Global Trade Base Trends
April 15, 2009 - Open Invitation - Patrick Donnell, President.
- It has been no secret that smaller companies who have never been exposed to the international business arena are skeptical as to the strategic rewards from penetrating those markets. There is not much difference in scale and scope internationally when it is compared to getting products put into nationally recognized outlets. Most of the small to medium size companies do not have the resources to target those clients let alone the relationships to be taken seriously.
- Internationally, there is an advantage to getting product into these venues. While the selection process is critical for product marketability, our thirteen point evaluation will determine if there is a propensity for business opportunity abroad. Rest assured that we will not represent products that have no possiblity of selling overseas regardless whether a domestic client is willing to pay to retain our services.
- There has also been some confusion regarding what our retainer fee is including. Please do not mistakenly compare it to a marketing fee. Most assuredly that is not the case. While there is an expense sharing process to get the product represented in multiple countries at a time, there are many examples of represented products that have hundreds of hours of GTB staff time getting the product ready to be imported. These negotiations, label changes, government coordination, transportation arrangements, international payment experience and other functions take a tremendous amount of time. Every client who has had products represented abroad at this level definitely would not want us billing by the hour for our expertise.
- There has also been some recent questions about why we are so stringent in standing by our nondisclosure agreements. Simply put, we abide by all signed agreements and question the integrity of any potential client who challenges us to disavow our legal commitment in those documents. Asking for a domestic reference is a great sign of inexperience within the international trade arena. Most of the time we have to educate the potential client to know what questions to ask. Demand to see a third party international reference. Something that had to be evaluated and qualified prior to issuing. Do not trust any verbal reference from a third party just to be comfortable in making a strategic business decision. There is no surer way to fall victim to a scam.
- The easiest and most professional way we can address each and every question that a potential client may have is this. Schedule a time and come visit our Corporate Headquarters. Tour our facility and meet the staff. See the operations first hand. Get into strategic discussions about why we are opening offices in Northern Europe, Asia and South America. Examine our internal studio where we develop professional marketing materials. Walk through the showcase room and see representation of products from the hundreds of represented clients. This will alleviate all questions and concerns.