Research Source For Small Businesses

Here is a great place for small businesses to look for information:

• The US Small Business Administration on International Trade

This is a good place to start. The Small Business Administration is an independent agency. The SBA helps Americans start, build and grow businesses. And there is a wealth of information on this website accessible to everyone.

Use the Small Business Planner to manage your small business. Careful planning is fundamental to success. The Small Business Planner includes information and resources that will help you at any stage of the business life cycle.

And Americans can find more specific information to help them with their small businesses.

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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International Research By Phone

There is only so much market research you can outsource or do online. No matter what your business is, there comes a time when you need to pick up the phone and call people located in your target country.

You need to have direct feedback and contact with people in the country you want to sell to.

Two Reasons Why

There are two main reasons why you need to complete your international market intelligence with phone research:

• Direct feedback - cross-cultural communication blunders can easily happen through lack of direct contact, no matter where you get your sources of information.
• Get accustomed to this foreign culture - you have to start the process of understanding your markets some time.  Start early and your international marketing and communication will be stronger.

Before You Call

Before you pick up the phone, sit back and think of what you are going to say.

Most of my successful phone research was because I did this step well.

The secret is understanding that if others can get something out of helping you, they will also help you.

But this does not have to be”help”.  For example, there are always key players in your foreign target market who would greatly appreciate hearing about you and your industry in your country.

Then you simply identify the best sources of information where you can leverage your “international appeal”.

Once you know what you want to say, write a very short presentation.

Your presentation needs to clearly identify who you are and where you are calling from and the company. Use simple words and short sentences.   Remember you will also need to ask: Do you have a few minutes to speak to me about your industry in your country?

What To Ask

You should also have couple or questions ready to ask after your presentation.  During the rest of your call you should focus on:

• Confirming what you know
• Asking for more information
• Asking for other useful contacts
• Asking for ideas on how to find out more information

Get Over The Fear

It is normal to be apprehensive about calling someone you do not know. And when you are calling to a different country it can even be daunting.

Add in the factor that you may not know if the person speaks English and you may be frozen in fear.

Do not let language be an issue.  If language does become an issue, you either:

• need to spend a little time finding the right door to open,
• or your issues have more to do with your own lack of self-image.

You have to believe me on this - there are probably more people that speak English than you realize.  If you are certain you will not be able to find anyone you would want to talk to in English located in your target country, take the easy route:

• Call your own Embassy there and ask for ideas on who to call
• Call all of the easy to identify places where people speak English: English-speaking ex-pat communities, English-speaking churches, pubs, grocery stores
• Network your way from your entry level until you get to the level of people you need to talk to

I can only say that I have been there many times. And every time, within seconds of making that first call I realize how foolish my fear was.

People are basically polite. Even more so when they are at work. And there is one other thing you should know.

Curiosity Opens Communication

They will be curious why someone is calling them from abroad.  And if you spent some time on preparing your presentation, you will be surprised by the results.

It can be much easier doing phone research in some foreign countries than it is to do it in your own country.

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Is International SEO Easy

As an international web marketer it often appears easier to get good SEO results in a language other than English. Living in France, I notice how easy it can be for French language websites around me to get top search results.

Well, easy may not be the right word.  There appears to be a factor of speed. And it definitely seems to take a lot less effort to get top search engine results for keywords in French than it does to get them in English.

I have also had a few readers comment that a foreign language on their website boosts their overall SEO value. I have not tested this this first hand. But the echos have been steady.  Readers are wondering whether Google has a distinct preference for foreign language content.

This is definitely a trend to watch.  But, let’s have a look at some things we are sure about in international SEO.

Why International SEO Is Easy

Less Competition

• Fewer foreign language websites
• Less foreign language content
• Fewer SEO specialists
• Fewer available SEO tools

How International SEO Can Be More Difficult

Foreign Grammar

• Articles… and their misspellings
• Different article formats… and their misspellings
• Different plural formats… and their misspellings
• Adjective modifiers… and their misspellings
• Common abbreviations… and their misspellings

Different Forms Of Speech

• For the elderly
• For politeness

International SEO Results

For your foreign language keywords, this means that:

• You may find it easier to get in the top search results
• You should find it faster to get in the top search results
• With top results expect fewer search results in a foreign language than in English for the equivalent keyword
• You may need more variants of your keywords… which dilutes your results for one specific keyword even further

The difficulties in getting good international SEO results depend on the language you are targeting.

The success of your keyword results may also be influenced by market differences and finding the keywords that work in the culture you are targeting.

Should You Use International SEO?

This is a business decision.

Are you committed to international business development?

If you are, then foreign language content is probably a good web marketing strategy for you.

Depending on the country and language you are targeting, the ease in which you can get top search results is an added business benefit.

If you compare the investment you need to make to get top search engine results for an English language website, you might find the investment in foreign language content appealing.

You will need to invest in a foreign language website and content.  But this is where good business practices combined with easier SEO results can help you come out ahead of the others.  And more specifically:

• Strategic content creation
• Good SEO practices

You should integrate the challenges with language differences into your international market research strategy.  This is about getting to know your foreign market, how it behaves and how you need to create your online visibility for this particular foreign market.  Whether you gain market exposure with one keyword or a variety of keywords you are still targeting one specific market.

Another important thing to note:

• Good foreign language domain names may be easier to find

Where it is now difficult to find good available domain names in English, there has generally been less competition with foreign language domain names.

Again, different countries are at different levels of web maturity.

This may not be true for every foreign country.  But I am frequently surprised at the web domain names still available in some foreign languages.

More From Cindy

Interested in reading more on my personal opinions and experiences with international web marketing?

CindyKing.biz International Web Marketing

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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 Can I Get Information On My Foreign Markets?

Quick answers to…

Today’s question is:

How can I get information on my market in different countries?

Use the same guerrilla tactics you could use in your domestic market.

Identify relevant:

• Websites
• Blogs
• Online forums
• Magazines
• Books
• Trade shows
• Events

Don’t forget to use the free online translation tools to help you in your market research.

Aim for places where you can pick up people’s opinions. Listen to what is said in your foreign market. Facts and figures can easily be misleading if you are interpreting them from a different cultural vantage.

Your international market research will go slower than in your domestic market. This is the one difference you will find. But don’t try to speed this up. This process will give you the time to adapt your own mindset.

I strongly advise mixing your online research with some research by phone. Call appropriate people who live in your foreign market.

Aim for more feedback from real people than online research data.  This human touch will give you a valuable insights on where to look next.

Above all else, keep active in your research.  Keep at it. Even if you make one phone call a day, or every couple of days.

The key is to cross reference your research.

Some call this multi-dimensional research. You need to hear from people with different viewpoints on your market. This gives you a much better understanding. It also eliminates any cross-cultural misunderstandings.

Read More About International Market Research

International Market Research Guide International market research is easy, find out more here.

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Pre-qualification - Not Prejudgment

One of the barriers to your international business success will be something on a personal level.

It is about the people, your team, that help you work towards your business expansion.

Cross-cultural communication and international blunders, big and small, often happen through human “mistakes”.

And you might not perceive these “mistakes” as real mistakes.  In other words, some of these “mistakes” would not be considered mistakes in your own business environment.

But cross-cultural differences make certain things come out wrong.

Prejudgment

It is very easy to let automatic assumptions pop into international business decisions and practices.

These automatic assumptions, or prejudgments, can:

• Slow your expansion process - it takes you longer to get it right
• Cost your business more money than necessary - through business mistakes and wasted time and effort.
• Interfere with your international success - what happens if you never correct your false assumptions?

The thing is, you may not even be aware of the prejudgments you have.  Your prejudgments and assumptions directly interfere with how you listen to your international markets.

And if you are not listening properly you will not always hear everything you need to hear to create the best international business development strategy for your business.

On a side note:

Have you ever taken the time to think about the association between prejudice and prejudgment?

We often think of prejudice when looking at differences between two cultural groups living in the same environment.

And… what about prejudice between two different cultures in two different countries?

And… going one step further, how does one country’s over exaggeration of its own national pride effect that culture’s prejudgment of other cultures?

There is something you need to recognize…

Everyone has prejudgments.

…Sure some of them may not be nice.

And some prejudgments have nothing to do with being nice or not.  They are just natural assumptions.

Prejudgment is part of our human nature.  It is also part of the culture we live in.  And no matter how hard we try, we cannot get rid of all of them.

So prejudgment is something employers cannot control in their employees.

The best international companies cultivate their staff to work together in a way that limits prejudgment.  These companies also stimulate  pre-qualification.

Let’s now have a look at…

Pre-qualification

But there is something you can do…

Something that will help you eliminate “mistakes” through prejudgment.

• Pre-qualification

Pre-qualification is absolutely essential in international business.  This is what you need to do, consistently, to get beyond your own assumptions and prejudgments.

…So what is pre-qualification?

It is rather simple…

Pre-qualification is simply how you:

• Check and cross-check your information
• Ask questions - lots of questions, from all sorts of angles
• Get feedback - as much as you can, and take note of even the smallest elements of feedback
• Look at what you do not have - absence often speaks louder than words
• Dig for truth, meaning - until you see the full picture

When going through all of the steps in your international business plan, you need to include pre-qualification throughout all of the different processes and before any decision you take.

• Pre-qualify all of the information you get
• Pre-qualify any decisions
• Pre-qualify your actions
• …All aspects of your international business

Some people go overboard and use pre-qualification as a form of procrastination.  Pre-qualification does require action.

In fact, you often need action before you can finish your pre-qualification process.

Now…

There are many times:

• When you will need to take action first
• Where you will need feedback first
• …Before you can do anything

This is fine.  This is actually to be expected.

When you have nothing to go on, you need to create something to go on.  You need to get feedback on something concrete.

…Yes, you might well get it wrong the first time.  This does not matter.  You now have feedback, information.  And you can start again.

Just make sure you verify your results and the feedback you get. Then use a process of pre-qualification to get where you want to go.

Pre-qualification is about asking questions, getting feedback, uncovering the real situation, needs, or facts.

Get The Right Mind-Set

Where prejudgment is based on personal outlooks, thoughts and beliefs…

…Pre-qualification is based on the truth outside of personal assessments.

This process of recognizing your own prejudgments and opening yourself up to taking pre-qualification actions systematically…

…It is all part of the right international mind-set you need for international success.

Read The Whole Story

More On International Market Research

International Market Research • Pre-qualification is actually part of your international market research Find out more here.

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International Market Research Guide Updated

All of the Business Guides on Get International Clients are updated regularly.

The International Market Research Guide has just been updated, and now gives you more information on how to use the guide.

Be sure to check it out now.

International market research is easy, find out more here.

The International Market Research Guide is one part of the Get International Clients Business Guide 3:

Remember to look at the other elements of this Business Guide to help you create the right international visibility for your international business success.

International market research is easy, find out more here.

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Your International Business Intelligence Management

Do you want fast profits from your actions in developing your international business?

Would you like open all of the international business opportunities available to your business?

Would you like your international viability analysis to be accurate?

I have written this article for beginners. I have had a few questions lately from small internet business owners who need to rationalize the risk in their international business development strategies.

Most experienced international businesses will have an international business intelligence management system that works. Some small businesses rely on one central person to juggle all of the information. Others have international teams that function well together.

Start With International Business Intelligence Management

International business development always involves risk. It is inherent to doing business in unfamiliar cultures. Businesses often have to adapt their current methods to fit in with foreign markets.

Starting a process for international business intelligence management will help you to rationalize these risks and make the best decisions.

You will never be able to get rid of the risk factor in international business. The beginning is always a challenge, and requires an intellectual balancing act to estimate the risk. Experience makes this process easier. You still need the information to make your decision. An international business intelligence management system or process gives you the information you need.

Your international business intelligence starts with your initial international market research.

This means that if you are using the web for international marketing and international market research, you should include a business intelligence management system right from the start.

It is easy to set up and use a simple monitoring and tracking system right from the start.

Small Companies Too

For small companies, or if you are starting out slowly, this could be a very simple system.

You simply need to gather information in such a way to be able to use all of the information you have later.

You will need to review all of your information to improve your international business development.

It is important to use a process to take advantage of your international business intelligence.

What Information Do You Need

You need to pay attention to your processes in international marketing, market research, communication and feedback from international contacts.

You need to bring all of the information you get during your market research,

• Specific country
• Specific industry
• Foreign competitors
• Domestic competitors in foreign country
• Domestic companies with similar target market already selling to your foreign market
• Online
• Telephone
• Association
• Government agency
• Foreign embassy

together with all of the information you receive from your foreign prospects and clients,

• Phone calls
• Information inquiries
• Emails
• Client orders
• Customer service contact
• Responses to each of your communications by email, website, article or other source
• Foreign event networking

into a process. This process will develop into your International Business Intelligence Management.

No matter how small, or limited your actions are, you will get more out of them if you bring all of your information together and use it in your international business development process.

In fact, you need to have a look at all of the information you can in order to make appropriate decisions.

How Your International Business Intelligence Helps You

It is your international business intelligence that will help you expand your business successfully into other countries.

You need to look at all of the information you have for several tasks key to your international success:

• Define your sales offer for a specific country
• Define how you adapt your product to your foreign market
• Create the right marketing plan for a specific market
• Analyze your business viability in a specific country
• Improve your international sales offer
• Identify new business opportunities

An Opportunity For Growth

Your international business intelligence will help your business grow no matter how small your business is when you start. It will continue to grow over time and you may need to look into different management processes or software more appropriate for your business.

As you get to know your international markets better you will also gain another more intimate type of market knowledge. If you compare business intelligence to being left brained, then your experience will give you a right brained intelligence about your international markets.

Combine your new right brain intelligence with solid business intelligence and your business will be in a strong playing position in your foreign markets.

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The Two Key Objectives For International Market Research

Your international business development relies on thorough market research. International market research has two key objectives.

You need to address both of these objectives when you develop and implement your market research strategy.

Rationalize Risk

You need to have good knowledge of each specific country you reach. Good international market research will provide you with enough accurate statistics to help you rationalize your business risks.

You will also use this information in your international viability assessment. Before investing time and money into your international business expansion you should have some idea as to the viability of your efforts.

Of course you will not be able to cut out all risk completely. There is always the risk of surprise factors in international business.

Good market research will give you enough information to feel comfortable with the level of risk.

I personally have always aimed for at least being 80% sure of success. The satisfactory level for the level of risk will depend on many different factors. The more experience you have in international business development the easier it is to evaluate and appreciate.

The important point here is you need to give yourself enough information to evaluate your risk.

Get To Know Your Future International Clients

Most people think market research is learning about the market. In international market research you need to become familiar with the people. Not the market.

Why is this critical?

Simply because you will get to know your foreign market much better. Your international marketing is aimed at people. People in different countries are different. There is a good chance they will respond to your product or service in a different way to your regular domestic clients.

How can you expect your international marketing to effectively bring in clients if you are not marketing to them in the right way for them?

The important point here is to always concentrate on understanding the people, the person, your international client.

The Challenge For International Success

When you first start to develop your business in a new country, you can get bogged down in getting used to different procedures. There is a danger of abandoning your international market research.

This is the challenge. Your international market research gets you started. It also keeps your international expansion going.

You need to set up a simple process for your international market research and keep at it, without stopping.

• This is how you will develop your business through the different stages of international business.
• This is also how you will be able to spot new business opportunities, or know when to revise your business strategy.

The International Sales Road Map in the Get International Business Guides is an easy process. It is great for businesses with limited manpower and budgets to spend on their first international business development plan.

The International Sales Road Map incorporates all of the key actions for international business success, including international market research. The important key is to keep in action. International business success depends on small steps taken consistently and repeatedly until you gain the market knowledge and market presence to move onto the next phase.

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Guide To Use Free Online Translation Tools

Last updated 16 October 2008

Just beginning your international market research?

Are you stuck because you don’t know how to start?

You can get a lot more international market research done if you use free translation tools to help you get through the initial barriers.

The free translation software cannot do everything. You need to follow certain guidelines.

But with a little practice it will become a precious ally in your international market research. Speeding up time and saving your money.

Why Free Online Translation Make It So Easy For Getting International Clients • How can free translation tools help you develop your international business? • When should you use free translation tools? • How can you get the most out of free translation tools? Find out how to use free translation tools here.

Why Free Online Translation Are In Your Future For Getting International Clients • What is happening in the world of free translation tools? • How can this progress help you? • What can you expect for the future? Read more on why you should follow future improvements.

How To Use Free Online Translation Tools To Expand Your Business • How should you use free translation tools? • Can free translation tools do everything? • What is the best way to use free translation tools? Use these guidelines to get the more out of them.

Other Resources

International Market Research Learn how you can use free online translation tools to help you get past initial language barriers and then start your international market research. This is essential to your international success.

Free Translation Tools If you want an quick and easy way for your international visitors to access your information in their own language without taking them away from your website, download either the free WordPress Plugin or the Translation Widget for all websites.

Key International Resources You can find other useful resources for your international business development.

More From Cindy

Interested in reading more on my personal opinions and experiences with culture customized content?

CindyKing.biz Customize Your Content For Different Cultures

Read the whole story

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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