 1. Get a company-wide commitment. "Every employee is a vital member of the international team, from customer service through engineering, purchasing, production, and shipping."
2. Research and map out your export journey.
3. Know where you want to go and go there.
4. Take that decisive step and follow it up with sensible judgment. Jump in with both feet first, but keep them firmly planted on the ground.
5. Keep your ego in check. Don't let the prospect of "going global" inflate your ego and cause misjudgments.
6. If it smells, looks, or feels bad, don't try to rationalize otherwise. Trust your instincts.
7. Treat people as you yourself want to be treated. "People are basically the same worldwide; it doesn't matter where you are. Awareness and respect of cultural protocol demonstrates honesty and goodwill, and this leads to trust, which in turn leads to mutually profitable relationships."
8. Make personal contact with attentiveness, courtesy, professionalism, and consistency. "In-person visits are vital to building a relationship with rapport."
9. Factor in a three-year lead-time for world market penetration. It takes time and patience.
10. In a global marketplace, welcome the unknown. "Don't let the prospect of the unknown frighten you. Rather, learn to welcome it, take it apart piece by piece, and then slowly digest it all. The rewards can be great." |
