I presented this for the Illinois Small Business Development Center at College of Lake County on April 12, 2012. The audience was comprised of businesses extending to overseas markets.

1. Illinois Small Business Development Center
March 21, 2012

2.  How to best promote products overseas
 How to better understand international
customers
 How to find and use correct sales channels
 How to use the best brand promotion
vehicles
 How to do global networking
 How to use best practices in international
sales
 How to adapt sales message by
understanding cultural differences

3. “Know Thyself” –
and your product

4. 1. Identify your target market and market size
a. Continent
i. Consider risk and opportunity
b. Country
i. Gather information from country Chambers of
Commerce
ii. Attend events sponsored by Chambers of Commerce;
some will be general, some by industry
c. Areas within country/Regions
i. Regions often have business development offices
ii. Take into consideration proximity to customers
(Lean Thinking)

5. 2. Consider a “pilot” (e.g. IKEA)
3. Determine support sources (Federal, State,
City). Sometimes export tours are offered.
4. Inform yourself about legalities of bringing
your product into the global market.
Tariffs? Other stumbling blocks?
5. Other sources of information
a. Determine what U.S. competitors are doing
b. Research competitors in target markets (national
companies)
c. Industry associations/connections

6. 1. Learn culture as related to your products
a. Readiness/openness to new things
i. Where will your product be accepted? (e.g.
Michigan Asparagus Growers)
ii. Perception of American products in your industry
(e.g. flooring)
iii. Open or closed market

7. 2. Learn the culture of business
a. How do they sell within their markets? What are
the risks of adapting? (e.g. same price country-
wide drives customer service—washing machines,
SAP, etc.)

8. b. What are the legal differences? Employment law?
(e.g. “Hire and Fire” is a very American concept.) How
does the U.S. law compare to other countries’
business practices?
c. Resources
i. business schools (especially those with specialties
in International Business, e.g. Michigan State);
ii. language institutions--such as the Goethe
Institut--sometimes have specific courses about
business culture
iii. find business people from that market who aren’t
in your industry
iv. “reverse engineering” – what difficulties did a
company from your target market have when
entering the US culture, regardless of industry?

9. d. Look at values—do the business values
mesh with yours? Consider countries with
similar values (e.g. Canada)
3. Learn the culture of the country
a. Resources
i. meet people from your target countries
ii. Libraries
iii. Universities or schools – places where
they teach the culture of your target
countries.

10. Evaluate how you want to enter the global market.
Different levels of risk are associated with each
option:
1. Purchase an entity in a foreign market
2. Partner with a company in the foreign market
3. Export your product and use distributors
4. Evaluate assembly there
5. Manufacture in the target company, either
using your own facility or having manufacturing
done through someone else (distributed by…)

11. 1. Check your brand name in other languages!
2. Explore whether there are novel channels we
don’t have or use here
3. Determine if an advertising agency can give you
the best insight for your initial approach
a. Mass market
What will reach the masses in that market?
b. Business to business (B2B)
i. Relationships and introductions – can “buy” them by hiring
nationals who have established relationships for business
development and proven track records.
ii. Talk to end customers about what service levels they
require. The voice of the customer (VOC)
is essential.

12. c. Specialized market
Trade shows, demonstrations, recommendations
Trade shows will probably give you the most
“hands-on” information for the least money.
Look at international industry shows—who
from your target market is attending? (e.g.
Widget International Show) Are there shows
at the national level in your target markets?
(e.g. Widget Show of New Zealand)
Identify related industry leaders and talk to
them