São Paulo – Where are the best opportunities for micro and small Brazilian entrepreneurs abroad? Are there more promising areas for those who do not sell much abroad? According to consultants and specialists, there are. The main question is to find your place in the sun, to take good care of the product and invest in winning international clientele. According to figures disclosed by the Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade, small companies sold US$ 1.9 billion to the world in 2010. The figure represents growth of 49% over 2009.
According to the consultant of the Brazilian Micro and Small Business Support Service (Sebrae) in São Paulo, Gilberto Campião, for those interested in exporting it is necessary, before anything else, to work on good planning. "It is important to be clear as to how much potential the product has to reach the target market, to invest what must be invested and to have a minimum structure to start international operations,” he explained.
Once it has all been defined, it is time to choose a market niche. "Small companies have greater chances in areas that do not interest large ones,” said Campião. "Their differential is connected mainly to service, design and innovation.”
Parting from the principle of differentiation, points are gained by entrepreneurs who opt for specific areas. "Innovative artistic products and those with Brazilian touches are normally successful,” said the consultant. Another good hint is to pay attention to the concept of sustainability. "Sustainability, fair trade and organic products are differentials with strong international appeal,” he explained.
Felipe Mendes Borini, an International Management professor at the Master’s course at the Higher School of Marketing and Advertising (ESPM), in São Paulo, believes that sustainable and handcrafted articles will have space abroad if they offer some cultural significance, that is, connected to the Brazilian characteristics and traditions. And he gives another important suggestion for those interested in exporting: on studying the market in a country, to pay attention to the spaces offered among products and services. "It is interesting to explore the empty spaces: areas in which consultancy is lacking, companies that research specific sectors, different articles, that machine nobody provides anymore,” he said. "And eyeing that scenery and identifying where there are opportunities.”
Heading a workshop in Rio de Janeiro that goes by her name, artist Monica Carvalho won space abroad to work on artistic products made from recycled and disposed articles, a niche in which she found her place. Today, she sells to the Emirates, France and England. "It was our concern with sustainability that generated foreigner interest,” she said, providing her success recipe for small entrepreneurs interested in doing as well as she did.
*Translated by Mark Ament
