I don’t normally make fantastical claims like this and often when I read shared headlines like this I think “yeah whatever” but these three tricks are how I got Web Courses to be a very successful business in two years.

Three Amazingly Simple Tricks to a Successful Business in Thailand

Have a Business People Need or find a Niche

We have trained literally thousands of business owners and we can tell within minutes if they will be a success. The first factor is if there is a market for what they do or sell. Let’s take “Thai handicrafts” for an example of something people do not need more of. There are literally hundreds of thousands of sellers of this particular broad spectrum of e-commerce. So, find a niche. Be the go-to place for “hand crafted elephants” or “Thai table wear”.

Finding a niche makes it easier for people to understand your business at a glance which means your brand is easier to identify and thus remember. For example at Web Courses Bangkok, we started with doing web courses, we only taught web….courses. We didn’t do web design, or graphic design or basket weaving. We only taught web design courses and we became well known for that. One of our trainees, Mon from My Little Lights, concentrated on selling just one type of thing while she was overseas and e-commerce helped put her through education!

Rick the team that complements you

“Oh wow that shirt really brings out your eyes”, “have you lost weight!” NO! I mean pick a team that fills in your personality holes. Let’s take the example of Carl (me), I am a motivator, a dreamer and think creatively. On the flip side I am terrible at finishing anything I start and often promise things I can’t deliver. How do I know this? My team told me. Taya our illustrious leader is careful, calculating and level headed. She balances me out perfectly. Our project manager Pete is business first and very good at sifting through my shit ideas and finding the ones with “legs” i.e he turns my ideas into viable business options.

Without my team Web Courses would still be me in my condo dining room with a small whiteboard teaching my mates.

The most important note I want to make is here in Thailand you must have a Thai partner. A find it sad a lot of expats see this as an unnecessary bureaucratic hurdle. You’re an idiot if you believe this. When choosing your Thai partner choose someone you have experience working with. This can be through another company or just in general but do not start a business with someone you have never worked with. Secondly make sure they have a large stake in the business. What I mean is that they need the business to work as much as you do. This can be through money incentive, or just that they are part owner. If you get a Thai person to feel they own something they will fight tooth and nail for it! I cannot put into words how hard Taya works for us. She has sorted out all our admin processes, turned us into an accredited school and made WCB a success.

The rant continues! Another aspect of having an excellent Thai partner is that they will be far better than an expat at dealing with other Thai’s and thus the red, white and blue tape part of your business, which is unavoidable. These tasks will be best handled by him/her.

DO, Answer the Phone and Emails!

I left the best until last. The one “trick” I can absolutely attribute to a successful business is answering the phone quickly, replying to emails promptly and greeting new customers with open arms.

1. Emails can be replied to instantly

2. Phones can be manned by someone who can either speak English or who has leant the phrase “Just a moment”

3. Someone can say hello to someone who walks into your office.

I go you one further, install a chat service like Snapengage to actually answer customer questions live as they are on the phone.

I cannot stress this enough, hence the strong heading above, how important this is and how it helped me to beat most of my competition.

In summary

Put your energy into a business that has real market potential that is tested (don’t go off a hunch unless your psychic). Always work with people that you have experience, history and whom you can trust. Also build a team that complements each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Finally if the phone rings answer it, if the inbox goes up by one digit assess the emails importance and reply accordingly (if it is a new customer reply instantly).

That’s it. Go forth and prosper.