● T h e b a c k p a g e: border crossing
Lost in translation
Laurel Delaney recounts some cautionary tales
Any communication or marketing
professional needs cross-cultural research
and communication skills to be able to
succeed in the future
Marye Tharp, marketing professor
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In one country the popular Frank Perdue
Co. slogan, “It takes a tough man to make
a tender chicken,” read in local language
something akin to “It takes a sexually excited
man to make a chicken affectionate.”
Japan's Olfa Corp. sold knives in the
United States with the warning “Caution:
Blade extremely sharp. Keep out of children.”
Or the hotel in notoriously polluted
Mexico City that proclaimed: “The manager
has personally passed all water served here.”
Even this savvy global traveller had
an embarrassing experience once when
presenting a gift to a Japanese businessman.
I had picked up a snack gift pack on the
way to our meeting. The precise number of
snacks in the sleeve was four. I thought this
was an appropriate quantity to enjoy and
share with his colleagues. I didn’t realise
until later that anything boxed or presented
in the quantity of four means death to the
Japanese. Needless to say, I conveyed to him
the “kiss of death” at the very beginning of
our business relationship. I never heard from
him again. Live and learn.
Source: www.globetrade.com
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how To go global
For large- and small-business owners alike, going global
demands a new way of thinking and acting. Here are 10 ways:
1. Discover why going global is important
The potential of overseas markets remains largely untapped.
In the United States, for example, only 10% of all businesses
export, and most export to only one country. Thus, current
exporters could reap higher profits simply by selling to
additional countries.
2. Build your foundations
You have to have a positive attitude and an open mind so
you can develop and indulge in a powerful worldview – your
prerequisite to taking on the world, and your foundation for
starting and running a profitable global business.
3. Map out your global journey
Explore your territory, conduct market research, segment
your product and market, keep yourself on track and create a
thoughtfully crafted strategy that forces you to take action.
4. Develop sales and distribution
Define your cross-border customer. Your objective is to initiate,
cultivate, and maintain productive customer relationships and,
ultimately, build a global empire with customers for life.
5.Make it happen
Congratulations: You’ve got a customer! The next steps I have
labeled the six P’s: Price your product. Prepare a quotation. Pick
a payment method. Pack it up. Put transportation to work. And
plan to document everything.
6. Build your business
The relationship between you and your overseas customer
shouldn’t end with a sale. Once you’ve completed the initial
transaction, expect to provide a broad spectrum of “free”
services to encourage repeat business. I call it the “care and
feeding” of customers, which keeps them coming back.
7. Keep learning
The greater your commitment to expanding your cultural
consciousness, the more comfortably and effectively you will
function within business and social environments beyond your
country’s borders.
8. Create your future
As you take your business into the next decade, you’ll need
to use the Internet to boost your global reach. If you’re not
already online, get connected. You’ll soon be on your way to a
competitive edge in the marketplace.
9. Manifest new frontiers
Over the next five years, trade barriers will continue to fall, and
fresh opportunities will open. Stake a claim to your share of the
action now. Seek out alliances, partnerships, joint ventures and
new markets in economies unlike your own.
10. Reap the rewards of global trade
Global customers are the most demanding customers you will
ever have. To service them, be smarter and produce faster than
Laurel Delaney runs GlobeTrade.com (http://www.globetrade.
com), a Chicago-based global marketing and consulting
company. She can be reached at ldelaney@globetrade.com.