Winning abroad: Turning international trips into real business opportunities

Going global feels like a massive win – new markets, more customers, and a chance to scale. But that visibility isn’t free. Between trade fairs, conferences, and constant travel, you’re burning through time, money, and focus. If you go in blind, you’re just draining your runway. If you go in with a plan, you’re hitting the gas on your growth.

In a recent webinar, Felicitas Gartmann from Switzerland Global Enterprise laid out a framework for founders looking to expand. Her point was straightforward: the debate isn’t about whether you should be traveling. It’s about how to make sure every single trip actually moves the needle.

Before you go global: Are you ready?

One of the biggest takeaways from the session came right at the end: How do you actually know if you’re ready to go?

Going global shouldn’t be an escape from unfinished business at home. For most startups, it makes sense to nail your model in Switzerland first. Why? Because mistakes are a lot cheaper when they happen in your own backyard. If your product has gaps, your positioning is fuzzy, or your processes are shaky, those problems only get more expensive (and harder to fix) once you cross a border.

Timing is everything. If your team is already drowning in local leads and struggling to keep up, adding international pressure won’t help. It’ll just turn a busy office into a chaotic one.

Testing a market before committing

Expanding doesn’t start with signing a lease for a new office; it starts with proving your idea actually works there.

Before you commit to a massive budget, you can test the waters in a few ways:

• Run structured research to see if your assumptions hold up.
• Launch a local landing page with some ads to see if anyone actually clicks.
• Get on the phone with potential customers before you even pack a bag.
• Join organized business trips to get introduced to the right partners.
• Hit specific trade fairs to see what the competition looks like.

Trade fairs and business trips are usually the fastest way to learn a lot in a short window. In just a few days, you can get a feel for the market, meet clients face-to-face, and pick up on cultural nuances that you’d never find in a PDF report.

But just showing up isn’t a strategy. Your preparation is what decides if that trip is a massive breakthrough or just a really expensive networking session.

Preparation is the real success factor

Getting ready for a global push happens on three levels: strategic, operational, and personal.

1. Strategic: What’s the goal?

You need to know exactly why you’re going. Are you hunting for customers, distributors, investors, or just partners? If you aren’t clear on your objective, your conversations will be vague, and you’ll come home with zero leads.

2. Operational: The logistics

This is where the heavy lifting happens before you even head to the airport:

• Work your network: Post on LinkedIn that you’re heading there.
• Fill your calendar: Book your must-have meetings weeks in advance.
• Do your homework: Research the local players and study the attendee list.
• Pick your role: Decide if you’re a visitor or an exhibitor. Exhibiting gets you seen, but it’s a lot of work. If you have a booth, bring at least two people – one to stay put and one to roam the floor.

3. Personal: The essentials

Don’t overlook the basics. They can make or break your professional image:

• Digital presence: Make sure your website and LinkedIn profile aren’t outdated.
• The Pitch: Have a clear, quick way to explain what you do.
• The Gear: Business cards (yes, people still use them), power banks, and the right power adapters.
• Team Alignment: Ensure everyone on your team can talk about the product with total confidence.

Preparation is the difference between a “nice trip” and a business breakthrough. When a random, massive opportunity pops up in the middle of a trade fair, you’ll be ready to grab it instead of scrambling for a charger.

Standing out on site

Large conferences are a magnet for the people who matter: corporate decision-makers, investors, and the media. You never know who’s going to stop by your booth, so you have to be ready to flip the switch instantly.

Startup founders should be ready with:

• A sharp elevator pitch
• Clear answers on pricing, roadmap, and partnerships
• A short demo that shows real value
• Context for Swiss institutions when relevant

Don’t assume everyone knows your backyard. Outside of Switzerland, names like ETH or Innosuisse might not ring a bell. If you mention them, give them context -call them “one of the world’s top tech universities” or “the national innovation agency.” Also, do the math for them. Convert Swiss francs into the local currency so they don’t have to pull out a calculator mid-conversation.

At networking events, your time is your most valuable asset. Quickly figure out who you’re talking to:

• Is this a lead? (Customer, investor, or journalist)
• Are they just curious? (A student or a competitor)

If they’re a fit, lock in the next step right there. Swap LinkedIn profiles, set a specific time for a follow-up call, and jot down a quick note about what you discussed so you don’t forget by morning.

If they aren’t a fit? Be professional, be polite, but move on. These events move fast, and you’re there to get results, not just to chat.

Visibility beyond the booth

Big conferences are full of “hidden” ways to get noticed beyond just standing at a booth. If you’re proactive, you can multiply your visibility without doubling your budget.

Keep an eye out for these extras:

• Startup competitions & pitch stages: These are high-leverage. A five-minute demo on stage can often generate more high-quality leads than two full days of shaking hands at a booth.
• Side events: Sometimes the real deals happen at the after-hours mixers or smaller breakfasts.
• Media interviews & delegation tours: These put you in front of a curated audience of journalists or international investors who are specifically looking for the next big thing.

Getting out from behind the booth is where the real momentum happens. Jumping onto a pitch stage or joining a startup competition can often generate more high-quality leads in five minutes than two full days of shaking hands on the floor.

How your team shows up matters just as much as what you say. Coordinated branding, easy-to-scan QR codes, and a consistent look across the team make you far more memorable and help people find you again in the crowd.

The follow up is where value is created

The real work actually starts once you’re back home. A successful trip can leave you with dozens of new leads, but without a structured follow-up, that momentum disappears fast.

To keep things moving, block out time in your calendar immediately after the event. Prioritize your VIP contacts, delegate the rest to your team, and get promised materials out the door without delay. A quick thank-you to key stakeholders also goes a long way in solidifying those new relationships.

Once the dust settles, take an honest look at the numbers. Did you hit your goals? Was the trip actually worth the investment? International exposure shouldn’t just be a line item on your budget – it’s an investment that needs to show a clear return.

Final thought

International trips and trade fairs aren’t shortcuts; they are power-ups for startups that have already done the legwork. The founders who actually see a return are the ones who get the timing right, prepare strategically, and follow up with discipline.

At the end of the day, going global is less about how much ambition you have and more about how well you execute. When you align your preparation, your presence on the ground, and your follow-up, international exposure stops being a risky experiment and becomes a genuine lever for growth.

Catch the full webinar replay in our Education Session Library and dive deeper into practical insights on international expansion.

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