How to sell to American people: Kazakhstani businessman Rais Agayev on business in the USA from a foreigner’s perspective

Understanding the psychology and preferences of the American consumer plays a key role if an aspiring entrepreneur is going to open his or her own business here. Rais Agayev, a successful Kazakhstani businessman, shared his experience in how to attract the attention of customers in the United States and how to sell them something they have never even considered before.

In the world of entrepreneurship, many people strive for success, especially when it comes to launching a business in another country. For Agayev, the Kazakhstani market proved to be too small, and he decided to challenge himself in a larger and more expansive arena – the U.S. market. However, when he first arrived in the U.S., the local market opportunities stunned him.

Find a unique offering

There are indeed a lot of all sorts of niches that you can’t engage in, and they are indeed all promising. To familiarize myself with all of them would be too much effort, time and money. In such cases, I start networking. I talk to different people, mostly those who live nearby. I find out who and how they live, what they lack,” the businessman said.

Agayev emphasized that in such a strategy it is important to make the right conclusions about what you can offer to American citizens. You should start with something small – it is desirable to find a unique service. Go around to all the local businesses and people who might be interested in it. The businessman is sure that by offering his idea to five, ten, even twenty people – he will find that one consumer who will allow his enterprise to live.

He himself told how he opened a special computer club in Miami, Florida. The Kazakh entrepreneur emphasized that the American consumer is not very familiar with such establishments. Computer clubs are an idea Agayev brought back from Kazakhstan. It’s a place where video game enthusiasts gather to spend an afternoon or evening together. However, as the entrepreneur admits, in the U.S., such an idea is not as widespread as it is in his homeland.

There are very few people, especially Americans, who know what has opened in the neighborhood. But everyone is interested, and they come to try to play at our computers with their friends in the neighborhood, not through Discord. We have a lot of money invested in renovations to the computers, to the atmosphere. It’s very dark, very beautiful. The walls are all painted live by an artist. Graffiti all over, every wall. Such a beautiful atmosphere attracts attention,” he explained.

Agayev shared that Americans like to communicate live and like to spend a lot of time with friends. Therefore, playing at neighboring computers turns into a pleasant pastime for them. They themselves do not notice how they start to spend more and more time in the club.

For you to understand, we have clients who come at two in the afternoon and leave at two in the morning. They play for 12 hours without getting up,” he admits.

Show your idea to consumers

Another important secret to growing your business in the U.S. is to learn how consumers can find you. Agayev advises paying attention to online maps. The peculiarity of Americans, according to the businessman, is the mass use of Google services. In Maps they track the appearance of various establishments in their neighborhood, their rating and reviews. The entrepreneur emphasized – if you are not there, no one will know about you.

If an American comes in, he knows he’s paying and will make the most of it. To the last penny. If there is service there, free water or whatever, he will definitely use it. Even if he doesn’t need it, he just wants to try it and use it. Because he paid for it. Make sure that the consumer stays satisfied,” Agayev shared.

Another popular method of marketing your establishment is word of mouth. In small neighborhoods and communities, this is the main way to make yourself known. People share information about good places to shop, services, events in town, and discuss their personal impressions and experiences. Satisfied visitors are sure to come back again, but bring friends or acquaintances with them.

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