often meet local business owners who say they want more international business but aren’t doing anything about it. When I ask them why they aren’t taking any actions to actually get more international clients there are basically two reactions:
* They insist they are doing all they can
* They make excuses based on potential barriers in the future
And yet, if the desire for international business expansion is real enough all it takes is setting up a simple action plan and repeating it until you get the answers you need.
This takes little time.
A persistent effort is all you need.
With curiosity.
Curiosity means questions.
Persistently ask questions. Don’t keep your questions to yourself. Look up and around you, ask questions all around. And follow up on the responses you get to ask more questions.
If you don’t get any response, look further afield, try changing your communication channels. Use the phone first, email, write a letter, go to places where you might find someone who can answer your questions, or who knows someone who can.
And then continue to ask questions.
Soon you will find the right person, or persons, to give you the answers to your questions. Maybe one answer at first, but the answers are out there.
This is business networking. This is market research in the field. And it works. As you continue to ask questions and talk to different people you will find the answers to all of the barriers you encounter along the way.
Small businesses or online businesses do not often take the time to set up a simple action plan to get more international clients.
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Cindy King is a Cross-Cultural eMarketer & International Sales Specialist, aligning businesses with different cultures. She has over 25 years field experience in international business development and helps mid-sized business owners create international business development strategies that shorten time to profitability.
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