage, not diving in headfirst.

Before you start, ask yourself: does your product or service solve a problem that also exists abroad? Do you have the resources (human, financial, time) to serve customers in another language and culture? If so, read on.

What internationalization grants are available?

Many companies give up on expansion because they fear the costs. Meanwhile, internationalization grants are real support: both at the national and EU level. In 2026, you can still use programs such as:

• Smart Growth Operational Programme (POIR): support for companies entering foreign markets, e.g., for trade fairs, market research, consulting.
• Polish Investment and Trade Agency (PAIH): export promotion programs, including participation in trade fairs and business missions.
• Regional Operational Programmes: in the region, funds for internationalization are available under the Regional Operational Programme.
• EU framework programs (e.g., COSME, Horizon Europe): for innovative companies.

Important: grants often cover only part of the costs (e.g., 50-70%), and settlement requires documentation. Therefore, before applying, it is worth doing a marketing audit to show whether your offer has a chance abroad. A company spends two months filling out a grant application for a trade fair in Germany: attachments, business plan, three-year financial forecasts. They get the grant, go to the fair... and return empty-handed because no one checked beforehand whether their product even fits that particular exhibitor industry. Also remember that grants are not everything: you also need an entry strategy and a budget for the first months.

If you lack experience in writing applications, consider working with an advisor. But do not be fooled: grants are just a tool, not an end in themselves.

Dynamic coordination model: how to organize your team?

International expansion requires new skills and flexibility from your team. Research by Stavros Georgiades (Organization Management: Dynamic Creative Team Coordination, 2022) shows that in creative teams, coordination is paradoxically achieved through informal methods that seem uncoordinated but enable flexibility. In practice, this means formal structures (roles, procedures) are essential as a framework, but informal practices (e.g., quick Slack check-ins, impromptu brainstorming) allow adaptation to changing conditions.

In the context of company internationalization, a cyclical model is worth applying: form a sub-team for a specific task (e.g., entering the German market), modify it, disband it, and return to formal roles. This way, you do not involve the entire organization in every project, only the right people. Georgiades emphasizes that leaders should consciously allow temporary departures from formal roles, but must intervene when the process gets out of control.

How to put this into practice? If you are planning expansion, create a small task force (e.g., 3-4 people from different departments) that will focus solely on the new market for 3 months. Give them freedom to act, but set clear goals and milestones. After the project ends, the team returns to their normal duties, and the knowledge gained stays within the company.

Global vs. local brand: how to maintain consistency?

One of the biggest challenges of business internationalization is brand management. Jan-Benedict Steenkamp (Global Brand Strategy, 2017) emphasizes that global brands create value not through rigid standardization, but through deliberately combining global consistency with local adaptation. This means you cannot simply translate your website and consider the German market “handled.”

Steenkamp proposes the COMET model, which assesses brand value across five dimensions: customer, organization, market, efficiency, and technology. Before entering a new market, analyze each of these areas. For example: does your brand name have negative connotations in the local language? Is your pricing model competitive? Does your organizational structure allow for quick responses to local needs?

Understanding reference groups is also important. Research by Hammerl et al. (2016) shows that consumers avoid brands associated with dissociative groups, even if the product is functionally good. Therefore, before entering a market, research which brands are perceived as “foreign” or “inappropriate” in that culture. It may turn out that your current image needs adjustment.

Practical tip: conduct marketing consulting before launch to verify your brand positioning in the new market. This is an investment that pays off many times over.

Digital channels and customer acquisition abroad

In the digital age, company internationalization is easier than ever, but it requires a well-thought-out strategy. Steenkamp (2017) points out that global brands must use digital channels to build engagement, but with attention to local cultural differences. What works in one country may not work in another.

One effective tool for acquiring B2B customers abroad is cold emailing. Reddot Growth (2023) provides 8 principles for effective campaigns, the most important being: list segmentation (position, industry, purchase intent), message personalization, and soft CTAs (e.g., “Is this interesting for you?”) instead of hard ones (e.g., “Do you have time on Tuesday?”). Soft CTAs open more conversations because they do not create pressure.

Also remember the technical basics: configure DMARC, DKIM, and warm up your domain, because without this, even the best content will land in spam. Measure the interest rate (number of interested replies / number of emails sent), not just the overall reply rate. Collect daily feedback from your sales team and iterate quickly.

It is also worth considering cross-media campaigns. De Pelsmacker (2016) shows that media synergy (combining TV with internet and mobile) delivers better results than campaigns in individual channels. For B2B companies, this could mean, for example, combining LinkedIn Ads with content marketing and webinars.

If you need support in building a market entry strategy, check out our offer for business scaling: we help companies expand internationally.

Common mistakes and how to avoid them

Internationalizing a company is a process where missteps are easy. Here are the most common mistakes we see with our clients:

1. Lack of market research: entering a market without understanding local conditions (legal, cultural, business) is asking for trouble.
2. Neglecting legal issues: not knowing local tax, customs, or data protection regulations (GDPR in the EU) can cost a fortune. A company starts selling to Germany and only after crossing a revenue threshold learns from its accountant that it should have been handling German VAT for months. It has to register retroactively, pay back taxes, and explain itself to the German tax office: instead of celebrating its first foreign orders.
3. Scaling too quickly: it is better to start with one market than to spread efforts across several countries at once.
4. Ignoring cultural differences: what is considered professional in Poland may be seen as pushy in Japan.
5. Lack of team flexibility: as Georgiades shows, formal structures must be complemented by informal practices that allow for quick adaptation.

How to avoid this? Above all, plan a budget for the first 6-12 months, including costs for marketing, translations, lawyers, and travel. Build a team with language and cultural skills. And do not be afraid to ask for help: an experienced marketing partner can protect you from costly mistakes.

Remember: internationalizing a company is a marathon, not a sprint. Those who succeed act methodically and learn from mistakes.