Find clients and sell your products in Australia

Finding clients abroad is always a challenge, and business development in Australia is not different. You need the right contacts and once you reach the decision maker, you need the right sales pitch.

A lot of companies that want to enter the market in Australia do this with their general sales pitch. However, if you don't know the local regulations, pricing levels and your competition's product, sales meetings may be difficult to conclude successfully.

How to sell your product or service in Australia?

Australia is a major global player in various sectors and has a population of about 26 million.

Australia’s economy, with a GDP per capita of approximately $55,000 USD in 2023, is driven by mining (coal, iron ore, gold), agriculture, and a robust service sector. It is also a significant exporter of natural resources.

The country’s main imports include machinery, vehicles, electronic equipment, and petroleum products, supporting its diversified economy.

Australian business culture and etiquette

In Australia, business is done in an open and friendly manner with a touch of informality. The following simple guidelines will help:

Meet your prospects with prior appointment, giving them sufficient notice of about a week
Do not speak about your position or try to pull rank; this is a sure ‘turn-off’ in Australia
Greet with a handshake and a smile; be yourself
An Australian might typically address you as ‘G’day mate’; don’t take this as a casual greeting, it is common custom there
Begin with some small talk
Table manners are important in Australia
Gifts are best avoided in initial meetings

What are negotiation tactics in Australia?

Presentations should be simple with good visuals
Australians believe in ‘fair dinkum’ – a fair chance for all; keep the negotiation tone friendly
Offer both short and long term advantages
Be open and frank, business wise; Australians will tell you what they want and are open about it
Expect slow decision making as Australians like to consult other stakeholders before deciding
Offer genuine prices given the volumes and business opportunity
Do not drop price drastically from its initial level; keep final prices for the later stages of negotiations.

Convince foreign distributors with numbers, not with stories

Alfred Griffioen, founder of Exporteers

In the past 15 years me and my colleagues have approached hundreds of agents, distributors, importers and retailers worldwide for brand owners aiming to sell their products abroad. In 2012 a call was enough to get a meeting. Today, you first have to send your pitch — and then hope that someone will answer.

The distributors needed to reach your clients already work with your competitors. They have invested in marketing, stock and sales, and they are making money. Asking them to switch to you means asking them to start all over again.

My experience is that if you only send a website or product catalogue, answers are rare. Numbers make the difference. Show expected volumes, margins, sales effort and investment. Show that there is a business case for them, not just for you.

Translate your website and check your SEO

Even if your business is really international, it may be wise to set up local website translations and check whether your text aligns with the culture.

This also counts for Australia and its inhabitants. People prefer reading in their own language and also search most of the time in their own language. Therefore you need to include the relevant keywords in your texts, and these may not be a direct translation.

With regards to content, my personal experience is that if you have a successful blog topic in one language, it is likely to do well also in other languages. Don’t reinvent the wheel, just make a proper translation.

Shipping your products

If you sell physical products, you need them to get delivered into Australia. Depending on the country you are in, this may be a challenge.

First of all you may have to pay import duties or settle VAT. This can be complex if you don’t have your own legal entity in the country.

There may also be non-financial bariers, like certifications or approvals to be obtained. Especially for food, cosmetics or medicine this may be the case. Check this in advance, even before you invest in your marketing.

VAlidate the HS-codes you use for shipping

Almost every country or trade block in the world has its own detailing on the international HS-code list. With our report you strongly reduce the risk on misclassifications, delays and higher custom duties than expected.

Tell us what you want to ship and where to and we ask you all relevant questions to get to the most likely code.

Frequently asked questions

How to do business development in Australia?

First determine who can be the end-users for your product or service. From who do they purchase now? Interview a number of key players in the value chain how they perceive your offering and ask them who is your competition. Only then you can position your product or service and effectively approach potential buyers.

Is it difficult to find B2B clients in Australia?

In Australia, just as many comparable countries, this all depends on your offering and the way you organise your sales. If you offering already sells in other countries, you have good chances, but you still need to figure out the market structure and the sales channels that perform best. We always recommend to do interviews with key players first.

Is Australia open for international business?

Yes, Australia is certainly open for international business, the country has trade relationships with many other nations and although there may be import duties, certification and other customs regulations, you can certainly sell your goods there.

How to do sales in Australia?

First of all adhere to the local business culture and follow local ways of making appointments and structuring them. Also in Australia, companies want to make profits so if you can show how your product or service contributes to that, then the interest will be not different than in other countries. Where possible, work with local partners or have your sales supported by an international business consultant.

Can you find B2B clients for me in Australia?

Yes, we can certainly do that, because we have experienced business developers in the country. Of course it is important that your product is good, well documented and you have discovered the best sales processes already in your home country.