Seekirch/Germany 9/22/2011

First of all ‚Marketing‘ means: Worldwide contacts into market segments, to sales partners and potential clients and should not be mixed with – only – ‚advertising‘ or ‘general PR’.

Target groups and potentials:

Especially small and medium-sized enterprises who want to use the (huge) chances available in international markets for selling their products.

Background (an example; to be easily recalculated for other markets):

With about 80 million inhabitants Germany represents only about 15 % of the whole European population. That means, about 85 % - nearly 6-fold ! – is still available as potential clients for those selling in Germany only, so far.

Depending on the products these will certainly be less, however, it is surely not exaggerated to state that the ‘outer-German’-market (and this only for Europe !) is by far bigger for whatever product than Germany alone.

The world market/s – even if restricted to a certain region – again represent/s a many times richer marketing area, which consequently means that each and every industrial producer should have higher international than national sales. In addition the respective company becomes more resistant against economic fluctuations or recessions, as it is more broadly positioned.

The Way:

The variety of all products and industrial fields doesn’t allow for any ‚ideal‘ way, but in any case a thorough knowledge of markets, market segments, the locally (regionally) possibly available number of potential clients, and possible partners, as well as their mentality/ies is imperative.

These data/details have to be acquired through market researches possibly by adding information with regard to the financial background of parties, import regulations, etc.

When to become active ?

Every entrepreneur wishing to align his company future-oriented should have begun already, or, should do that as soon as possible. This should even be the case if the business figures right now are looking positive, as only anti-cyclical actions will lead to the desired success. Later, when declining trends have come again, which will for sure be the case, when looking into the economic cycles, the financial means needed will possibly not or hardly be available.

Proposed procedure:

A thoroughly elaborated marketing plan (not only including cost for advertising, etc., but e. g. also for trips abroad, participation in exhibitions, etc.), which ‚translates‘ the facts found out into actually reachable targets per market segment, per sales area, per sales partner, etc., remains a daily usable instrument to guide and control all marketing and sales activities – as well as the related cost.

Of course marketing via the Internet is ‚part of the game‘, whereas, depending on the product, social networks, industrial sites as well as industrial catalogs, etc., should be included.

Even if – due to the nature of the products – direct sales via Internet are impossible, a targeted participation in the different places is badly needed, as an American research e. g. has found out that abt. 60 % of industrial buyers first look into the Internet who and what is available in the markets places before a decision is made.

The huge search machine Google has recently made it ‘Panda-update’ which resulted in a better support of websites concentrating on servicing specific market sectors best – by its wording, its set-up, and the relevant content of the pages – which results can be reached shows as an example this site >> marketing-und-vertrieb-international.com/en/success-in-the-internet.htm

The results:

The company

• is more broadly positioned

• realises a better turnover,

• gets more contacts,

• makes a higher profit,

• is more recession resistant and

thus reaches a broader financial basis for additional activities – from research, through development or adjustment of existing products, to further changing markets, and much more.

Michael Richter - International Marketing- and sales consultant - concentrates for more than 35 years on strategic marketing planning as well as marketing and selling of investment goods and long-lasting consumer goods in/to all 5 continents. He offers this knowledge and experience to his worldwide clientele, especially for SMEs

In addition he holds national and international, internal lectures on international marketing matters - especially in/for the European Union.