Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) represent the majority of businesses worldwide, but when it comes to internationalization, many are still unprepared. Limited resources, improvised strategies, and a lack of cultural adaptation make expansion a challenge. At the same time, there have never been so many opportunities for an SME to project itself outside its country of origin. The path involves three pillars: marketing, technology, and community .
According to DataReportal’s Digital 2025 report , 85.5% of the Brazilian population is already connected to the internet, which means more than 184 million people. In Portugal, this number reaches 89% of the population (9.27 million users), with 71.9% active on social media. In Canada, the rate is 97% of the population, with 33 million social media users. These numbers reveal that it’s no longer about “being online,” but about being relevant and building a brand presence on an international scale .
Marketing as a strategic foundation
International marketing cannot be improvised. It’s not enough to translate a campaign or replicate an action done in Brazil. It’s necessary to understand the local consumer, map their journey, and position the brand coherently. In Portugal, for example, the common language helps, but Brazilian companies that don’t adapt their narrative and identity to the European cultural context quickly lose relevance. In Canada, where competition in technology and education is intense, only brands that build a clear positioning manage to conquer specific niches.
Technology as a lever
An SME doesn’t need the budget of a multinational to compete. Accessible CRM tools, marketing automation, and dashboards allow for real-time data tracking, audience segmentation, and quick campaign adjustments. In Canada, it’s common to find small businesses using marketing automation to compete with local giants. In Portugal, there are SMEs that have implemented dashboards and have managed to identify the most impactful channels and optimize investments in just a few months. Therefore, technology, when applied correctly, can make all the difference.
Community as a brand asset
Building a brand community means going beyond sales: it’s about creating relationships, trust, and engagement. In the Brazil-Portugal axis, communities can originate from the Brazilian diaspora and expand to Portuguese consumers interested in a diversity of products and services, and, in parallel, innovation. In the Brazil-Canada axis, cultural plurality opens space for narratives that connect different audiences, from immigrants to niches linked to technological innovation.
Practical lessons
- Brazil-Portugal: Language opens doors, but only engages those who adapt their communication to the European context.
- Brazil-Canada: Cultural diversity is an opportunity, but it requires refined segmentation and intensive use of data.
- Portugal and the European Union: competing on a regional scale requires meeting regulatory standards while simultaneously differentiating oneself through cultural authenticity.
The internationalization of SMEs requires much more than exporting products or opening offices in new countries. It is necessary to align strategic marketing, applied technology, and community building. Companies that manage to combine these three elements cease to be mere participants in the international market and become protagonists in their fields of operation.