What a Marketing Consultant Can do for You

June 30, 2011 By Leave a Comment

 

Market segmentation

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Hiring a marketing consultant to help you advertise your business to potential customers can be one of the best investments that you can make. This can remove a lot of the headaches and guesswork  that comes with business marketing.

Marketing consultants have the knowledge, training and resources at their fingertips that help you to target the right customers, do the necessary research and lay out an effective marketing plan. When you meet with the consultant, make sure that you tell them what products you are wanting to focus on and the goals that you have for your business. This information is essential to laying out your marketing strategies. You will also want to discuss the budget that you have for advertising, which will affect what avenues you choose to use.

The consultant will work with you by doing market research that includes focus groups, surveys and samplings of different market segments to find the right customers to focus on. This research will also give you valuable information about the kinds of products and services that are currently in demand. With this knowledge in hand, you can better focus your advertising dollars where they will do the most good.

Your next step will be to choose the kinds of advertising you want to use, whether its in print media, television, radio, online or a combination of several types. This is based on your goals and research that was done, making it easier to reach a specific segment of the population that is most likely to buy your products.

Filed Under: Internet Marketing, Investment Tagged With: , ,

Running a Successful Internet Business

June 2, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Running a successful internet business starts long before you open for business. This type of company requires preparation, knowledge of the market, your product or service and how to effectively market it.

Before you open your internet business, you need to choose a product that you can be passionate about selling. This should be balanced by finding a product that is also in high demand on the market. These two mixed will make for a more successful business. Once you have chosen your product, you need to start considering how to set up your store and how to market your products or services to your customers. There are numerous hosting providers online, some of which also offer an easy to set up storefront service. Compare plans to find the one that is best for you.

When you have your hosting and store ready to set up, consider how to bring traffic to it. Attracting potential buyers to your site is essential to make sales, and knowing where people go online is important. Blogs and social networking sites are some of the best places to start. You can make contact with a wide range of customers who have interests related to your products or services. Interacting with them on these sites can build a positive relationship with them and bring them to your store.

If you unsure how to approach internet marketing, work with a marketing consultant who specializes in this area. This professional can help you to find the best avenues to advertise your store and its products. He or she can also help you to sest up a marketing plan.

Filed Under: Business, Internet Marketing Tagged With: , ,

Why You Should Consider Selling Your Products Internationally

June 1, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Many people who start a small or online business are often hesitant to market and sell their products overseas. This can be a huge opportunity for those who are willing, as you can open up your products and services to the world.

International markets can often bring increased profits and sales as you find potential segments of the international market. Many international customers are willing and ready to buy products sold from the United States, especially if they can find a good deal. The United States Postal Service, Fed Ex, UPS and other carriers have made it easy to handle shipping. Many of them have an online shipping calculator to help you figure postage costs. You can also get deals on certain types of shipping, which can offer saving for you and your customers.

International sales can also open up new product lines and services that you can offer. This will make your business more attractive, versatile and will eventually draw in a wider clientele. You need to be sure that you have a thorough understanding of customs regulations, what paperwork is needed to ship items oversees and any applicable fees. This knowledge can make the international selling process easier and more efficient.

You should also research the types of customers that you will be selling to overseas. This will help you to market your products more effectively and target the right customers. With the right amount of research, knowledge and planning you can effectively sell your products outside of the United States.

Filed Under: General, Investment Tagged With: , ,

How to Acquire an International Company

May 22, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Status of WTO negotiations: members (including...

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Today more than any other time in history, the marketplace is global.  Whether you plan to purchase an international company or expand your current business to reach an international market, the legal complexities expand with each country your business touches. With language, currency, political stability, and jurisdictional laws as complicating factors, an attorney with international business law expertise can bring order out of chaos, allowing you to make informed business decisions.

Product-Based Businesses

A Los Angeles business attorney can determine if the international business you wish to acquire complies with international Incoterms for production and product delivery. International business attorneys are proficient in tariff and international trading procedures. Using the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) as one tool, international attorneys assess the viability of the business you wish to purchase or the expansion of your current business to meet international standards.

Service-Based Businesses

Service-based businesses can deliver international services in four different ways: (1) service provider travels to customer’s country to provide the service; (2) service provider establishes an office in another country; (3) service provider uses the Internet to provide cross-border services; and (4) the international traveler or customer comes to the service provider’s country to purchase services. Each method of providing services must adhere to specific international laws and guidelines as detailed in the World Trade Organization’s General Agreement on Trade and Services (GATS).

While it’s possible for an individual to navigate the treacherous waters of international business acquisition and trade alone, it is time consuming and mistakes are costly. An international business attorney will save you time, and save you money as well.

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A Serious Question About American Fuel Exports

May 15, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Oil Truck at the John F. Kennedy Airport 05/1973

Image by The U.S. National Archives via Flickr

Fuel oil is one of the top 10 American exports. This poses a serious question for those who see oil as the culprit in the nation’s Middle East problems. If the United States has enough fuel to export, why does it need to rely on foreign fuel? That’s a big question that deserves consideration.

The situation is not that simple. First, this export ranking doesn’t distinguish between U.S. owned oil fields and oil fields in the U.S. That makes the equation a little unstable. The other thing that should be noted is that the countries buying U.S. fuel exports are longtime allies. Countries like France, Spain, the Netherlands, and Turkey purchase the products. In a world economy, countries should conduct business with their allies. Today’s world simply isn’t one that can exist within borders. The import/export business is vital to every country’s survival.

The next question would be why it’s fuel oil we transport and not some alternative form of fuel. That’s pretty simple to answer. You can’t package the wind or the sun into a barrel and put it on a ship to Europe. Not all countries have the natural resources provided by vast land masses full of nothing but wind and sun. All fuels provide the “food” needed to produce electricity, but electricity is an “on demand” resource. It really can’t be stored, so wind and sun are pretty much non-storable. At least oil and coal can be warehoused. These are not simple questions with simple answer, but it’s important that people understand how oil exports work.

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Marketing Safety in Progresso, Mexico

May 9, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Mexican States with conflicts

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There’s one little town on the Texas and Mexico border that seems to have escaped the violence and mayhem of the Mexican drug cartels. It’s the sleepy little one road town of Nuevo Progreso. The businesses have been there for years, and they’re run by families that befriend the locals from the U.S. side of the river. However, in recent years, those businesses are drying up. Americans are afraid to cross the border.

Certainly, the drug gangs could arrive at any minute, but for the time being, there doesn’t seem to be anything that interests them, so tourists can feel pretty safe if they take a day trip into this little Mexican burg of private enterprise. The challenge is marketing safety in Nuevo Progreso. Short of Americans making the trip and then reporting that the place is safe, there seems to be little these hard working people can do.

An internet presence would be a big help. Daily blogs about activities in Progreso could ease fears. Even a website that reports police activity would help. Testimonials from satisfied tourists would be a great marketing boost. The bordering American communities could certainly get in on the action. Tourists need to buy gas and rent hotel rooms. They’ll also probably eat a meal or two in the States. Taxi service to the border could benefit from a positive marketing campaign, too. No one needs to drive to Progreso. It’s so small that most simply park and walk across the bridge. There are definitely federal agents present, but not in a number that indicates anyone should ignore this pleasant little Mexican border town.

Filed Under: Internet Marketing Tagged With: , ,
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