International Business

Are you someone your customers can always count on? I live in Los Angeles, and people love to make fun of us by calling us flakes. There is nothing worse in business than someone who is unreliable and unprofessional.

Operate Your Business by Observing The Golden Rule

Do unto others as they would do unto you.

Do you have a problem with showing up on time? Are you difficult to get a hold of? Do you have a professional voice mail message? Do you honor your agreements or disappear into the wind, if you cannot afford something?

Each time you make a flaky move, you lose potential customers. Get your systems in place, and do not hesitate to delegate or get help.

The Fortune is in the Follow-Up

You cannot just go out, network, and then expect business to automatically come to you. You must follow up numerous times to obtain results. This does not mean you have to be pushy and obnoxious. It takes 7-12 touches before a prospect will typically make a decision. Follow up 24-48 hours after your initial contact via email, the phone, a greeting card or at a get to know you appointment. If you wait any later, you may as well kiss your prospect goodbye because they will be essentially dead in the water.

Become a Master at Practicing Appreciation

Let the people you meet know you are truly interested in them, and always thank them immediately for making the effort to connect with you. Find a system to follow up that works with your personality, and is easy to implement. Again, if you are overwhelmed with follow up, you will save and make more money, by getting the help you need to succeed.

Forgive Yourself if You Mess Up

Even the most organized person will make a mistake, forget an appointment, or call someone by the wrong name. Don’t beat yourself up. A little humor goes a long way. If you make a faux pas, redeem yourself quickly. Send a note or a coffee card. We are all human after all.

True story: a well-connected coach and career development expert volunteered her services at a large career fair. During the event, she worked with 26 job seekers individually and talked to maybe seven more.

Each person she met took her card, and many scribbled notes on the back. The expert also offered several an introduction to someone who could further their job search – if they’d just email her to get the ball rolling.

You probably see where this story is going. Five days later, only two people had followed up. Even more painful – a friend in the expert’s network had an opening perfect for one of the seekers. But the seeker had no card and hadn’t followed up. Opportunity missed. Ouch.

Why do we fail to follow-up, especially when it’s in our best interest? In an informal survey of friends and clients, here are the top excuses I heard:

1. “I didn’t have time.”
Sure, we’re all busy (or at least appear to be – see my article “Breaking the Busy Bias). But if you’re investing your time, energy and money in a professional event like a conference, business meeting, or career fair, why wouldn’t you make sure that investment pays off by following up on connections you’ve made?

Here’s a tip to make sure you have time. When you mark a meeting or event on your calendar, also block out another 5-10 minutes the day after for follow-up. Or, keep a running list of follow-ups (or a dedicated pocket for business cards/slips of paper reminders) and schedule time to handle all of them at once.

Short emails can take minutes. Phone calls usually pop to voicemail, which, when most effective, are brief, too. Even a written thank-you takes ten minutes max, especially if you keep note cards and stamps on hand. So you’ve got the time – now just use it.

2. “I wasn’t sure what to do/write/say.”
Every business card represents a real live person. Would you be so clueless if you were still standing face-to-face with them? Probably not.

Start with the basics. “It was great to meet you” is certainly appropriate.”Thanks for your time” works for all, as does “I hope you enjoyed the [place-we-met].” “I’d like to stay in touch” is good – especially if you do!!

(Remember that a great stay-in-touch mechanism is LinkedIn! But rather than sending its pre-populated message “I’d like to invite….” take a second to customize your request: “Great to meet you Tuesday at the Hoo-Ya Conference! I’d like to invite… “)

Most importantly, if there was an action or opportunity you really want to keep alive, remind them of it. Unless you’re incredibly memorable, don’t assume they can recall everything they’ve said to everyone (for example, the expert above met over 30 people in one day.) A reminder is not a criticism. Then make it easy to move forward by suggesting a specific next step – a call or a coffee are safe bets.

3. “I don’t want to seem pushy/desperate/needy.”
Why do you care? Seriously, we tend to guess how people are going to judge us before we actually give them the chance to!

In a world increasingly longing to connect, many people are more than willing to help when asked, to introduce others to their colleagues, and to turn a new acquaintance into a friend.

In fact, the expert described above, like many professionals today, is committed to supporting and connecting others, especially in our tough economic environment. So while you might think your request is pushy, your connection, like this expert, might value the opportunity to serve.

4. “No one followed up with me – why should I?”
Yes, even if you are a follow-up rockstar, it’s the sad truth that others are not. (Duh – that’s why this article is here!) Don’t dumb-down your strength based on what others do. Follow-up efforts make you stand out – and others sit up and take notice.

The story above has a happy ending for one job seeker who did follow-up. The expert (okay, it was me) immediately connected the seeker to a colleague in her industry who was happy to share insights and leads. For the cost of the seeker’s short, 50-word email ($0, three minutes max), she created a fresh connection to new possibilities. Now that’s a return on investment!!

An elevator speech is your chance to grab attention as a business.

The bad news is:

1. You have very little time (you need to make an impact in 10 seconds) to make a great first impression
2. Most elevator speeches sound the same
3. Your audience is only vaguely interested in what you do at best

So why bother? Well, if you accept these difficulties are real, when you have a GREAT elevator speech you will generate great interest because it is so rare.

However you need to aware of the biggest single mistake most business owners make that plays into the hands of these 3 items of bad news: They waste time talking about irrelevancies that only matter to them.

That might sound harsh. it is not done deliberately but often times business owners, sales people etc. will waste that first 10 seconds with statements like:

“My name is Joe from Acme Inc. I wasn’t expecting to have to give my introduction today and I have only been with the company a few weeks so I am still learning. This is the first time I have……….etc. etc.”

“I am Joe from Acme Inc and we are a full service, customer driven XYZ company that is based on the corner of 55th and Main. We have been in the city for 50 years, in fact we just had our 50th anniversary celebration last week”

“I’m Joe from Acme, and we are so excited that we just had our best Quarter ever! Even in this economy we are growing rapidly and we just opened up a couple of new offices in the north of the city”

Two things are a problem here:

a) Most people don’t care – again, sorry if that sounds harsh but they don’t. They have their own issues to deal with: not enough clients, clients leaving, the recession, HR issues, Marital issues, their dog has just run away – anything. They need to know you are a possible solution to those problems, not how long you have been in business

b) Everyone else says the same type of thing – listen the next time you go to a networking meeting. The above examples are exaggerations for effect, but not by much. Listening to the 10th person tell you how long the company has been around is boring and not worth paying attention to.

The solution?

Be ready – you NEVER know when you will have to give your elevator speech. Be prepared to do so at any time

Ruthlessly cut out stuff about you and your company – focus on your ideal client. After you give your name tell the listener(s) who you help and what problems you solve for them.

Stop talking – once you have delivered that message you are done. If you have up to 30 seconds you can expand a little but make sure you get your first 10 seconds down.

If you’ve lost your job in the last year, you don’t need statistics to tell you that it is taking longer than ever to find a new one. In June of 2009, the Wall Street Journal reported that the average job seeker was unemployed for 24 weeks, the longest recorded since the government began tracking it in 1948. Now – in October 2010 – that number has increased to 34 weeks or 8 ½ months.

If you’ve just lost your job, or you’re a long-term job seeker, you’ve got to use networking in your search. It may not be the only or best tool, but it certainly will increase your chances. And that could mean a much shorter search.

It’s estimated that 50 to 80% of jobs aren’t advertised. They are either posted internally or the company uses word of mouth in their industry, from their employees, or through the business network to find employment. In other words – they are activating their networks to find their next employee. If you’re not actively seeking to build a network, or you’re not working the network that you have, then you are effectively cutting in half the number of jobs that you are able to apply for. There are too few jobs with too many qualified candidates for you to miss out on such an important segment of opportunities.

Networking is also important for job seekers who find their jobs in the traditional way, i.e. responding to an ad. You can find out if you’ve got a connection in common with the person doing the hiring. Then ask that person if they’ll put in a good word for you. Many references that are listed don’t get called, but a good reference personally made by someone close to the employer could be the edge that gets you the job.

There is one final reason why networking is important for the unemployed. And it could be the most important. Many studies have been done showing that socializing can be good for your health. It’s vital to watch out when you’re in the stressful situation of long-term unemployment. Networking can put you into contact with people who are positive and upbeat. Their attitude will uplift you, which is beneficial even if for a short time. Additionally, this is time spend moving forward and taking action toward finding a job. Action is a great way to relieve stress and lift your mood.

If you’re in a job search and looking for employment, consider networking to be one of your most important tools. It will help you find more opportunities, get an edge for the job and it will help you stay strong through the process.

You are in a business meeting or perhaps at a networking round table. Maybe you ARE actually in an elevator (or lift if you are England) when someone asks you: “So, what do you do?”

It’s an inevitable question. Sometimes it is formalized, often it is one of the first things you are asked when you meet someone for the first time. This is the chance for you to give your elevator speech. But what IS an elevator speech? Surely it isn’t rehearsed, word perfect speech or monologue? How did it get it’s name in the first place and do you really need one?

The Elevator Ride – Ok, I know it’s a cliche but the term “elevator speech” comes from it’s close cousin “elevator pitch”. The idea stems from the fact that a typical elevator trip is perhaps 30 seconds to a minute in length. I know some are longer and some shorter but you get the idea. Furthermore, chances are that some of those elevator rides will allow a short conversation to take place. Again, I know that many of us would rather not talk to strangers in an elevator but assume for a minute you are asked the “what do you do?” question.

You have a short time to engage and grab the attention of the other person by succinctly explaining what you do in a way that gets them to want to know more. In the case of an elevator pitch this is likely made to someone who might be interested in investing in your business idea.

In any event, assume you only have the time it takes from elevator doors closing, to doors opening. You need to be able to get the message across in that time.

Real Life – although there are probably very few occasions you will be in this situation, it pays to learn from the analogy. You have 10 to 30 second to grab attention. That’s it! You may not think what you say is an elevator speech but it most certainly is. If you chose not to use that terminology and prefer 30 second introduction, or 30 second infomercial that’s fine, but the goal is the same.

So, how do you get that attention in such a short time?

1. Avoid time wasting detail - stick to your name, company name as an intro. “My name is……. from company X” is fine and you’ve already used a few seconds.
2. Tell them who you work with - “I/we help (this type of client)
3. Client problems you solve – “who have (this type of problem)

That is all you need. It will be enough to get attention and before the elevator doors open you stand a good chance of being asked for more information or even getting a business card.

Keep your focus on what you are trying to do – get that expression of interest. You are not in an elevator that takes 3 minutes to travel from the first floor to the 10th floor – you do not have time for lengthy anecdotes and explanations. The analogy works, even if it is cliched!

There are a lot of different ways that business owners can build social equity online. I want to share with you some of the best ways to build social equity online.

Utilize social sites like Facebook, twitter, Squidoo, Hubpages, and Dropjack to not only meet business owners and aficionados in your industry, but also to display your own brand, ideas, and products. To be effective, find out what your competition is doing by following what they are promoting or writing about in places like EzineArticles.com and Wikipedia.

There are hundreds of social media and social media marketing sites that can help you connect with virtually every industry.

Garrett Pierson’s “Building Social Equity” will give you all the information you need to not only view what others in your arena are doing, or planning to do, but it will also teach you how to share with the rest of the world what you are doing and planning to do. A Facebook fan page, for example, can create a ton of positive social awareness. Have a campaign that is entertaining to your demographics and you will be successful.

Remember, in social media marketing, it is more about building loyal owner/consumer relationship that want to buy what you are selling because they know you and feel comfortable with you, than it is for you to use a social media site to try to sell them something. Use pages on your own website for selling your products and services!

Once you understand how to build social equity, through Garrett’s compact yet comprehensive guide to understanding and utilizing social media sites for industry awareness and to promote your ideology and mission, you will have online consumers anxiously clicking on the link that will take them to your website.

Remember, if you are a business owner, one of the best ways to build social equity is to utilize social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Squidoo, and social media marketing sites like Meetup and LinkedIn. This is accomplished by learning what others in your field know, do, and plan. It is also about making a name for yourself by sharing your thoughts with the online world. Be patient, make friends. The sales will come naturally after the level of trust between the consumer and the business owner is sufficiently high.

Whether you are just starting to build your network or if you’ve been connecting with people in your industry for several years, you could probably benefit from a mentor to help you improve and expand your business networking.

A mentor is someone you trust who is wiser and more experienced in an area of interest to you. They also can be someone who is influential and willing to support you. This is a perfect relationship for someone who is serious about their networking. The very definition of mentoring requires you to engage in the basics of networking by seeking out, meeting, and asking for staying connected in the relationship. It’s a bit ironic that if you are just starting out in networking, you may not have the self-confidence or the range of connections that will help you find a mentor. That is a subject for an entire article on its own, but here’s a hint: join your local chamber of commerce.

Finding a mentor can be as simple as attending networking events and looking for people who attend a wide variety of events and who seem to know a lot of people. Ask for a coffee meeting for the purpose of talking about their networking strategy. You’ll know you’ve found the right person when they are enthusiastic about talking on the subject.

I suggest outright asking them if they would be willing to mentor you in networking. Very few people are ever asked to do that. It’s incredibly flattering to be respected and appreciated for your knowledge on a topic. Their only hesitation might be the time involved. Let them know very specifically what you are asking for. I recommend one or two coffee meetings per month at the most and perhaps a follow-up email or phone call per week. Reassure them that you will be very respectful of their time. They are mentoring, not completely training you.

You should also attend one or two of the same networking events as your mentor. That way you can watch them “in action.” They should also be willing to introduce you to some of their contacts (but not as their “mentee” – that sounds funny!).

At some point, the student may become the master. As you develop your own contacts and learn about different networking opportunities, be sure to share them with your mentor. They’ve given you their best advice with perhaps no thought of the return to them, so be sure to give back to them as much as possible.

A worldwide courier can really help you build a solid reputation and contribute to the success of your business. How your customer perceives your overall service is often paramount to the goods that you offer. In other words, you can sell the greatest product in the world with the latest technology but if that product is not delivered to your customer within the promised time frame of delivery, your business will not be viewed positively. It will not reach its full potential without a reputable global shipper handling your deliveries.

A Direct Tie-In

If your business cannot rely on an international shipper to pick up your goods at a specified time, it stands to reason that you also cannot trust that the goods will be delivered to your customers in a timely manner. It is important that you choose a courier with a proven track record of delivery success or your business will flounder, trying to maintain a competitive foothold in your given industry.

Using a worldwide courier on a test basis, it is important that you receive not only excellent customer service but also prompt delivery of your goods – at the promised time. Voice to them what you expect out of them and express your concerns as well. A reputable global shipper will listen to you and prove themselves by reliable delivery time and time again.

Domino Effect

When your business cannot get the products into the hands of your customers at the promised delivery time, you can expect negative feedback. Thanks to the internet, there are likely a number of open forums where your customers can express their poor service by your company. And everyone knows that bad news travels much faster than good news.

In addition to negative feedback reflecting on your company, your customers may also express their displeasure by returning the product or even delaying payment. If multiple customers experience lags in product delivery time, this can ultimately hurt your financial bottom line. Therefore, it is plain to see that a courier with an excellent network of shipping contacts worldwide is important to find. Your business simply would not be able to survive without one.

Whether your customers are just a few towns over, across the country or halfway around the globe, a worldwide courier with great delivery service times is essential to the success of your business. When your goods reach your customers on time or even earlier than promised, your business looks good. These happy customers will spread the word about your business and soon enough, this word of mouth translates into new paying customers.

It is much easier these days for companies to go global and start selling their products to other countries. Indeed, if you are looking to expand your company’s horizons then it is one of the first things you should consider. The internet means that generating a presence in another country is now an awful lot easier than it used to be and so some of the barriers to entry that used to be there for companies looking to move into new markets no longer exist.

There are also government initiatives that have been set up specifically to help companies that are looking to expand overseas. One such organisation is UK Trade and Investment which is there to help British businesses trade internationally and start exporting their products to other countries. There is financial assistance available as well as an advisory service so you are sure to get as much help as possible when it comes to establishing your first overseas operation.

If you are looking to start shipping your company’s products over to other countries then one thing you need to think about carefully is exactly how you’re going to get your items across. The route that many companies take is to send their consignments with a reputable online parcel delivery service. The leading firms in the industry are highly experienced in helping firms to find the right international courier services to fit in with their needs. Not only can you be sure of getting the best services available by going through an online company, but you’ll also be in a position to find the best value services.

There are a number of other benefits to shipping via an internet service, including functions such as satellite tracking which are made available to you at no extra charge. This is one service that can be invaluable to companies sending packages or consignments to clients over in other countries as it enables you to keep a close eye on the progress that your package is making. If a client asks when their parcel will arrive then you will be able to give them answer that is accurate and informed.

Why not take your business to the next level by looking into the possibility of shipping to a new country.

For the parcel collection, you no need to call them or inform them in form; just the few clicks from your system will allow you to book the parcel collection from your place itself. Here the parcel collections are done through DHL provides the service to the world wide destinations to deliver the goods. The goods that are delivering will be calculated based on the heights and the dimensional weights the package is. Minimum sizes of the packages can be start from 270 centimeters in width and 330 cm in length.

Optional services are also available with some of the optional services that should be insured or covered when the package is missed and this carries the value of 1.5 percent of the goods. Except the few days the collections of service are specified with the postcode customer service. This information’s are accessible through the postal fee for Saturday and Sunday collections.

Arranging the parcel collections should be perfect and so we can track the parcel easily in case of item lost or damaged. Even though they offered with the wider services and information the suggested best way is to note down to avoid the delay in delivery. Applying through online makes sense, faster, much reliable, discounting prize, lower credit card charges and holding the larger accounts.

Online companies are offering the low prices and much discounted prizes when compared to the normal way of courier services, since many of the pickup guys will be available to pick the Parcel collection to save you the time and the services. Just inform the place where they are suppose to come and collect the package this can be either with your home or the office. They will do it for you and to validate your services and integrity.

Many parcel collection do possess the number to call in instead they will have the online form to fill in and submit it through online. This helps them to well balance with the time and date effectively to pick the parcel with the confirmed destiny. For home parcel collection the parcel collector will come from the date you have registered with the collection and for the business, these guys will come and collect the parcel in the next two hours to make the services more ideal. For collection the charges are not absolutely applicable, once you hit the submit button with the information associated with the pickup they will upload the confirmation number on the web to keep tracking them even after the pickup. Helps you to identify and track them till the package reaches the desired destiny. This process never fails and runs smoothly, cordially and efficiently to ensure the collection process ends.