Have I ensured that a customer base exists in the country or countries I want to enter? A product that sells well in your home country may not necessarily have the same appeal elsewhere, so it's crucial to invest time and energy into researching potential foreign markets.
"First, make sure your customers exist," said Joseph Paris, Jr., chairman of business consulting firm XONITEK and founder of the Operational Excellence Society. "Is there a need for your offering? Are they inclined to purchase? Don't think that they might — know that they will.