Sunday Blog Carnival #31 - 35 European Christmas Markets

Get International Clients is about getting into different international markets.

This edition of the Sunday Blog Carnival looks at how different European cultures take advantage of the Christmas season… don’t miss my final comments below.

From Rovaniemi Finland to Madrid  Spain and…

From Hafnarfjörður Iceland to Tallinn Estonia…

European Christmas Markets are becoming increasingly popular, drawing crowds that are searching for the warm atmosphere of what Christmas used to be like.

A Christmas market, also known as Christkindlmarkt, is usually an open air market. Most Christmas markets are open the four weeks before Christmas Day. Keep in mind that the Christian Orthodox celebrate Christmas in January, so some markets remain open the first week of January. Some Christmas Markets are open for the entire month of December.

Christmas markets originated in Germany and Austria but are now being held in many other countries. There are “German Christmas markets” as far away as Seoul and Tokyo. Wikipedia lists the oldest Christmas markets as “Bautzen Christmas market which was first mentioned in records in 1384. The Vienna ‘December market’ was a kind of forerunner of the Christmas market and dates back to 1294.”

How To Say Merry Christmas In Different Languages

Now, before going to a Christmas Market, you should learn how to say Merry Christmas in the language of the local market.

35 European Christmas Markets

Salzburg Advent and Christmas Markets

Place: Salzburg, Austria

Date: From 11 November thru 24 December 2008

Best known for: This is a Christmas Market that started in the 15th century.  There are also 3 smaller Christmas markets nearby.

Suggestions: The Salzburg area is know for skiing, the best season being from late December and early March. For those not skiing (or just after leaving the slopes), there are areas in the south of Salzburg with hot springs.

Vienna Christmas Markets

Place: Vienna, Austria

Date: End of November until Christmas

Best known for: This market is known for handcrafted Christmas presents and the hot spiced wine.  This is one of the oldest Christmas markets.  This Christmas Market started in 1298.

Suggestions: Rathaus is set outside the Gothic-styled Town Hall and during market tine the gardens are decorated with lanterns, snowmen and fairytale huts. Children can try their hand at making traditional Christmas gifts.

Brussels Christmas Markets

Place: Brussels, Belgium

Date: From 28 November through 28 December 2008

Best known for: There are 240 wooden chalets around the Grand Palace.  Gastronomic specialties, handicrafts and unusual stocking fillers.

Suggestions: Belgium is a small country, take a day to visit the the city of Liege which has its own Market. 155 decorated wooden cottages form a Christmas Village all of December. Don’t forget to try the holiday treats such as marzipan, flat hard cakes known as ‘klaasjes’ and ‘speculoos’, a hard gingerbread molded in the form of St. Nicholas.

Mons Christmas Market

Place: Mons, Belgium

Date: From 13 - 31 December 2008

Best known for: Games, food delights, chorals and music.

Suggestions: Belgium is a small country, take a day to visit the differnt towns and villages throughout Belgium which will also have Christmas markets. Most will be aglow with colorful illuminations around their main streets and shopping centers.

Prague Christmas Market

Place: Prague, Czech Republic

Date: From 29 November 2008 through 1 January 2009.

Best known for: There are actually 3 mini-markets within walking distance of each other.  Wooden huts selling Czech handicrafts, hot food and hot wines.  There is a large nativity scene.

Suggestions: The Prague Castle was built over 1000 years ago, this city has some history. It is the ancient capital of Charles IV’s Bohemian Kingdom and has been a key Central Europe city since the Middle Ages. This amazing history hasmade Prague one of the most beautiful cities in the world and today tourism is a major force, but Prague is not overrun by tourists.

Aalborg Christmas Market

Place: Aalborg, Denmark

Date: From 29 November through 23 December 2008

Best known for: Father Christmas comes in on November 29th on a sailing ship.  There is an ice-skating rink and a giant Christmas tree.

Suggestions: Download maps and MP3 audios for a guided tour of the city. Aalborg is home to the Danish Distillers of akvavit (schnapps) and well worth a visit.

Tivoli Christmas Market

Place: Tivoli, Denmark

Date: From 13 November through 28 December 2008

Best known for: Close to Copenhagen hotels.  20 restaurants.  Hot and spicy wine and pan-fried cakes.  Pickled herring and liver paté.

Suggestions:
Tivoli, Summer 2000
Harlekin and Columbine at The Pantomime Theatre

Tivoli Gardens is a famous amusement park near Copenhagen, Denmark. The park opened on August 15, 1843 and is the second oldest amusement park which has survived intact to the present day.

Bath Christmas Market

Place: Bath, England

Date: From 27 November through 7 December 2008

Best known for: 123 wooden chalets with handmade and unusual gifts, decorations and food.  Bath is a UNESCO world heritage city.

Suggestions: Bath was a Roman city with the original Roman baths and it’s a spa city with hot springs beneath the city.

Hyde Park, London Christmas Market

Place: London, England

Date: From 1 December through 6 January 2009

Best known for: This is a traditional German Christmas market with German mulled wine and other seasonal specialties.  Hand tatted lace and tin toys.

Suggestions: You will find unusual Christmas presents such as amber & silver jewellery and fragile glass ornaments for your Christmas tree.

Tallinn Christmas Market

Place: Tallinn, Estonia

Date: From 30 November through 7 January 2009

Best known for: Handmade Christmas toys and decorations.  Woolen sweaters and sheepskins.  There are real blacksmiths and woodcarvers at work.

Suggestions: Tallinn is one of the most completely preserved medieval cities in Europe and it is on the UNESCO World Heritage List.  It was once a medieval Hanseatic town and for long periods in history dominated by the Germans, Swedes and Russians. The Town Hall  - Raekoja plats - St. Olaf´s Church and the towers and town walls, are among most popular tourist attractions there.

Rovaniemi Christmas Market

Place: Rovaniemi, Finland

Date: From 29 November through 23 December 2008

Best known for: The Christmas capital of the world.  Real reindeer.  There is an ice park.  Christmas bazaars, decorations, theater performances.

Suggestions: Plan to be cold! Rovaniemi is North of the Arctic Circle and has less than 3 hours of daylight during the Christmas Market season. There are  snowmobile safaris to see the reindeer herds and well worth the trip. Listen to the locals and make sure you dress as they tell you.

St Thomas Christmas Market

Place: Helsinki, Finland

Date: From 8-21 December 2008

Best known for: Crafts, baked goods and Christmas specialties.  Santa Clause walks around.

Suggestions: Visit the Helsinki Ice Park, a skating rink in the city center and the Winter Circus Light - the Dance Theater Hurjaruuth with international circus magic, trapeze artists, dance and illusions, all backed by the circus orchestra are not to be missed.

Yuletide Peace in Turku

Place: Turku, Finland

Date: From 29 November through 13 January 2008

Best known for: 400 events in museums, concert houses and theaters.  A lot of American traditions.

Suggestions: Kuralan Kylämäki is a village of living history. Kylämäki is a different kind of museum where you can touch the exhibits. Prehistoric hunting weapons are made in the experimental archaeological workshop, where prehistoric work methods are studied and presented. In the hunting grounds, you can try out your own hunting skills.

Strasbourg Christmas Market

Place: Strasbourg, France

Date:  From 29 November through 31 December 2008

Best known for: A lot of lights in the city.  They claim to be the undisputed capital of Christmas.  A tourist haven during Christmas season.  There is a village of sharing.  This market is 5 centuries old.

Suggestions: Strasbourg’s historic city center, the Grande Île is classified a World Heritage site by UNESCO. Strasbourg is fused into the Franco-German culture, come to Strasbourg to get a taste of Germany in France.

Hamburg Christmas Market

Place: Hamburg, Germany

Date: From 24 November through 31 December 2008

Best known for: Stalls laden with confectionery, toys and craft.  Old fashioned carousels.

Suggestions: Hamburg’s real name is the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg. A typical Hamburg visit includes a tour of the city hall and the grand church St. Michaelis, and visiting the old warehouse district (Speicherstadt) and the harbor promenade (Landungsbrücken), harbor and canal boat tours (Große Hafenrundfahrt, Fleetfahrt) which start from the Landungsbrücken.

Budapest Christmas Fair

Place: Budapest, Hungary

Date: From 21 November through 29 December 2008

Best known for: Cottage style wooden stalls in an outdoor stage.  Honey cookies, mulled wine. Cinnamon and fir trees.  Cruise and dinner on the Danube.

Suggestions:  Budapest’s history left marks everywhere in the city including ruins from the Roman era, Turkish baths form the 150-year Ottoman rule and magnificent bridges spanning the Danube. The Danube divides the right-bank (west) Buda & Óbuda and Pest on the left (east) bank. Combined BudaPest. It is considered one of the most beautiful cities in the world and has several UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Hafnarfjörður Christmas Village

Place: Hafnarfjörður, Iceland

Date: From 24 November through 23 December 2008 - only on Saturday and Sundays

Best known for: Houses and streets are decorated with lights.  Wide selection of gifts, decorations and local foods.  There are 13 mischievous Santa Clauses one for each of the 13 days prior to Christmas.  Each with his own name and each with his own specialty.

Suggestions: Hafnarfjörður is famous for having one of Iceland’s largest settlements of elves (which can only be seen by people with second sight), dwarves and other Harry Potter type mystical beings. Centuries-old folklore says that whole clans of such beings reside in the rocks that make up part of the town’s centre. About a 30 minutes drive from Hafnarfjörður is the Krísuvík geothermal area with its solfataras, boiling mud springs, blowing steam vents.

Belfast Christmas Continental Market

Place: Belfast, Ireland

From 19 November through 20 December 2008

Best known for: Inspired by Germany and Easter European traditions.  The city center is divided into villages, including German, Irish and European.  Each with its own theme, gifts, crafts and food.

Suggestions: No visit to Belfast would be complete without a trip around its famous and historic pubs. The St Patrick exhibition is a new interactive experience which tells the story of Ireland’s Patron Saint. Take a walking tour through the Victorian streets of Belfast including The Old Town and Titanic Trail.

12 Days of Christmas’ Festival

Place: Dublin, Ireland

Date: From 12-23 December 2008

Best known for: A waterside village with 80 market traders.  Gifts, seasonal food and stocking fillers.

Suggestions: Kilmainham Gaol -Ireland’s most famous prison where the leaders of the 1916 Rebellion were executed by the English. Guinness Storehouse - in the heart of the Guinness factory complex this excellent visitor center tells the dramatic story of the 250 year history of Guinness. Temple Bar - Dublin’s Cultural Quarter. Located in the heart of Dublin’s City Center, some of Dublin’s best night spots, restaurants and unusual shops line these narrow, cobbled streets running between the Bank of Ireland and Christ Church Cathedral.

Florence Christmas Markets

Place: Florence, Italy

Date: From 23 November through 22 December 2008

Best known for: Big Christmas tree, ice skating rinks, choral concerts, crafts, food and typical products.

Suggestions: In Florence you’ll find leather goods, paper goods, and jewellry as well as nice souvenirs and art productions. Florence has a number of open air markets selling food, clothing, and antiques. Florence’s most popular site is its Duomo, the Cattedrale de Santa Maria del Fiore. Santa Croce, in Piazza Santa Croce, is the largest Franciscan church in Italy and holds the tombs of several important Florentines including Michelangelo and Dante.

La Fête de Noué

Place: Jersey - island wide

Date: From 29 November through 21 December 2008

Best known for: Canopy of brilliant white lights.  There are guides to learn the island’s history.  The ghost of Christmas past takes people on tours of the island’s castles and graveyards.

Suggestions: Jersey Zoo was set up by famous conservationist Gerald Durrell, and the zoo houses the international headquarters of the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust. The aMaizin Maze is the site of a specially designed maze, with hidden corners, obstacles and surprises.

Riga Christmas Market

Place: Riga, Latvia

Date: From 30 November - Christmas

Best known for: Typical wooden chalets with environmentally friendly products.

Suggestions: Old City Riga (Vecriga) is one of the nices places to wander around aimlessly in. It is full of small squares where you can drink good local beer or huddle over a hot bar snack. The Cat House has a unique architecture. Its Latvian owner who was denied membership in the powerful Great Guild. To express his feelings, he built two cat sculptures on his roof with their backsides facing the Guild and their tails straight.

Luxembourg Christmas markets

Place: Luxembourg

Date: From 28 November though 24 December 2008

Best known for: Candles, tree decorations and nativity scenes.  Mulled wine, schnaps and mettwurscht.  Local banks, choirs and life in the city.

Suggestions: Grand-Duché de Luxembourg or the Großherzogtum Luxemburg is a small landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. An easy place to visit if you happen to be in one of the bordering countries. The Casino Luxembourg and the Palace of the Grand Dukes (Palais Grand-Ducal) are the two big places to visit.

Antwerp Christmas Market

Place: Antwerp, Netherlands

Date: From 12 December though 4 January 2009

Best known for: Mulled wine, seasonal products and carol concerts.

Suggestions: Diamond District - This is the district south and southwest of the central station. As the name already indicates, this is an area where you will find countless jewelry shops, as well as the Antwerp Diamond Exchange, arguably the most important financial center of the world’s diamond industry. Rubenshuis, Rubens’ house is now a museum of his life and artwork. Red Light District - Like other cities such as Amsterdam and Hamburg, Antwerp also has its own red light district. It’s pretty small and right in the center of town.

Maastricht Christmas Winterland

Place: Maastricht, Netherlands

Date: Christmas season

Best known for: Ferris wheel, petting zoo, ice skating rink and traditional activities.  80 partially covered stalls.

Suggestions: Coffeeshops - In the Netherlands, the policy regarding soft drugs is lenient. Therefore, there are several coffeeshops where you can buy these products. This is at least worth seeing, even if you don’t intend on buying. Bonnefantenmuseum - is the foremost museum of Old Masters and contemporary art in the province of Limburg.

Valkenburg Christmas Market

Place: Valkenburg, Netherlands

Date: From 4 November though 5 January 2009

Best known for: The Velvet Caves that runs underneath the castle of Valkenburg.  These caves were built in 1050.  Floats, dancers and entertainment in fairy tale lighted streets.

Suggestions: Go to Plenkertstraat to see a reproduction of Early Christian catacombs from the Roman period. The Christmas market ‘Fluweelengrot’ takes place in beautifully lit Velvet Cave which runs underneath the town. This year the caves will be decorated to provide an interpretation of the theme “Christmas Elves”.

Oslo Christmas Fair

Place: Oslo, Norway

Date: The first two weekends in December

Best known for: Historical houses are moved from different parts of Norway and rebuilt for Christmas in this area.  Each house is decorated according to the traditions of the initial inhabitants.  Homemade crafts, Christmas decorations and Santa’s workshop.

Suggestions: Akershus Fortress or Akershus Castle is the old castle built to protect Oslo. The first work on the castle started around the late 1290s, by King Håkon V, replacing Tønsberg as one of the two most important Norwegian castles of the period. Also see the Norsk Folkemuseum, the Norwegian Museum of Cultural History at Bygdøy, with a large open air museum

Kraków Christmas Market

Place: Kraków, Poland

Date: From 28 November though 26 December 2008

Best known for: Giant wooden barrels for sale - imagine Astorix and Obelix.  Sausage and distinctive fried oscypek cheese.  Presents and amber jewelry.

Suggestions: Kraków is considered by many to be the cultural capital of Poland and wasthe European Capital of Culture for the year 2000. Kraków has 28 museums and public art galleries. See the main market square “Rynek Glowny” main landmarks, St. Mary’s Basilica, St. Adalbert’s Church (one of Poland’s oldest stone churches, dating back to 1000), and the old Cloth Hall (”Sukiennice”).

Edinburgh Christmas Market

Place: Edinburgh, Scotland

Date: From 27 November though 13 December 2008

Best known for: Traditional German Christmas.  The Highland Village Christmas Market.  Christmas carols and the Edinburgh Wheel - a gigantic ferris wheel.

Suggestions: Don’t miss the Edinburgh Castle, located on one of the highest points in the city. The castle has been continuously in use for 1000 years and is in excellent condition. Then walk along the Water of Leith, a small river that meanders through Edinburgh.

Bratislava Christmas Market

Place:Bratislava, Slovakia

Date: Christmas season

Best known for: 50 stalls next to the old town hall with typical gypsy liver pork burger, spicy sausage, bread with lard and onion.  Christmas mead - honey wine.

Suggestions: Try some Bryndzové halušky - a small, spaetzle-like dumplings with sheep’s cheese. Drink a Kofola with it. Kofola is a local soft drink. See the Bratislava Castle (Bratislavský hrad) and the Slavín. The Slavín is behind the castle, overlooking the entire city, this is a monument in memory of Soviet casualties in the liberation battle of Bratislava.

Ljubljana Christmas Market

Place: Ljubljana, Slovinia

Date: From 3 December though 2 January 2008

Best known for: 15 market stalls snake through the cobbled streets with misteltoes and thousands of lights.  Handmade candles, wooden toys and designer jewelry.  Spiced mulled wine and warming gluhwein.

Suggestions: Visit Old Ljubljana is Ljubljana’s historic part. It has the city hall, monuments, and well-preserved old buildings and churches. See the Triple Bridge (Tromostovje), Ljubljana’s central bridges. relax at the Water City of Atlantis. A water park with 14 pools, thermal baths, slides and saunas. Special section is dedicated for children.

Barcelona Fira de Santa Lucia

Place: Barcelona, Spain

Date: From 1-31 December 2008

Best known for: 300 stalls selling seasonal treats outside the main cathedral.  A large nativity scene.  And on 28 December, muscians and artists entertain the crowds.

Suggestions: See La Rambla, the most famous boulevard in Barcelona stretches from the harbor to La Placa Catalunya running through the Ciutat Vella. Plaça d’Espanya. Once used for public hangings, Placa d’Espanya was created for the 1929 World Exhibition. Follow the Ruta del Modernisme which leads past all the Modernisme (art nouveau) buildings in Barcelona.

Madrid Christmas Market

Place: Madrid, Spain

Date: The stalls start selling on 28 November, but it officially starts on 5 December 2008 - through Christmas.

Best known for: Stalls are put on all 4 sides of the city plaza - a plaza within a plaza.  2 large nativity scenes.  Christmas lighting across the city.

Suggestions: See the Museo del Prado which houses one of the best collection of classical art in Madrid. Includes many different collections: the Spanish (El Greco, Velazquez, and Goya), the Flemish and Dutch (Rubens, van Dyck, and Brueghel), Italian (Botticelli, Tintoretto Caravaggio, and Veronese) and German (Albrecht Dürer, Lucas Cranach, and Baldung Grien). Then go eat a bocadillo de calamares (squid sandwich).

Liseberg Christmas Market

Place: Liseberg, Sweden

Date: From 3-23 December 2008

Best known for: 4 million sparkling lights, 700 Christmas trees and 6 kilometers of spruce garlands.  Traditional art, knitwear and Swedish buffet.

Suggestions: See the indoor Fish Market, called “Feskekôrka” which is located by the canal near the harbor. The Skansen Kronan (Crown Keep), a hilltop fortification southwest of the city center that was built in the 17th century. Visit the Slottsskogen (the castle forest) where you can visit Gothenburg’s Natural History Museum (Naturhistoriska Museet), a children’s zoo (Barnens Zoo), and a family animal park (Djurgårdarna).

Basel Christmas Market

Place: Basel, Switzerland

Date: From 25 November though 23 December 2008

Best known for: Traders and craftsmen at 130 stands and wooden cabins.  Concerts, classical rock and pop and romantic cruises on the Rhine river.

Suggestions: In old town see Münster and Pfalz. Walk up cobbled streets and alleys from Marktplatz or Mittlere Brücke to Münsterplatz (Cathedral square) to see Basel’s Münster. See the Kunstmuseum Basel, the art museum with a permanent collection of 19th and 20th century works.

Seasonal Marketing

It is a month away from Christmas. Beyond travel ideas, I hope this review of a selection of different European Christmas markets is an inspiration for:

• Your own seasonal marketing
• How to adapt your seasonal marketing to your different international markets

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Week 48 In Review

Want to know what else I have been up to this week?

Here is a list of the thoughts, ideas, requests and articles I published this past week.

On Get International Clients

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

• Get International Clients Sunday Blog Carnival #30

Guide 1 - Discover Your International Business

• Resource To Discover The Organization Of American States

Guide 6 - Analyze Your International Viability

• Resource On World Trade Indicators

Guide 7 - Run Your International Sales Strategy

• How To Address Cultural Differences In Expectations
• Quality Questions For Better International Business Development

Guide 8 - Improve Your International Business Development

• US Resource For Your Business

On Cindy King .biz

This is where I share more of my personal opinions, experiences and frustrations… on anything cross-cultural and on international business.

Uniquely Cindy

The weekend’s links to marketing articles:

• International Marketer Review #28 - International Christmas Shopping
  

Cross-Cultural Communication

• Beyond Cultural Generalizations
• Where Cultural Miscommunication Happens
• Avoid Email In Cross-Cultural Conversations

International Business Development

• Research Takes Your International Ideas Further

International Sales

• International Sales In A Fast Food World

…and what have you been up to this week?

Let me know if you have come across anything interesting on the vast subject of international business development on the web.

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Resource To Discover The Organization Of American States

You asked for resources to help you get international clients. So here goes…

Here is a resource for networking within any of the American States.

• Organization Of American States

Now I am partial to this resource, simply because the Bahamas is active here.  Small countries can often seem to be eclipsed by their bigger neighbors.  And yet they can still be potential markets.

Use this website to get a broader vision of this area of the world. This website does not have the depth of information as some of the other resources mentioned here.  But it is a source of inspiration and possible networking tool.

International Resource Suggestion

The Organization Of American States website a good place to start to get a picture of this particular region.

Just like the other regional websites this can be a good resource for inspiration and for networking.

Have you found this website useful?

How did you use the information here?

Please leave a comment below and tell us.

More Resources

Key International Resources Resources to help you build your business Resources for international market research Recommended books and websites

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Resource On World Trade Indicators

You asked for resources to help you get international clients. So here goes…

Here is a place to start your international market research:

• The World Bank - World Trade Indicators

This link gives you detailed information on doing business in different countries. It is a great place to start gathering information for your foreign market intelligence

But the World Trade Indicators are not the only thing useful here. There is a wealth of information at the World Bank website.

Have a look also at the:

• World Development Report for 2009. This highlights today’s biggest development challenges at the local, national, and international levels.
• International analysis of the current financial crisis and how the world economy has changed dramatically since September 2008.

International Resource Suggestion

Use the World Trade Indicators website to get an overall picture of your markets.

Have you found this website useful?

How did you use the information here?

Please leave a comment below and tell us.

More Resources

Key International Resources Resources to help you build your business Resources for international market research Recommended books and websites

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US Resource For Your Business

You asked for resources to help you get international clients. So here goes…

Here is another resource for business development:

• www.business.gov

Although this website is geared towards grants and loans, it also has other useful information for small businesses.  All of the information is very clear and easy to navigate. For general business, have a look at the:

• 10 steps to start a business
• Advertising and marketing

There is also a wealth of information for learning more about the American market.

Remember to have a look at the Import/Export section, even if you are not American.  This provides some useful information if you are interested in exporting to the United States.

International Resource Suggestion

Americans should become familiar with the Business.gov website.

Have you found this website useful?

How did you use the information here?

Please leave a comment below and tell us.

More Resources

Key International Resources Resources to help you build your business Resources for international market research Recommended books and websites

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Quality Questions For Better International Business Development

When you review the Business Guide 3 - Design Your International Visibility you probably noticed how strongly I believe in focusing on phone research for developing your strategy international visibility and international market intelligence.

Phone conversations can give you so much more relevant feedback to help you determine the best direction to take.  You also begin your own process of adapting to different cultures and markets.

Quality Questions

There is a hitch.  To get the most out of your international conversations you need to ask quality questions.

Quality questions do two things.  They help you to:

• Connect with your international markets
• Identify your best international tactics and strategies

Very simply, the better your questions:

• the better you will connect with your international markets
• the better your international business

So how do you know if you are using quality questions?

First What They Are Not

Quality questions are not:

• Last minute questions
• Asked on the fly
• Dead end questions

Answers to questions like this will not give you a consistent tool to work with.

Answers to questions like this will not uncover the real issues your international clients are facing.

When you do not strive for quality questions you can slow your international business development down. And yes, you can even overlook opportunities simply by not asking for information.

Question To Understand

Quality questions help you understand your international clients.  They get your client to tell you their story… in a way you can understand… and in a way that means something to you providing a solution to your client.

Generally speaking, these are questions that start with What, Who, Why and How.

In cross-cultural communication you need to make sure you dig deep enough to understand the story. And this can often mean you need to put on a velvet glove to avoid appearing intrusive.

• The order in which you ask the questions is important
• So is your tone of voice
• Your choice of words
• And the number of questions you ask

Question To Build Your International Business

A little strategic thought behind your questions can give you the information you need to build an international business.

• Do you know which information you need to get from your international clients?
• What can they tell you about their problems, needs and cultural environment that can help you?
• What questions can help you identify sales triggers you might not be aware of from where you stand?
• What is your international client already paying for services or products like yours?
• What does he get out of it?  Compared to what you have to offer?
• How often does your international client need products and services like yours?
• Does he use your products and services differently in any way?  Why?

These questions can help you to come up with the questions you need to ask your international clients.  And when you get the answers to these questions, remember to write them down.  Track them.

Use the answers to these quality questions to create your International Sales Guide and as part of your international accountability process.

Many companies use Sales Guides, Sales Battle Cards or Sales Cheat Sheets as an effective tool for your sales team.

A Sales Guide is:

• Usually a very short document, it can even be on a single page.
• Gives your sales team all of the best sales arguments for each of your products and by market.
• Provides the main differences, good points and bad points, between your products and the competition… and also gives the best way to approach them.

An International Sales Guide is a valuable tool for your international business development.

• It gives you a tool to use as you adapt your marketing and sales to your new international markets.
• You can use the process of creating your International Sales Guide as a part of your international business accountability process.
• A well developed International Sales Guide gives your company a tool that brings everyone on board in using the best international sales tactics for your business.

If you need help in establishing your International Sales Guide email me at cindy@getinternationalclients.com

More From Cindy

Interested in reading more on my personal opinions and experiences on how to connect with international markets?

CindyKing.biz International Sales

Read The Whole Story

This is part of the Core Business Guide 7 Run Your International Sales Strategy Be sure to check out the other elements you need to run your international sales strategy

Need Help?

Need instructions?

• Instructions on how to use Your International Sales Road Map

Need to see where this fits in?

• A complete list of current Core Business Guides & Sub Guides for Your International Sales Road Map.

Still confused? Review your answers in the first Core Business Guide

• Core Business Guide 1 - Discover Your International Business

Simply click on one of the 8 different color coded boxes immediately below to access other core business guides.

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How To Address Cultural Differences In Expectations

In previous articles on CindyKing.biz I looked at how different cultures have different expectations.

• Where Cultural Miscommunication Happens
• Beyond Cultural Generalizations

Where Expectations Can Be Different

Different cultural expectations can crop up in many different areas when dealing with international clients:

• General business process
• The information you need to give them
• The time they need this information
• The way they want this information delivered
• How price is given
• Who should speak to them
• Where you should communicate to make the sale
• When it is appropriate to discuss the sale

When you look at the list above, it is easy to understand how these differences in expectations can severely slow down your international sales cycles even in the best of situations.

There are many situations where your client’s expectations can be different from your own. It is very easy to not fully address the needs of your international clients.

So what can you do?

Verify You Are On The Same Track

When you are just beginning international sales you need to establish the different stage where you need to get confirmation from your international client that you are fulfilling his expectations.

The easiest way to do this is to make sure you are of the same understanding. As you get confirmation you can also evaluate and confirm whether you are meeting his expectations.

Now, this does not mean you should ask your international client whether you both understand the same thing from each sentence. This would quickly become annoying.

Identify Your Sales Process

Think about your sales process strategically.

• What are the logical steps in your sales process?
• What are the objectives for each of these steps?
• What do you need to know from your client?
• What does your client need to know at each of these steps?
• Both from your point of view and from his point of view?

Create An International Sales Guide

Once you have a very clear picture of each of these steps you will know when you need to ensure confirmation from your international clients.

There is an added bonus with synchronizing your sales process with your questions to confirm you are meeting your clients expectations:

• The next logical step is to create a country specific International Sales Guide

Many companies use Sales Guides, Sales Battle Cards or Sales Cheat Sheets. This is an effective tool for your sales team.

A Sales Guide is:

• Usually a very short document, it can even be on a single page.
• Gives your sales team all of the best sales arguments for each of your products and by market.
• Provides the main differences, good points and bad points, between your products and the competition… and also gives the best way to approach them.

An International Sales Guide is a valuable tool for your international business development.

• It gives you a tool to use as you adapt your marketing and sales to your new international markets.
• You can use the process of creating your International Sales Guide as a part of your international business accountability process.
• A well developed International Sales Guide gives your company a tool that brings everyone on board in using the best international sales tactics for your business.

If you need help in establishing your International Sales Guide email me at cindy@cindyking.biz

More From Cindy

Interested in reading more on my personal opinions and experiences on how to connect with international markets?

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This is part of the Core Business Guide 7 Run Your International Sales Strategy Be sure to check out the other elements you need to run your international sales strategy

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Get International Clients Sunday Blog Carnival #30

Welcome to the 23 November, 2008 edition of the Get International Clients Sunday Blog Carnival.

International Business

Daniel Workman presents Canada Home To Most Stable Banking System posted at Suite101 saying “The World Economic Forum recently published results of a survey in which 12,000 corporate executives from around the world graded banks from around the globe. Nations with banks seen as insolvent were assigned a number as low as one. At the upper end, a mark of seven was reserved for countries with a banking system seen as entirely healthy.”

Jim presents Call Center CSRs Ruin Customer Experience posted at Blueprint for Financial Prosperity saying”Businesses need to think of customer service not as a cost they should be reducing but an opportunity to build a relationship at the first level, not at the escalation level.”

Jim Logan presents Is your business ecosystem cash flow safe? posted at The Cash Flow Blog, saying, “The bottom-line is cash flow challenges can extend well beyond your corporate doors. Your ecosystem of business has to be healthy, as well your home.”

Internet Marketing

PaniSphere presents Google Apps Growing Popularity on Corporate World posted at PaniSphere, saying, “Google Apps which is a collection of software is becoming more popular among businesses due to its relatively cheap price compared to other software provided by key players including Microsoft and SAP.”

Import Export

Ron Coble presents More Recession Busting Money Saving Ideas posted at Import Export Business saying “I recently posted some additional recession busting ideas into another forum and thought I would pass them along to the readers who visit here. Rather than for business, these are for general money saving or living and spending more smartly.”

Global Business

Richard Brubaker presents Sichuan’s Economic Aftershocks posted at  All Roads Lead To China saying “For many now… if you mention economic meltdown or implosion, pictures of Wall Street and Guangzhou come to mind. However, for those in the earthquake affected regions of China’s southwest provinces, the economic aftershocks are still be felt by many.”

Laurel Delaney presents Is Outsourcing Recession Proof? posted at The Global Small Business Blog saying “you must be stretching your influence across the globe.”

John Yunker presents Geolocation in the Wall Street Journal posted at Global by Design saying “I was quoted briefly in an article in the Journal on the benefits of geolocation. Geolocation can be used to do many things, but I find it particularly useful in directing Web users to localized Web sites.”

UIltan presents Amo, But Not A Mass posted at Blogos saying “Today, the blog posting laments the loss of the Latin language as a taught subject in schools and other educational establishments. I totally agree. I would love to see it restored. A knowledge of Latin (I studied it in high school) helped me to understand the origin of many words in many languages, encouraged me to read more widely, and to develop my writing ability.”

Patrick O. Courtois presents No Free Lunch in China posted at China Business Stories saying “I tend to receive a recurring misconception about the Chinese labor market from overseas-based clients. This misunderstanding primarily affects overseas-designed provisional staffing budgets as well as the perceived value of quality of China-based recruitment agencies. In short, agencies are perceived to attempt inflating candidate packages for higher fees. While some rogue agencies do, there is a distinctive trend that the cost of Chinese talent is catching up with international benchmarks.”

Multicultural Marketing

John W. Furst presents Tribes - Questions And Answers (Q&A) posted at E-Biz Booster Blog, saying, “Tribes can spread across national, cultural, and geographic areas. Tribes are about leadership! Apply tribal concepts in your marketing. The international tribe following Seth Godin published a Q&A e-book about marketing, about leadership. Be sure to check it out. (The members come from 60 countries on 6 continents) Multicultural enough?”

Other

Margaret Garcia presents Top 20 iPhone Apps for Entrepreneurs posted at Web Design Schools Guide.

Fiona King presents 50 Best Video Games for Your Business posted at BSchool.com Business Schools Directory saying “Video games are often written off as useless entertainment, but the truth is that they have a lot to offer. For business, they can provide valuable training and information in a medium that’s fun and easy to understand. Read on to learn about 50 games that are both fun and good for business.”

Patricia Turner presents 10 Best Wordpress Web Hosts Compared posted at WHDb saying “You haven’t made the front page of Digg yet and your site hasn’t been unexpectedly shouted-out by your peers, but your WordPress solution crashes constantly. Are you nodding your head in agreement? Then we might have some answers for you, as you may not be using a WordPress-friendly hosting solution”

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.

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