OUR WEBLOG: EXCERPTS OF EXPORTS

Tuesday, September 04, 2007

Fingers Crossed - Part II

Well, I did say fingers crossed. Further I said if all goes well technology-wise, I would provide a video of my trip to Toronto. But you have to have the technology to be able to use it. I left my Treo in the lobby of the hotel and it immediately disappeared. (Thank goodness for insurance although the replacement I received yesterday did not work. I am waiting for my replacement’s replacement and am feeling very disconnected). But while the managers of the stores we toured welcomed us, taking any sort of pictures or videos was verboten. So I guess my losing my Treo from the standpoint of taking a video was a moot point.

Anyway the trip was great. We had tours of all levels of markets and met with their representatives. There is nothing like on-site visits to determine shelf space, placement and positioning. Pricing, labeling and portion sizes are also better understood “in person”. Toronto is a very cosmopolitan city with large ethnic communities. Canadians have sophisticated tastes and are looking for different products. Now is a great time to promote specialty food items to Canada. Hypermarkets are moving into Canada and supermarkets want to maintain their market share. Thus they are looking for new products to keep existing customers and entice new ones.

This is a delicious job and great fun. Not only did I travel to one of the best cities in the world, I sampled and pigged out on mouth watering food and wine. Aah, can it get any better than this.

Thursday, August 02, 2007

Websites, Marketing Materials and Global Audiences

Clients ask me about their websites as an international marketing tool. Since websites bring orders and inquiries outside the U.S. it is important that you design your site and your marketing materials with a universal message and eye.

Frank Luntz dedicated his book, Words that Work, to Americans but his message is global:

1. Small words.
2. Short sentences.
3. Alliteration is good.

(Notice how I did that so far in this post.) My tagline, experts in exports, incorporates all three.

Other things to consider are color, logo and verbiage:

1. My colors are shades of yellow and red; colors that are universally accepted.
2. While my logo was a defined globe, I changed it to one less obvious.
    I also incorporated it in my company name. Less clutter.
3. Use as little verbiage, unless it is technical information, as possible.
    There is less to translate and less opportunity for the wrong message.
    Don’t even try a play on words; it usually doesn’t work.
4. Pictures are good. You know what they say about pictures.

In updating your website or collateral materials, look at it with a universal eye and incorporate a universal message. Once you have done this, you won’t view your company or your marketing from a local perspective again.

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