Free Excerpt from World Business
Resources.com by Garrett Wasny
CHAPTER ONE: BORDER BUSTER TOOLKIT
CYBER-STRATEGY
Change the Frequency. According to Michael Goldberg, a Vancouver economist, global executives need to change from an "AM" frequency to an "FM" frequency when filtering information about the world marketplace. AM refers to traditional economic measurements such as manufacturing output and merchandise exports. While valuable for tracking resource and goods-producing firms, these AM channels are not good at monitoring FM transmissions such as Internet business and service industries. On AM stations, these FM signals cannot be seen or tracked by normal customs and statistical procedures. Lesson: switch from an AM to FM transmission, and tune in the new and exploding cyber-business channels.
Survey the Surveys. Three excellent sources for tracking Internet trends are CyberAtlas, NUA Internet Surveys and Internet World. All offer breaking news and statistics on cyber developments around the world.
Quiz Show. Is your organization export ready? Find out at Assessment of Your Export Readiness, an interactive quizzes that test your level of export preparedness based on management commitment, competitiveness, and other variables.
Center the Web. New to e-commerce and don't know where to start? Visit the Web Marketing Info Center for hundreds of free introductory articles and a free, monthly e-mail newsletter on Internet business. This is a must-see resource for any businessperson new to the web.
Cover the World. Need some help developing a global web strategy for your business? Marketing Internationally Via the Web and Global Online Marketing Center offer dozens of case studies and tutorials on selling online to world markets.
Foreign Service. Exporting a service? Take a World View provides a 12 step guide to exporting consulting, construction, engineering, architectural and other services. Modules include acquiring export skills, operating abroad, and expanding into new markets.
Master Plan. Developing an export business plan? Review International Business Plan and Creating an International Business Plan. Both provide free export plan writing tips and templates.
Learn from the Best. For a state-of-the-art example of how the web can be used as a global business development tool, check out the Trading Process Network. Launched in 1995 by General Electric, the site is an Internet-based trading network that enables buyers and sellers worldwide to conduct business-to-business electronic commerce and transactions.
Saddle Up, Partner. Just as you look for promising customers online in international markets, you should also scan the web for potential partners. Online or off, a cross-border alliance can provide you with instant connections and a key beachhead in a particular country. Working together, you can spread risks, share costs, and boost your competitive clout.
Euro Dinero. The phase-in of the Euro -- the European Union's new single currency -- began on January 1, 1999. To learn more on how the new currency will impact business inside and outside of Europe, review Euro: One Currency for Europe.
Globalize Windows. Developing computers or softwares for PCs? Going Global provides free tips and information on globalizing Windows applications and components. The site includes European, Far Eastern, and Middle Eastern modules.
Trade Parade. Do you promote exports for a country, state, or city? If so, check out the Canadian Exporters Catalogue and Thai Trade Fair. Featuring a host of company profiles and product catalogs, the sites illustrate how trade promotion agencies can combine substance with style. Both use the web to showcase their products and services to customers worldwide.
Virtual Reality. Virtual Trade Mission provides valuable lessons for export promotion agencies everywhere, and offers a glimpse of how trade missions will be conducted in the future. Developed by a private-public sector alliance from Canada, Malaysia, and the United States, the site was created as part of an initiative to promote trade between women entrepreneurs in the three countries. During July and August, 1998, businesswomen from the three nations were invited to register on the e-service. Site administrators then matched registrants with compatible business interests, and encouraged online exchanges through e-mail, chat sessions, and video-conferencing. After two months of electronic networking, selected participants from the three countries were invited to attend in-person meetings in September, 1998 to talk face-to-face and finalize deals. In the coming years, look for more of these pre-event websites to be established as part of international trade missions. The e-service encourages more and better networking prior to an event, and expedites the discussion and negotiation process. When participants from different countries actually do meet in person following a period of initial e-networking, the groundwork has been covered. This allows precious trade mission time to be spent discussing deals in progress with people they've already met online. With no initial contact, much trade mission time is spent on hit-or-miss introductions between businesspeople who may or may not have complementary trade interests.
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