Get International Clients Sunday Blog Carnival #17

Welcome to the August 31at, 2008 edition of the Get International Clients Sunday Blog Carnival.

Last Weeks Most Popular Sunday Blog Carnival Article

“7 Ways to Make Your Blog Visitors Come Back for More” was voted the most popular post last week. Let’s see which of this weeks posts wins next.

Cross Cultural Communications

Sharmeen Akbani Gangat presents NRP Summit Team at Work posted at Non-Resident Pakistanis.

International Business

Joseph McClellan presents What I Learned In Mexico: Business Negotiation posted at Debit versus Credit, saying, “Doing business Internationally isn’t always easy. It takes a lot of preparation, a lot more than if you were just doing business with your neighbor. Check out what I learned about doing Business in Mexico and how it can be applied to doing business anywhere in the World!”

International Marketing

Kathleen Gage presents Who wants to learn from you via teleseminars? posted at Street Smarts Marketing & Promotions, saying, “Teleseminars are one of the most incredible ways to build customer loyalty, provide incredible value, position yourself as an expert and make fantastic revenues. The fact is, there are many experts for which teleseminars are the cornerstone of their business and marketing model.

Learn how to develop teleseminars to optimize your opportunities.”

Internet Marketing

Hans presents The Power of Using Guest Blogging to Get Targeted Traffic at Catch The Posts saying “All blogs need traffic to survive. A blog with no visitors is a sterile and unloved place. Add visitors who care about what you say and suddenly your blog has become a little social media site of its own.”

Kelly Sonora presents 100 Tips and Tools to Set Up Your Own Home LAMP Server posted at Web World Wide.

Helene Zemel presents 10 Reasons Why People Fail at Network Marketing posted at Work at Home Mom and Dad, saying, “It seems like a reasonable enough task. Just start a homebased business and success will come your way. Unfortunately 95% of all homebased businesses fail in their first year. This article explains why.”

Richard Adams presents How To Select The Best Freelancer On Elance posted at No More Compromise.

Azelma Petit presents 10 Ways to Use LinkedIn That You Never Thought Of posted at Biz.Edu, saying, “LinkedIn is a valuable professional (especially business) resource. This post describes 10 ways you can use LinkedIn that you may never have considered, including making new, international business connections.”

International Sales

Anya Portnik presents What are your favourite sales questions? posted at Gavin Ingham.

Edith presents BizTechDay - Use Technology to Grow Your Business, Saturday October 25 San Francisco posted at BIZtechDay.

Anya Portnik presents Why practise makes perfect when sales training posted at Gavin Ingham.

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of Get International Clients using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Technorati tags: get international clients, blog carnival.

GIC Week In Review - 35

Here is this weeks review on Get International Clients:

This is the last week full of cross-cultural web tools. The Cross-Cultural Web Tool Business Guide will be revised this coming week.

As usual, the Sunday Blog Carnival starts off this week:

• Get International Clients Sunday Blog Carnival #16

International Business Articles: Read more

Tags: weekly review

Start With One Product

One of the first stumbling block many businesses face once they decide to develop their business internationally is thinking they need to sell all of their current products abroad.

You can, of course, sell your full range of products abroad through your current location. This is more an Export Marketing approach.

To fully develop each of your international markets you need to start an International Marketing approach.

If you still have questions here, please have a look at the 5 different stages of international marketing.

International business development requires change and adaptation. Adapting several products to one foreign market at the same time can be difficult. It may even be misleading.

It is best to prioritize which products you want to market to foreign clients.

There are several ways to choose which product to start with:

• The product that brings you the biggest return on investment.
• The easiest product to develop
• The cheapest product to develop
• The product with the best foreign market potential

For most businesses the way how you choose your first product is not of vital importance.

What is important is choosing one product and taking this one product to individual countries one at a time.

This is how you will learn the skills you need to become an international company.

Read the whole story

This is part of the Get International Clients Business Guide 1 Discover Your International Business Be sure to check out the other useful tips to discover your international business.

Brainstorming Questions For International Product Development

Do you need to establish how a baseline for your international product?   Understanding clearly how you currently operate will help you to identify possible changes you may need to make once you get feedback from your foreign markets.

Here is a list of brainstorming questions to help you with your international product development.

Brainstorm these questions in-house as a team effort.

• What makes your product better to manufacture?
• What is easy about manufacturing your product?
• What does your market think about your product?
• What are the physical benefits of your product?
• How can you improve your product?
• How reliable is your product?
• Is there anything less reliable in your product?
• Is your product easy to maintain?
• How will you service your product for foreign customers?
• How will you respond to international complaints?
• Are customers happy with your product?
• Are prospects interested in your product?
• How can you create good publicity for your product?
• What is the best way to market your product?
• What is the key selling point for your product in a specific foreign market?
• How does your primary selling point differ in your international markets?

There are no good and bad answers to any of these questions.

In fact, it does not even matter if you do not have all the answers to these questions.

What is important is to keep these questions in mind.  You will need to answer them as you progress through the process of your international business development or the 8 steps of the International Sales Road Map.

Answers to these questions are the basic information you need during the process of choosing, reviewing, and adapting your product for international markets.

You may think of more specific questions to ask about your particular product or service.  Add these on to this list and review them again regularly.

Answer these questions as best you can now.

Have a look at them again when you have completed all 8 steps.

• Do you see any other questions your business needs to add to this list?
• Are there any changes to your answers with what you now know about your international markets?

Read the whole story

This is part of the Get International Clients Business Guide 1 Discover Your International Business Be sure to check out the other useful tips to discover your international business.

Website Localization

Last updated14 September 2008

You can start your international business development with an International Website.

You can also start with a localized website.

And you can transition from an International Website, targeting several or all countries, to a Localized Website, or several Localized Websites, targeting one specific country at a time.

To create a localized website you will need to know about each of the specific international markets for each of your localized websites.

A localized website brings you closer to your foreign clients. It makes it easier for you to culturally target your communication to different foreign markets.

• How many languages should you translate your website into? • What are the current trends? • Why should you think about translating your website? • Why do you need to translate your website? Read more about why you should plan on translating your website into several languages.

• Will a localized website get you more international clients? • How does a localized website help your international business? • Is it worth investing in a localized website? • When should you invest in a localized website Read how a localized website can get you more international business.

• What are the extra benefits of a localized website? • What can you do if you want to find out how to innovate your products? • How can a localized website help you to identify opportunities? Read how a localized website brings you closer to your international clients.

• How does a localized website fit into your international business development plan? • Is a localized website a good transition to international business? • What is a key element to successful international business? Read how website localization can be part of your international plan.

• So how do you go about creating a localized website? • What are the key steps to creating a localized website? Read about your options here.

Website Internationalization

Still hesitating about whether Website Localization is right for you? Read more on Website Internationalization.

Website Internationalization

Foreign Search Engine Submissions

Read more on why you should submit your website to foreign search engines and how to go about doing it yourself.

Foreign Search Engine Submissions

Don’t Miss The Whole Story

This is part of the Get International Clients Business Guide 2 Plan Your International Sales Road Map Be sure to check out the other elements you need to plan your international sales strategy

Follow-Up With Your Foreign Customers

Today I want to talk to you about something you must do when you start getting your first international clients. You never know what gems you may discover.

The best international market research is usually simple and easy to do. And it is actually quite fun.

Ask Customers Why They Buy Your Products

One of the ways you can get valuable international market feedback, is to systematically call all of your international clients and ask them a few questions after they purchase.

The most important question you need to get the answer to is:

• Why did they buy your product from you?

Here are a few more guidelines for you to start your systematic follow-up calls:

• Call them before they forget you. Do not wait or make excuses.
• Continue your relationship. Show them you value them as a client.
• Invite your clients to a short interview so you can learn how to serve them better.
• Consider having someone else conduct your interviews. This can be easier for your client to accept. This can also be a way for you to hire a native-speaker for only a couple of hours work.
• Keep track of what is said to you. With all of the details. Don’t summarize their statements.
• Ask them to give you specifics, to explain why they say something. Dig a little to understand what got them to buy, why they liked it and what you could do to make it better.
• Keep your ears open for opportunities to ask to use good feedback in a testimonial or a referral strategy.
• Continue the relationship by providing something that says thank you. A special report, bonus, gift voucher. Or even a hand written thank you not from the president. Have a look at the different cultural behaviors in the Get International Clients Business Guide - Cultural Web Tools to fit your thank you with the culture.

International Business Success

Even small brick and mortar businesses can benefit from this simple strategy.

Some time ago, there was an article in the Wall Street Journal about how a restaurant in the United States figures out that German clients came to their hotel according to a particular weather conditions to go fishing locally.

This hotel learned to actively promote their hotel every time this trigger event happened again.

You never know what your international clients will come back with. As in international marketer, there are two things you want to take home with these questions.

• Can you improve your offer for this particular international market?

One opinion might not be enough. You will need to review as many responses as you can. Some cross-referencing from other sources is also a good idea.

• Is there a trigger event you can identify?

Identifying a trigger event can open the door for easy profits for you with the appropriate marketing.

Make Time For Simple Strategies

Systematic customer follow-up right after a sale is an easy international marketing method. Yet many businesses do not do it.

If you are just beginning to develop your international markets this is something you should be doing after every sale. Find a native-language student if the foreign languages are becoming excuses.

The feedback you get will speed your path to adapting your products to foreign markets.

Join Us On The International Sales Road Map

New Format - Get International Clients Newsletter

• Are you committed to developing your international business?
• Do you know what you need to do to get more international clients?
• Do you want an easy to follow action plan?

Then you will be happy to read about the up-coming changes here at Get International Clients.

Starting September the Get International Clients Newsletter will become the ideal companion to follow the International Sales Road Map.

But don’t worry, the Get International Clients Newsletter will still be FREE.

The weekly newsletter will only change its format slightly.

You see, I am tired of hearing the excuses from the brick and mortar companies. I am tired of seeing small internet business owners with great international potential making the same mistake:

NOT taking the right action to develop international business is the biggest barrier to international business success.

Developing an international business takes work.

The key to success is to take small steps consistently. You do not need to spend months and months wondering what to do, and trying to figure out what budgets you need.

In any case, you will not be able to answer these questions accurately prior to jumping into action.

So don’t waste your time. Take action today. Even small actions. And continue taking action regularly.

Sequential Newsletter Gives You Easy Steps To Follow Every Week

If you are already a subscriber, you will know that the current format of the weekly newsletter already gives you useful tips and action steps. What will be different? Up until now, the newsletter is issued every Sunday evening my time and everyone gets the same newsletter every week. The new format will be sequential. Your newsletter will still be published every Sunday evening. But the newsletter you get will depend on when you signed up. So if you subscribe in September or in December or sometime next year, your first newsletter will be the same. The new format gives you easy action steps in the sequence you need to develop your international business.

• Each week you will go through a different step.
• So you will complete the 8 steps in 8 weeks.
• And then it starts again.
• The next 8 action steps will take your further along the path of developing your international markets.
• And this process will repeat itself every 8 weeks.

Get the action steps you need to open up your business to foreign markets.

Get the motivation you need to take action right now and create the international business development process best suited for your business.

The International Sales Road Map is for all business owners and marketing professionals who are not doing anything specific to develop their international business. This includes companies without any international clients at all, and companies with accidental international sales. Brick and mortar companies and online businesses.

This means you have to start right from the beginning in the first 8 weeks.

And then during each 8 week cycle we will review the International Sales Road Map process, adding on additional action steps, so you can improve your strategy.

Every week you will receive an action step and a homework assignment for you to take that week.

To get the most out of the Get International Clients Newsletter you must commit to taking consistent action.

Additional Current News During The Week

In addition to the Get International Clients Newsletter I will send you each Sunday evening, I will also send you an email or two during the week if I have been working on something that I want to share with you.

For example, when I notice any trend in the questions coming in, I will share my answers with everyone.

This way you get more current information.

But I have to warn you, some weeks the work I get paid for will be keeping me too busy for these extra current news bits. So I am only going to send them to you when I can.

In-Depth Special Reports Answer Your Questions In Detail

This is also where the free monthly reports come in handy. You can read them when you have time.

You can stay focused on taking the small actions you need to take each week, and keep your momentum feeding your international business development.

The special reports are there when you have more detailed questions.

All newsletter subscribers will get one monthly report free with their subscription.

The free monthly reports start in September too, and they will go further in depth into one of the actions covered that month.

By the way, these same reports, free for the Get International Clients weekly newsletter subscribers, will be available for non-subscribers, but at a price of $29.99.

I could say there are two reasons why you should sign up now for the Weekly Newsletter.

• It is true, when you see the value of these free reports when they are published in September, you will want to sign up immediately.

But, the real reason why you should sign up for the International Sales Road Map Weekly Newsletter is very simply to start taking action today.

Let me guide you through the steps you need to take to develop your international business.

The sooner you start to develop the skills you need to communicate effectively with your foreign markets, the sooner you will get international clients.

Don’t wait and let others get the competitive edge you could have today. Sign up below.

Get International Clients Sunday Blog Carnival #16

Welcome to the August 24, 2008 edition of the Get International Clients Sunday Blog Carnival.

Last Weeks Most Popular Sunday Blog Carnival Article

“7 Ways to Make Your Blog Visitors Come Back for More” was voted the most popular post last week. Let’s see which of this weeks posts wins next.

Cindy King presents European PowerAge 137 - A European Marketers Blog List posted at Cindy King.

International Business

Dr. Joe Capista presents How a Vision Statement Can Influence Your Business Success posted at The Success Triangle, saying, “Many people tend to negate the value of a vision statement for a business. But a vision statement is important for success of a business as it provides a sense of direction on where you want your business to go. Without a vision, you are like a crewless boat; adrift with no destination in sight.

Discover the importance of having a concise vision statement.”

Kathleen Gage presents The Power and Profit of Teleseminars posted at Street Smarts Marketing & Promotions, saying, “Teleseminars, also known as teleconferences and teleclasses, are fast becoming one of the most valuable strategies you can use to increase your market position, your opt-in subscriber list and your profit margins. You can quickly become known as an expert in both your industry and your market through the power of teleconferences.

Teleseminars are likely to be one of your most profitable revenue strategies available due to the relatively low cost to develop and market them.

Find out essential things you need to know before you host a teleseminar.”

International Marketing

Sagar Satapathy presents 50 Easy ways to Improve Your Twitter Experience posted at Web World Wide.

Internet Marketing

Samir Bharadwaj presents Blog Ads by PerfomancingAds posted at SamirBharadwaj.com, saying, “Blog ads are the most lucrative way to monetise your blog. The new PerfomancingAds takes the effort out of selling advertising and managing inventory, so here’s a detailed guide to the whys, hows, pros, and cons of the service.”

Cindy King presents Website Internationalization Guide posted at Get International Clients.

Scott Palat presents How To Acquire Students for Your E-tutoring Business posted at Scott Palat.

Other

Allison Nazarian presents Writing a newsworthy press release that hits the mark posted at Allison Nazarian, saying, “Writing a newsworthy press release is the do it yourself copywriter’s chance to hit the mark with free, wide-reaching publicity.”

Anya Portnik presents How to make more money in 7.5 simple steps, part I posted at The Big Fat Guru.

Allison Nazarian presents Are you an expert in the Virtual Assistant field? Here’s how to tell posted at CopywritingForVAs, saying, “Last time, we talked about how to tell if you’re an expert in the Virtual Assistant field. Today, I’m sharing a few more reminders that you may already be an expert VA.”

Allison Nazarian presents What’s The Hook? posted at CopywritingForVAs, saying, “I’ve noticed that a lot of small business owners, including many Virtual Assistants, overlook press releases when preparing their marketing efforts. Or, they employ press releases but not, in my opinion, properly.”

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of Get International Clients using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Technorati tags: get international clients, blog carnival.

GIC Week In Review - 34

Here is this weeks review on Get International Clients:

This is the last week full of cross-cultural web tools. The Cross-Cultural Web Tool Business Guide will be revised this coming week.

As usual, the Sunday Blog Carnival starts off this week:

• Get International Clients Sunday Blog Carnival #15

International Business Articles: Read more

Tags: weekly review

New Navigation For The International Sales Road Map

As you can see, there have been a few changes here on Get International Clients.

There are now several new icons.

An important part of these improvements is the 8 different color scheme for the 8 different steps of the International Sales Road Map.

This new color scheme should make navigation between the different steps much easier. It will also help you to follow this process designed as a key tool for your international business development.

These colors will be used for all of the Business Guides within the International Sales Road Map.

All of the action steps in the International Sales Road Map have been assigned to one of the 8 steps, and therefore one color.

Having each action clearly identified with one step is ideal for businesses just beginning their international development. But in practice some actions may cross over into a different step. This is all part of the process.

These 8 steps are designed to be continued in one long, on-going process until it becomes second nature. This is how you will:

• Develop the right international mind-set.
• Take consistent action to develop your international business

As soon as you finish going through all of the 8 steps the first time, you need to go back to Step 1 and repeat the process over and over again. And this is where some businesses find themselves doing an action from step 2 as they are in step 3.

This is normal. Don’t stop your actions.

It is important to keep the dynamics of the process going.

I will soon add a time line to show how some actions may overlap as you progress several times through the 8 step process.

Don’t forget to check out these other useful resources:

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