Monday 26 May 2008

Create An Action Strategy For Your International Business Development

I often meet local business owners who say they want more international business but aren't doing anything about it. When I ask them why they aren't taking any actions to actually get more international clients there are basically two reactions:

  • They insist they are doing all they can
  • They make excuses based on potential barriers in the future

And yet, if the desire for international business expansion is real enough all it takes is setting up a simple action plan and repeating it until you get the answers you need.

This takes little time.

A persistent effort is all you need.

With curiosity.

Curiosity means questions.

Persistently ask questions. Don't keep your questions to yourself. Look up and around you, ask questions all around. And follow up on the responses you get to ask more questions.

If you don't get any response, look further afield, try changing your communication channels. Use the phone first, email, write a letter, go to places where you might find someone who can answer your questions, or who knows someone who can.

And then continue to ask questions.

Soon you will find the right person, or persons, to give you the answers to your questions. Maybe one answer at first, but the answers are out there.

This is business networking. This is market research in the field. And it works. As you continue to ask questions and talk to different people you will find the answers to all of the barriers you encounter along the way.

Small businesses or online businesses do not often take the time to set up a simple action plan to get more international clients.

Get a free special report that gives you the 8 Steps To Develop Your International Business easily from where your business is now. This valuable report is yours when you sign up for the Get International Clients free weekly newsletter, with easy to implement tips and case studies to help you develop your international mindset and get you more international clients today. Get yours now at http://cindyking.biz/get-international-clients/

International Online Success - Study Traditional Paths To International Business Development

International Online Success - Study Traditional Paths To International Business Development
In the past when businesses wanted to expand internationally, there were only 7 ways to take action:

  • Sell Directly To Your Foreign Clients From Your Home Offices
  • Hire A Sales Agent To Sell To Foreign Markets
  • Find A Foreign Distributor
  • Open A Local Office To Represent Your Business
  • Develop A Franchise Overseas
  • Enter Into A Joint-Venture
  • Create An Overseas Subsidiary

Each of these options has its own advantages and disadvantages

And today, of course, we have International Internet Marketing that opens a new doorway.

Many online businesses have international clients. Some online businesses actively market to international audiences, but most do not. Some online businesses are only slightly aware that they have international clients. It is easier to stay with one domestic website and kid yourself you are marketing globally because "the internet is global".

Even fewer international online businesses use a mixture of both online and offline marketing channels. And yet this is obviously the right thing to do. A good mixture of multi-channel marketing gets more international sales. Good multi-channel marketing requires serious foreign market research for best results. And it often requires a budget few small businesses want to get into.

Online businesses actively marketing to their international audiences need to stop, and take a few steps away from their online business, to look at the other paths to successful international expansion.

There are a few traditional business development strategies that might be interesting to look into. Hiring a sales agent in your target foreign market, who gets paid on commission, is an option most online businesses could look into.

Online businesses can tumble into international sales without any preparation. This is a wonderful opportunity to look closer at all of the options for international expansion.

Get a free special report that gives you the 8 Steps To Develop Your International Business easily from where your business is now. This valuable report is yours when you sign up for the Get International Clients free weekly newsletter, with easy to implement tips and case studies to help you develop your international mindset and get you more international clients today. Get yours now at http://cindyking.biz/get-international-clients/

An International Trader Cannot Dismiss B2B

Business to Business (B2B) portals have emerged as comprehensive business solution for international trade. It is high time for a trader to check, if one witnesses tremendous progress in one's competitor's business and one does not use e-commerce space for one's business. When one makes a background check of this trader, one can surely see that this particular trader has partnership with one or many B2Bs.

Even after the cognizance of the success of one's competitor, still indecisively sitting on the fence and thinking whether one should induct the services of B2Bs in one's business, would be suicidal for oneself or any trader. Traders' outdated methods of depending on their own old networks will not only wipe out existing market share, perhaps even one's company from the international markets.

Statistics show that business from B2Bs has seen significant growth in the past five years. Apart from the fact that e-commerce has changed the way international business is done, interest in online services also increased dramatically owing to ease of doing business.

Usually, a new user has a tendency to avoid adapting to new methods of doing things and more so to a thing which is related to technology that initially appears to be complicated, time consuming and expensive. This is just a misconception of the small businessman, but in reality, online based businesses reduce one's cost and time considerably. Although large international traders are using B2B services effectively, these portals in totality have helped small and medium enterprises to a great extent.

If the reluctance to B2Bs is just related to its usage, it is suggested that it would not take more than two hours to learn the functions and utilities of any leading B2Bs even to a novice of internet. Still a trader finds it difficult to imbibe the concept by oneself; it is recommended to employ a relevant staffer who has basic knowledge of computers and internet.

A staffer with relevant qualification would not cost much either. Either one's staffer or oneself can create a profile in leading B2Bs and get going with business, either as a free member or a premium one. In the premium membership, one can avail of all the fascinating features including description of one's company, products and/or services, a mini website (sub-domain), etc. Such a company profile in any leading B2Bs can become a multi-pronged marketing tool of one's business in no time.

If one is worried about the authenticity of the business from B2Bs, it is suggested that with proper planning and research into these portals, before joining any premium membership, could avoid any future disappointments. Though it is cost effective and fast in enhancing one's business, it goes without saying that one has to employ all the parameters which one uses in one's usual business to avoid any fraud.

Every business pattern will have its own merits and demerits, though B2Bs are with lower risks, it is highly recommended to take the services of the right portal to generate trade inquiries and thereafter profits through this process. To conclude, a trader would be familiar with other traders' claims of doing business and instant success through B2Bs, but if it is not happening for oneself, one should be patient and should try to be active with one's profile.

Toboc, a b2b portal, provides global trade platform for Importers and Exporters from the different regions of the world.