Before Entering the U.S. Market
Companies entering the U.S. Market will benefit from laying the ground work before they have Sales Reps in their territories. A company that is not known has to generate all its prospects by cold calling or direct mail (digital or traditional). Getting the company known ahead of time so inquiries can come in without cold calling will both accelerate revenue and increase revenue per Sales Rep.
Laying the groundwork from the home country is challenging and can be costly. Understanding the U.S. market in all its culture specific ways is essential to developing a good plan and nearly impossible to do from outside the U.S. As in most new activities, the company will also find itself drawn back to home-centered regular activities. When it is time to implement the plan, the time difference and distance will increase costs.
Our experience working for non-US firms has made us aware of the things that Americans take for granted that surprise foreigners, whether they fall in the category of interpersonal issues or “how the world works”. We use these insights to translate the new markets for our clients and keep them out of traditional mine fields. As some of us have spent half their life abroad and all have worked in multiple global companies, our experience is both high level and detailed.
The Pre-Market Entry Plan
With our Pre-Market Entry Plan, you will get:
- Name recognition
- Product awareness
- Brand projection (your strengths communicated)
- A projected presence in the U.S.
In developing your plan, we select the most appropriate tools for your situation from a wide panoply. For example, we use different tools if you are the low cost producer than if your strength is technical expertise. We consider who makes the buying decision: an engineer, a buyer or a manager or leader and his demographic characteristics.
The market segments in which you are selling have a large impact on the Pre-Market Entry activities through the market “personality” (embracing change or conservative) and through timing. Most markets, for example, have key trade shows and topical issues for their trade magazines. Missing those opportunities makes getting known much more difficult.
How Long in Advance of Market Entry Should You Start?
Consider that most tradeshows and conferences require paper submission one year in advance and that some shows occur only every two years. Most editorial calendars are set one year in advance. Starting to plan 3 years in advance of actual market entry is not too early as the key trade show may have just taken place. Implementing the plan 2 years in advance is probably adequate in most circumstances.
If you would like to discuss how a Pre-Market Entry Plan will benefit you, please This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .