Читать книгу Going Abroad 2014 - Waldemar A. Pfoertsch - Страница 21

When the decision has been made to go international, new business partners and customers need to be found. The following resources should be explored:

Start by searching the Internet. This is a very inexpensive and easy way to find potential business partners, as today nearly every company has its own website where you can find principal information about the company and the products they offer.

It is just as important to have a website of your company on which you present your products. The website should be available in English so that an international audience can be reached. To facilitate communication, provide a contact form on the site where potential customers can leave their phone number, mailing address, etc.

Participate in trade events such as trade shows, fairs, and exhibitions. Trade fairs are “shop windows” where thousands of companies from many countries display their goods and services. They serve as a marketplace where buyers and sellers can meet and thus provide a good opportunity to talk to potential business partners directly and to get information about various companies and their products. European companies frequently conduct business at trade shows. Expose own products in a trade show to present them to an overseas market. This requires preparation and commitment, but it is a very cost-effective way to find new customers. This is also a chance to learn about competitors in the marketplace.

Analyze the characteristics of your existing partners in your home country: What types of companies are they in terms of company size, structure, branch of business? Do these companies have branches in other countries? Do similar types of companies exist internationally? Examining the structure of your existing partners can also mean finding out more about their competitors.

Contacting business colleagues and other expats is a very good way to get informed. A person with first-hand experience in an international market may give a personal recommendation for a potential buyer or a distributor. The recommendation against a certain customer for credit or reliability reasons may save the company a number of problems. An excellent method of networking and establishing contacts with business people, who have international experience, is attending trade shows or export seminars.

A large number of publications such as magazines or directories, which list and qualify international companies, are available. You can either find other companies there or promote your own products or services, which might generate responses. Magazines range from specialized international magazines relating to individual industries such as construction or textiles to worldwide industrial magazines covering many industries. Trade associations, business libraries and major universities may provide these publications.

Radio, television, or various forms of outdoor advertising (posters, electric signs, and billboards) may also be used for promoting products or services, as they bring an advertising message to a great number of people.

Another good tip is to join some of the international business chambers, for instance the British-American Chamber of Commerce in the UK. These chambers function much like a local chamber and offer similar networking opportunities. You can also contact foreign embassies in your home country. They have directories of firms located in their countries and can provide written information. Their commercial officers can also counsel you. Furthermore, the diplomatic service of your country abroad can help you with their commercial officers.

If your company is located in the United States, for instance, you can make use of the U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service that delivers a very valuable service. It is part of the International Trade Administration of the Department of Commerce and promotes U.S. export trade. You can meet with a trade specialist who gives you information about the best markets for your business. This is an easy, cheap, and productive way of making contact.