What is Export marketing?

A successful export manager recently told me that many years ago he made an overseas business trip to a major country in Asia. As an afterthought, he decided to stop by a small country that he had never visited before. Much to his surprise, he was able to develop a reasonable amount of business developed from his side trip that continues even today.

Exporting is the most traditional and well-established form of market entry strategies. Simply stated, exporting refers to the marketing of goods produced in one country into another. While exporting requires no direct manufacturing in a foreign country, successful exporting warrants a need for significant investments in marketing-related initiatives. Done right it can be an expensive but lucrative proposition.

Imagine for a moment that the dress shirt you are wearing today was actually produced for a large upscale retailer in the United States by a mega company based in Hong Kong (China). On further research you find that the shirt was actually manufactured in Singapore with fabric from Pakistan and buttons from Japan. Better still, it could have been manufactured in any of 25 countries where this Hong Kong-based company has branches. This is a truly global shirt that has probably traveled farther than many of us involved in international trade.

Isn’t it remarkable how social media has enriched our professional lives? From the comfort of our desk chair, we can find new customers, learn from experts, keep current on industry trends, and network with other exporters.

I’ve shared with you my essential LinkedIn groups for exporters, and now I want to let you know about several of my favorite Twitter accounts to follow. I’ve identified (in alphabetical order) the top 11 export thought leaders you should follow on Twitter. Their tweets offer insightful, practical ways to improve your export knowledge, learn more about export regulations, and stay up-to-date with trade initiatives.

How often do you pass out business cards? Those ubiquitous 3.5-by-2-inch pieces of paper are becoming more and more rare—the internet has made it easy for people in any country and in any industry to network while in their pajamas.

Thanks to online professional networks like LinkedIn, exporters can reach out to customers, find new markets, converse with industry peers, and even get answers to the toughest export-related questions… all without even speaking a word!

Here are 13 essential LinkedIn groups you can use to network, increase your knowledge, and interact with customers.

The sales team can be your biggest ally and supporter when communicating with your international customer. However, your sales team may not know about changing compliance issues or the fines and penalties that may face your firm if compliance is not a part of their day-to-day activities.

When I meet with new clients, I normally review their current international marketing and operations. Oftentimes I find the same core issues that hold companies back from reaching their potential.

Here is what I find:

Many companies begin their journey into international markets through country representatives or distributors. Oftentimes these representatives seek out your company at trade shows or online and approach staff with offers to represent your products in their home country.

Most companies realize that there are many international markets where they can export their products and services. But to maximize sales in another market, there are different requirements and expectations from customers. The question is:

How much should you change your product for export markets?