Find clients and sell your products in Malaysia

Finding clients abroad is always a challenge, and business development in Malaysia 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 Malaysia 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.

Does it make sense to enter the market in

Malaysia

with your product?

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How to sell your product or service in Malaysia?

Malaysia has a population of about 33 million as of 2023. Known for its diverse culture, Malaysia is a melting pot of Malay, Chinese, Indian, and indigenous cultures.

Malaysia’s economy, with a GDP per capita around $11,400 USD in 2023, is well-diversified. Major sectors include manufacturing, especially electronics and automotive; palm oil and rubber production; and services, including tourism and finance.

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

Malaysian business culture

Malaysians are extremely polite and courteous in their dealings. They aim to create and maintain a sense of harmony among their business circles. Though they are not known to drive a hard bargain, Malaysian businessmen are experienced and intelligent. Price is an important point of negotiation and most Malaysians can spend time on this aspect before they arrive on the agreed amount.

It’s important to establish a personal bond before proceeding with any business with Malaysian counterparts. Favoured ice breaker topics include family, soccer, your impressions about their country and, of course information about yourself, your business and future plans.

Malaysia negotiation style

Given a rich history of trade since the ancient times, Malaysians can be astute business people. The following guidelines can help clinch deals in Malaysia:

Offer long-term advantages
Build strong relationships based on your reputation and personal rapport
Personal relationships and mutually known third parties can he helpful while negotiating
Cross-verify claims made by your prospective customers and vet all business inputs received before acting on the information
Respect elderly business persons
Be ready for slow decision making and provide relevant information patiently when asked for; Malaysians refer to a lot of information before deciding
Expect some bargaining and haggling before a deal is concluded

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 Malaysia 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 Malaysia. 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 Malaysia?

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 Malaysia?

In Malaysia, 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 Malaysia open for international business?

Yes, Malaysia 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 Malaysia?

First of all adhere to the local business culture and follow local ways of making appointments and structuring them. Also in Malaysia, 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 Malaysia?

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.