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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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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The Two Biggest Barriers To International Marketing

I often see two barriers to effective international marketing.  The barrier usually depends on the size of the company.

Small And Very Small Companies

Most of the small companies do not really have a marketing strategy.  They assume international marketing is a website.

And occasionally, if they realize this is not enough, they look for specific internet tactics to find the right solution.

Larger Companies

What happens here is inaction.

I have come across different excuses for the inaction, but inaction is the main barrier to establishing an effective international marketing strategy.

Company Centered Barriers

Now if you talk to company executives who are struggling with their international business development, you will often hear market-centered excuses.

• Language barriers
• Market differences
• No market for our products

…that sort of thing.

They focus on perceived market-centered barriers.

Now, let’s go back…

Have a closer look at the two barriers I gave earlier:

• No real marketing strategy
• Inaction

These are company-centered barriers.

International Marketing Gives You The Answers

In order to develop your business abroad you absolutely need to understand each of your international markets.

If you think you can target one broad international audience without digging deeper into each specific country and culture, have a look at these two articles:

• 5 Traditional Marketing Steps To Become An International Business
• The 7 Traditional Paths To International Business Development

Review these with your own business and then read this:

• Why Selling To Everyone Is Too Expensive

In international business development your international marketing gives you information you need to make your overall strategy.

Even when you use preliminary market research to guide your international business expansion, you will still need to rely very heavily on your international marketing.

International marketing performs two important tasks.  It gives you the information you need to:

• Make the best decisions for your overall business strategies.
• Find out how each of your foreign markets wants to be sold to.

A Real International Marketing Strategy

Marketing is about communicating with your market. You aim for a two way relationship to make sales.  International marketing is the same, but with international markets.

Imagine giving a speech to a huge crowd of people.  That is what you do on the web.

You can create a two-way relationship with one communication for a large crowd…

…if the crowd of people you are talking to has something in common, with you and with themselves.

But international markets are made up of several different countries and cultures.  This crowd of people is already different.

Action

No matter how great your international business strategy is, you need to put it into action for it to work.

Remember…

• International marketing will give you vital feedback for the success of your international expansion.
• International marketing is authentic interaction with each of your foreign markets.

Many larger companies get caught up into inaction, because every department head wants to control the strategy.

This gives an interesting twist the problem.  Instead of one person speaking to a crowd, you have a crowd speaking to a crowd.

…Now just how do you expect to create authentic communication with people you do not understand in the first place?

Of course, you can say that big companies do this.  Big companies also have big budgets, they can afford expensive mistakes.

Getting Beyond The Barriers

Without any real international marketing strategy and without taking action, your dreams of an international business will never get off the ground.

In today’s North American business world, I often think businesses complicate things.

International business is most successful when it is kept simple.

You have something to sell.  You just need to know:

• How your buyer wants it
• Why he wants it
• Where he wants it
• How he wants to be sold
• Where he wants to be sold
• When he wants to be sold

These are the same basic questions you need to answer for your domestic market. Luckily for your domestic market, you probably know most of the answers to these questions.  And if you don’t it is easy for you to make an educated guess, or carry out a little market research with fast and accurate results.

International markets make this a little harder because you do not have the answers to any of these questions.  The smallest assumptions can jeopardize the success of your international strategy.

The solution is an easy…

• Start with a clean slate.
• Methodically use your international marketing for your international market research.
• Cross-research your results.
• Regularly revaluate your strategy.

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First New Products For International Markets

If this is your first foray into international business development, you might wonder whether you should develop a new product.

Do you feel there is no international market potential for your current products?

Remember, your first priority is to get to know your specific foreign markets.

When you understand your foreign markets you will be in a better position to know how to sell to them. You will know what they want.

Only then should you think about heavy investments in creating a new product.

It is easier to start with one product, and learn how to adapt it to different cultures.

Instead of starting with a product you should do something else first. In fact you need to answer two questions.

First sit back and review your current expertise.

• What is your current expertise? What do you know how to do well?

This expertise is probably also valuable outside of your current marketplace.

The next appropriate question to ask is:

• How does your foreign market what to receive your expertise?

Answer this question and you will have a good idea what sort of product to sell to that market. You will also know how to craft the best offer you can to develop each of your international markets.

But it is not always easy to figure out how your foreign markets want to receive your expertise. It requires in the field market research.

This is why you should look at first selling:

• What you already have
• Or an easy to create information product to leverage the advantages of the web

With the direct sales experience in different specific foreign markets you will be able to make better decisions before incurring any real expenses.

It is best to leave creating brand new products specifically targeted to international markets for when you have gained enough market knowledge.

Please have another look at the 5 basic steps in international marketing.

And, if I have not dissuaded you, and you are still tempted to develop a new product, here are a few guidelines to start with:

• Don’t reinvent the wheel.
• Don’t try to make products that others are already making very well.
• Focus on what you do best.
• Outsource everything else.

Read the whole story

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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.

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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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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.

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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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