Find clients and sell your products in Singapore

Finding clients abroad is always a challenge, and business development in Singapore 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 Singapore 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 Singapore?

Singapore, a city-state in Southeast Asia, is a global financial hub with a multicultural population of about 5.7 million as of 2023. It is renowned for its economic prowess, strict laws, and efficient urban planning.

With a high GDP per capita of approximately $65,000 USD in 2023, Singapore’s economy is driven by finance, trading, and manufacturing, especially in electronics and biomedical sciences. The port of Singapore is one of the busiest in the world.

Singapore business culture

English is one of the official languages in Singapore, the others being Chinese, Malay, and Tamil. Singapore is a highly organised and structured country. Punctuality, accuracy, and efficiency are of most value in all business dealings.

Business culture is similar to the western business style. Decisions are taken at the top level and then disseminated down the chain of command. Singapore is a performance based society. Deals are sealed mostly based on perceived performance and value that you bring to the table.

Negotiation tactics in Singapore

The following guidelines will help project your business favourably to your Singapore Customers:

Establish the reputation of your business as best as you can. This is elemental and vital to your business prospects.
Adopt a serious and refined business tone.
Singaporeans do not refuse or say no openly, instead watch out for non-verbal communications or indirect hints.
Given their vast experience in international trade, Singapore business persons can be approached directly.
When someone older or higher up the hierarchy enters the room, it is customary to stand up.
Singaporean customers spend a lot of time gathering information resulting in slower decision making.
Expect some shrewd bargaining and haggling.

Who actually decides?

Business development abroad fails more often on the wrong contact than on the wrong product. Decide first whether you sell to end users, to a procurement department or through a partner: each asks for a different pitch and a different price level.

Expect to adapt three things per market. The language of your materials, your proof — local references count for more than global ones — and your price positioning against the local alternatives.

Do you need help in Singapore?

Our service providers are local specialists. They know the market, the regulations and the parties that matter, and they can support you with the steps on this page.

Ask a professional

Finding your first clients in Singapore in three steps

Step 1

Define the target group

Describe the companies or consumers you want to reach, the budget they have and the problem you solve for them. Skip this and every later step costs more time.

Step 2

Build a list and approach

Collect 50 to 100 relevant companies, find the person who decides, and reach out in the local language by email, LinkedIn or telephone.

Step 3

Follow up and localise

Track what you hear back and sharpen the pitch on it. Add local proof: translated pages, references from the region and a local number or partner.

Find clients and sell your products in Singapore