TIP #1 – FIND SOMEONE WHO HAS ALREADY DONE IT
There’s nothing worse than learning through trial and error. Especially when you are talking about international markets where you probably know little about culture, customs and language. Find someone to point you to the obstacles and opportunities. Someone who can Registrierte deutsche Lizenz introduce you, has resources and a network to support you. Someone who knows how to get their products to market.
It will cost you something. But the money and time you save will be far less than what you would have wasted doing it alone.
TIP #2 – DON’T TAKE THE EASY ANSWER WITHOUT THINK LONG-TERM So
you agree that you need to find someone who has done it before – now the caveat: choose your partners carefully! You may have worked with them for a long time, and they will be critical to your success. So how do you choose someone when you know little about the international market? Look for recommendations – international trade organizations in your state or industry groups are a good place to start.
But that’s not all: create a list of criteria and a profile that is most important to your company. Then conduct an interview, check references and make an on-site visit for those on your shortlist. Assessing the strengths and weaknesses of potential partners against the needs and desires of your business can help you make an informed decision while also making a timely decision.
TIP #3 – IT IS NOT THE SAME AS SOLD IN THE US
Brand at launch.
That doesn’t mean you do all the work. After all, that’s what partners are for. However, you will want to manage the process and work with your partners to understand which parts of the sales process are most important to localize versus what is “nice to have”. Yes, it’s more cost-effective, but moreover, it allows you to focus on what will have the greatest positive impact on sales from the start.
Language, culture, humor can be crucial (English is not the same!). Also consider the infrastructure – how is advertising done, how many people or companies are online etc. Look at the motivations and influencers of your end customers; They may differ from those in your home market. What works “here” doesn’t work everywhere; Plan ahead for the key differences.
TIP #4 – BUILD RELATIONSHIPS, NOT Mercenaries
“Sell! To sell! Sell!” There are many reasons to expand into another market and of course increasing sales is usually at the top of the list. If you currently live in a culture where sales professionals are primarily motivated by money, spending time building relationships with your new sales channel may seem counterintuitive. So why? It will pay off time and time again, both in the short term and in the long term!
I recently heard a story about a guy who worked at a company that had a huge banner in the foyer where employees entered the building. The message: “You work here to earn money.” The company survived; employee turnover was high. This single focus resulted in an employer-employee relationship that lacked trust, respect and communication. In good times it worked. In bad times that was a disaster.
Building good relationships with your agents in new markets allows you to build understanding and knowledge about each other and your respective businesses; Your values, expectations and goals become clearly known and understandable. Trust, respect, and mutual support will grow as you work together over time to build market share, grow sales, and achieve sustained profitability. Find out what your partners are good at and use them. Fill in the gaps and support where they are weak. Good relationships lead to a good customer experience. All are happy.
Just focus on the money, and you’ll likely end up at the bottom of the list in terms of attention being paid to your products. Others may be looking for ways to get off-board – perhaps to your competitors. It’s just not worth it. Take your time – build the relationship.
TIP #5 – Don’t Ignore the Language
Sure, many people around the world speak English – English has become the language of business. Does that make cross-border transactions easy? Simple things can be difficult. Even native English speakers around the world can have misunderstandings because of the language! Registrierte deutsche Lizenz Be conscientious about product names, manual translations, advertising and more.
History provides many examples on this subject:
• The American introduction of the “Nova” car in South America “didn’t go very well” • “Snapshot” is slang for “butt” in German and Dutch • Japanese hotel notice for guests “You are invited, taking advantage of the maid” • A Hong Kong dentist claims to have teeth pulled “by the latest Methodists” • In Copenhagen, an airline once promised to “take their bags and ship them every which way”
A personal example: I was attending a conference in a large hotel in a country whose language I did not speak. After a full day of meetings, a large group of people rented a small bus to visit a local science and technology museum. I decided to join them later at the museum and asked the doorman to get me a taxi that would take me to the museum to meet the bus. Imagine my surprise when my taxi driver sped through narrow streets and told me “we’ll take the bus”. I tried to explain but he drove on, forcing the bus to stop so I could join the group, and calmly telling me “Madame, your bus”. What could I do? I paid the driver and got on the bus.