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.

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 Australia?

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 Australia 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 Australia