With the world seeming to get smaller every day, many people are looking to expand their businesses abroad, either into Europe or further afield. It is not done lightly, as there are a whole raft of different rules and regulations in each country, but global expansion is the natural way to increase business in today's world.

There are many things you should think of if deciding to expand your services into other countries or indeed physically shipping products to a wider international audience.

You have to come up with a full project plan which includes all elements of the business such as local regulations, making overseas payments and shipping rules. Try to have a local expert on hand in each country.

You may wish to start with one or two test markets first. Despite globalisation, each country is a very different market to crack and you may want to test the waters first. Products that are popular in one country are hardly sold in others and you need to get a feel for the local culture and tastes.

The type of marketing too can differ from country to country as you need to appeal to the local culture and what makes them tick. For example, an advert which features alcohol may go down well in one country but would definitely be taboo in the Middle East.