Are You Playing in the $2.2 Trillion Export Market?

iStockphoto/Thinkstock

My friend and respected colleague, Anita Campbell, who runs the wildly popular Small Business Trends, writes a great article for the OPEN Forum at American Express on the benefits to exporting.

More small businesses are exporting their goods and services. Don't miss out on this revenue-boosting opportunity.

Read the entire article:  The $2.2 Trillion Market You Could Be Missing Out On

Not sure on how to get started and play in the export market?  We've got you covered.  Go here.

Exporting: The Definitive Guide to Selling Abroad Profitably

Book cover courtesy Apress

A sneak peak at my NEW book on exporting! Please sign up below to be notified of publication date (December 18, 2013) and to pre-order book at a guaranteed price!  Can't wait for you to read!

Exporting: The Definitive Guide to Selling Abroad Profitably

Pretty Pittsburgh!

©2013 Laurel Delaney.  All rights reserved.

I had the great honor of giving a presentation on "Go Global!" to Seton Hill University's E-Magnify's women business center on September 26th.  What a magnificent city Pittsburgh is.  I took this photo en route from the airport to the university.  I'll definitely be returning soon.  It's a gem of a place.

Meanwhile, watch for the announcement of my new exporting book on Monday, September 30th!  And don't forget to sign up for tips (email address) and pre-order through Amazon, Barnes & Noble or Apress!  Thanks!

Have a good weekend!

Hiring Freelancers to Expand Internationally

iStockphoto/Thinkstock

It is a fact:  Small businesses are hiring freelancers to fill skill gaps around the globe (source:  Global Online Employment Report from Elance).

Part of the data shows:

• 45% of businesses look to freelancers to expand into new markets

Read the entire article here.  Related article: "Working with Others ..."

News:  Related to hiring freelancers to take your business global, get ready for the biggest launch of the year ... my new exporting book coming soon, which will allow all small businesses and entrepreneurs to take their businesses to the next level of growth through exports. Watch for more information so you can sign up for tips related to exporting and pre-order with a price guarantee to secure your copy!  I devote an entire chapter to "The Human Side of an Export Enterprise," which includes finding the best places to outsource work.

Places to Avoid When Exporting?

iStockphoto/ThinkStock

During the 50th National Small Business Week earlier in the year, many topics were discussed during the “Growing and Going Global” panels, such as, how can you take your business to the next level by selling overseas? What do you need to be successful in exporting? What resources are available to help your small business export endeavors?

Find out what was suggested during the discussions here: Small Business Exporting

One of the excellent points made was:

"Another way you can gain insight about where there may be success – or where you should maybe avoid exporting – is by checking out industry association meetings ..."

Note:  Coming soon ... my new Exporting book, which will equip you with the knowledge you need to market, sell, and fulfill orders internationally, taking full advantage of the Internet and the opportunities it creates. Watch for news shortly!

Opting for Halal on a Global Basis

iStockphoto/Thinkstock

Look out organic (Whole Foods listen up) for halal is making its way mainstream, even global.  Much like quinoa, which I eat about every other day, halal is taking off as the new better-for-you food.  According to About.com, "halal foods are foods that are allowed under Islamic dietary guidelines (refer here to what cannot be consumed).

This week an estimated 20,000 Haloodies will congregate in east London at the Halal Food Festival, the world's first gastronomic celebration of halal produce. All of the UK's major supermarket chains are sending scouts to help them find ways to exploit the trend. Attendees can browse food stalls offering anything from hot dogs and sushi to French and Moroccan dishes without worrying how the meat was killed or even transported.

Think it's a trend? Find out more here.

Do You Need to Hire a Customs Broker on Your Import?

iStockphoto/Thinkstock

I get asked time and time again by readers - do I need to hire a customs broker or what documentation is required to ensure a smooth and seamless importation on products?

In the article below, I address what is required in the import entry process, who can make the entry, what documentation is required and what happens if no person files for entry of goods (you'd be surprised at how often this happens).

Major takeaway: Importing goods without researching entry requirements in advance can be a costly experience. Take a look at what's important.

Read the entire article:  Importing:  Entry of Goods

Smallness Makes Success More Exciting on the World Stage

iStockphoto/Thinkstock

Charles Fishman weaves an amazing story (all true) about Marlin Steel for Fast Company (below).  There are so many lessons in it for a small business owner - from thinking of your product not as it is but rather, what it could be - to how to sell to customers who are price insensitive!  You must read this article - every word.  And even more amazing and exciting is that Marlin Steel will be in my new exporting book (chapter 30 on real life accounts of successful export businesses).

Read the entire article:  The Road to Resilience:  How Unscientific Innovation Saved Marlin Steel

Moral of the story?  Do something new!  Reinvent your company from both the products you sell and how you create them!  Stretch your capabilities and good things will follow.

A Tribute to Chicago Firefighters

©2013 Laurel Delaney. All rights reserved.

My hometown city of Chicago has a public art installation featuring oversized replicas of Chicago's iconic standard fire hydrants designed, painted, decorated and/or dressed by noted artists. It is a tribute to the work and heroism of our beloved Chicago Firefighters.

To learn more visit:  Great Chicago Fire Hydrants

Learn How to Sell in Foreign Markets

iStockphoto/Thinkstock

Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce and Madison International Trade Association are co-sponsoring a program aimed at helping local companies expand their customer base in foreign markets, with examples of companies of different types and sizes that successfully have exploited those markets.

Challenges involved in exporting also will be covered, such as the need to understand the market, culture and regulatory climate while establishing personal relationships abroad ...

The first program begins September 25th from 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.  To learn more and to register go here (members free/nonmembers $20).

Learn more: Going Global Program to help local companies sell more products in foreign markets

News: Related to entering foreign markets, get ready for the biggest launch of the year ... my new exporting book coming soon, which will allow all small businesses and entrepreneurs to take their businesses to the next level of growth through exports. Watch for more information so you can sign up for tips related to the book and pre-order with a price guarantee to secure your copy!

Global Online Content

iStockphoto/Thinkstock

When you develop content for online marketing purposes, be sure to keep it fresh and consider a global reach.  After all, people from all over the world have access to your material provided they have a digital device that connects to the Internet.  In the article below, the author offers six ways to make content marketing sustainable.

As the article says:

Content marketing works well when it’s done consistently, but without a long-term strategy and a commitment to producing content, many brands simply get frustrated and give up. Just look at the staggering number of corporate blogs that contain a handful blog posts and haven’t been updated in months!

Read the entire article:  6 Ways to Make Content Marketing Sustainable

Boost the Value of Your Business Through Exports

Comstock/Thinkstock

For a small business owner who plans to sell their business at some point, exporting can only be a value-booster because it diversifies your customer and geographic market base.

Take Quebec, Montreal-based Toony Boom Animation:

Exporting raised the profile of tiny Quebec company Toon Boom Animation Inc. enough that in 2011, HSBC awarded it an International Business of the Year for Small Enterprise prize. In 2012, the exporter of software for creating animation caught the attention of Corus Entertainment Inc., and it was acquired.

Learn more here, including three tips from entrepreneurs who have succeeded in exporting.

News:  I've been working the entire year on a new book on exporting to be published December 2013 by Apress.  Watch for more news coming soon on where you can sign up to be notified when the book is published!  I'm on chapter 29 out of 32 chapters!  It will be the best exporting book ever and I can't wait for you to read it.    

Conducting Global Market Research

Fuse/Thinkstock

Let's say you've just discussed with your team members that you want the firm to export but don't know where to begin.  How do you get started and learn everything there is to know about a market, including how to ship internationally? It's easier than you think.

In the following article, I provide six places to visit that will give you more information than you'll probably ever need when researching for your export. The best news: It's absolutely no cost to you.

I suggest you visit all of the resources mentioned to compare facts for accuracy, learn as much as you can and ensure you are on the right path with your overseas market destination of choice.

Six Places to Look for Country-specific Information

Related article:  Three Competitive Global Business Intelligence Tools

Is Going Global a Marketing Requirement?

iStockphoto/Thinkstock

Has going global as a brand become a marketing requirement?   I think it has provided you have the production capabilities to produce enough product to satisfy world demand and globally-savvy people on board to execute on your strategy. What you can't do is market globally and then not deliver on consumer's hunger (pardon the pun) for a product worldwide.

In the following article, Doritos, a Frito-Lay brand, opens up its consumer-generated Super Bowl ad contest to the world. Consumers will pick two winning spots — via online voting — from videos created from any of the 46 countries where Doritos are sold.

Doritos Going Global With Super Bowl Ad Promo

Even then, there will be some boundaries, since the Super Bowl game itself will be broadcast to some 1 billion viewers in 230 countries. That's 184 countries that don't qualify for contest entries. "Our hope is that consumers that might not be eligible this year could have a chance in the future," says Ram Krishnan, vice president of marketing at Frito-Lay, who notes the ad must be in English.

It's a good case study on what is involved in taking a product marketing message global in a big, expensive way.  It would be even more educational to find out why the message must be in English.

America the Beautiful

©2013 Laurel Delaney.  All rights reserved.

"My dream is of a place and a time where America will once again be seen as the last best hope of earth." - Abraham Lincoln

Using Technology To Go Global

iStockphoto/Thinkstock

Technology - the Internet, social media platforms, digital devices, for example - allows small businesses to crack open new markets at a much faster speed.  Doing your homework is still key though because you must know what you are doing before you take action.

Fact (as noted in article below/source unknown):

In July, US businesses generated $189.4 billion in consumer and capital goods exports. Services sold internationally brought in another $56.7 billion in services, a record setting number.

In the following article, it talks about how technology is making it easier than ever to do business internationally.

SMBs Expand Global Reach With Technology

Related articles:

•  Technology Helps Businesses Go Global

•  Go Global Now! (where Rieva Lesonsky first wrote about the Couch Guitar Straps going global in June 2010)

•  Factors to Consider When Choosing a Payment Method

•  Pitney Bowes Global Ecommerce Solutions (blog posts on shipping internationally)

•  The Knowledge Center (American Express) - 3-part series on International Expansion

Go Global Webinars!

iStockphoto/Thinkstock

Are you just getting started in exporting and trying to understand the rules and regulations?  Then you might want to consider the Go Global Webinar series put on by Export.gov - and the best part?  It's free.  The series provides the tools and resources you need to expand into new markets. 

The next one scheduled is September 24th:  Understanding Export Regulations - Export Administration Regulations

Description: An essential part of exporting is determining which U.S. export regulation applies to you. While a freight forwarder or delivery service can point you in the right direction, you are ultimately responsible. This is your opportunity to learn directly from the experts.

Note:  All webinars start at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Standard time and last an hour.

Go here (http://www.census.gov/mso/www/training/) to register.  Successful exporting to you!

Is It Possible to Oppose Exports?

iStockphoto/Thinkstock

Here's the story. Cliffs Natural Resources and Caterpillar are in a battle.

Cliffs is opposed to a proposal for the Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im) to provide $650 million in long-term financing for Australia’s Roy Hill iron ore mine to purchase mining trucks, bulldozers, and shovels made by Caterpillar at its plants in Illinois and Wisconsin. Cliffs says the loan threatens U.S. mining jobs, and it is seeking support for its views in Congress.

The article goes on to say "boosting exports is vital to reigniting U.S. economic growth and job creation."

So, is it possible to oppose exports?  Read the entire article to understand the arguments:

Man Bites Dog:  Exports and Jobs at Stake in Ex-Im Bank Decision

9 Reasons Why Research Universities Are Going Global

iStockphoto/Thinkstock

Why are research universities going global?  It's not simple.   

As part of our larger effort to generate a taxonomy of different kinds of international engagement by universities, and reflecting a recent research paper published as part of a larger project based at the University of California, Berkeley, we offer here (below) an exploration of possible institutional logics and rationales used to justify what are sometimes significant financial and institutional commitments.

Take a look at the nine reasons (logics) on why research universities are going global here.

For related article(s), visit here.

Jim Beam Making History With the World

iStockphoto/Thinkstock

Premium spirits maker Beam Inc. is launching its first-ever global marketing campaign, which will be entitled "Make History" and rolled out to more than 100 markets around the world over the next nine months.  Beam Inc. produces the flapship Jim Beam Bourbon brand.

Why so long to go global with a marketing message? That's a question only Beam Inc. can answer.  Unfortunately, it's not addressed in the article below.

Beam to 'make history' with first global marketing campaign

Wonder Theatre of the World

The Chicago Theatre Lobby by Laurel Delaney

An inside look at the magnificent Chicago Theatre.

The grandeur of The Chicago Theatre often leaves its visitors breathless. The elegant lobby, majestic staircase and beautiful auditorium complete with murals above the stage and on the ceiling, are components of an amazing building called "the Wonder Theatre of the World" when it opened on October 26, 1921.

Learn more here.

Photo credit:  ©Laurel Delaney.  All rights reserved. 

Can Startups In Emerging Markets Go Global?

iStockphoto/Thinkstock

Yes, startups are going global and that holds true for new companies in India too.

By encouraging innovation through seed and angel investment, the Indian accelerator GSF is attempting to mold startups through intensity of mentorship, deep collaboration with the ecosystem and the creation of an international spring-board. So while these startups are being built up, GSF is also putting its money on taking them to international markets.

What a grandious idea.  We should all be establishing GSFs.  Why just take a look at their slogan:

"Transforming Thinkers Into Creators."

Read the entire article:  Can These 12 Indian Tech Startups Expand to International Markets?

Leading the World in Education

iStockphoto/Thinkstock

The UK government has established a strategy to work closely with the entire education sector to take advantage of new opportunities around the globe.

Some of the things it aims to accomplish:

•  Build on their strengths in higher and further education.

•  Welcome more international students.

•  Support transnational education.

•  Lead the world in education technology.

Learn more and access all the available reports:

International Education Strategy:  Global Growth and Prosperity

Be sure to visit some of the sites that are referenced.  In particular,  the HEGlobal (link was not working at the site when I tested it - but it works here).

Classifying Products for Export

Global Marketing Budgets Are Cautiously Improving in 2013

iStockphoto/Thinkstock

According the latest Global Marketing Index (GMI), global marketing budgets are staying strong - showing a recorded index value of 51.1.  Note:  A score above 50 indicates a generally improving environment, while a score below 50 indicates a generally declining environment.

The GMI was established in 2011 with the purpose of providing a unique monthly indicator of expenditure and business conditions for marketers worldwide.

Looking at the budget component breakdown by region, the data reveals that marketers in the Americas are still the most bullish, with a reading of 55.8.

To learn what the global marketing spend outlook is for Europe and Asia, read:  Global Marketing Budgets Staying Strong

Cross Borders For Business Growth

Hemera/Thinkstock

Salt Lake City-based Connor Sport Court International (CSCI), makers of hardwood gym and synthetic sports floors, is the 2013 recipient of Zions Bank’s Global Pacesetter award — a distinction given annually to a Utah company demonstrating international success.   Congratulations to CSCI for having its products found in 145 countries and territories on all seven continents.

The article below goes on to share tips for expanding internationally, such as, gathering information, securing financing and understanding letters of credit.

Read the entire article:  Look Beyond U.S. Borders for Growth Opportunities

Go Rock a Boat

“Only the guy who isn't rowing has time to rock the boat." - Jean-Paul Sartre

Photo courtesy:  ©2013 Laurel Delaney.  All rights reserved.

The Billionaire's Gift by Edward Iwata

Lifesize/Thinkstock

My friend and colleague Edward Iwata wrote another e-book, "The Billionaire's Gift:  A Spiritual Business Parable," his debut fiction and available at the Amazon Kindle Store.

Here's what a reviewer said about the book:

"Edge-of-your-seat drama to the very end will promise to sweeten your soul and change your outlook for the better."

Here's what Edward says about his book:

IN A CRAZED and chaotic world, I'm grateful to God and Buddha for helping many of us find a higher purpose in life. The Billionaire's Gift is about seeking one's calling. There is no doubt in my mind that everyone in a free society can choose our destinies and cultivate our talents. Each of us - rich and poor, young and old - can bear a gift to share with others.

A recent personal episode - one of many encouraging signs that appeared while I wrote The Billionaire's Gift - confirmed my belief that I've rediscovered ...

Grab a copy of Edward's book here.

We featured Edward's first business e-book, "Fusion Entrepreneurs;  Cross-Cultural Execs and Companies Revolutionizing the Global Economy," September 2012.

From Saks to Sears, Retailers Are Going Global Like Gangbusters

iStockphoto/Thinkstock

Right now, it might be a small base of business for retailers but going global offers huge upside growth potential for companies who get e-commerce right at the outset.  The most complicated part?  Calculating a landed price for consumers online at checkout.  But even that challenge can be overcome.

Global ecommerce for physical goods outside the U.S. is expected to grow at an annual rate of 18% from 2012, reaching $640 billion by 2017, and outpacing projected annual growth of 7% in the U.S. during the same period ...

Read the entire article:  Virtual bazaar:  How U.S. retailers from Sears to Saks are going global

Guys and Gals: Startup Your Business Global

iStockphoto/Thinkstock

As we write about constantly here at this blog, the world is your market and - thanks to the Internet, you can tap into it from day one with your startup.

According to HBS Associate Professor William R. Kerr:

But building a startup as a global business requires managers with skills and strategy much different from their predecessors of even a generation ago. If you are a global entrepreneur, says Harvard Business School Associate Professor William R. Kerr, "you have to think much earlier and much faster."

 Read the entire article:  Built for Global Competition from the Start

Related article: Launching Your Start-Up Globally

Side note:  I've been writing a new book on exporting to be published December 2013 by Apress.  I talk a lot about the concept of "born global" in it.  I'll keep you posted when it is close to official publication date.

Going Global Translates to a Healthier Bottom Line

iStockphoto/Thinkstock

A study commissioned by HSBC Bank USA and carried out by the Economist Intelligence Unit, looked at globally oriented companies in the Southeast over the past six years.  Here's what it found:  Companies enjoyed profit margins of slightly more than five percentage points above those of their more domestically oriented peers.

Greater global exposure over the rocky recessional years may have made more international firms more resilient,’’ said the study, which analyzed the level of sales and foreign operations among public companies.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/08/18/3571471/study-going-global-correlates.html#storylink=cpy

So if you are interested in increasing your company’s profit margin, going global may be the way to do it.

Read the entire article here.

Note:  Study cannot be found.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/08/18/3571471/study-going-global-correlates.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/08/18/3571471/study-going-global-correlates.html#storylink=cpy

Greensboro, North Carolina Poised to Become Major Player in the World of Exports

iStockphoto/Thinkstock

Greensboro, North Carolina is on a mission to prove that people in different areas can work together to create more jobs and improve the local economy.

The area already has a 
robust export business. Nearly 18 percent of the metro area’s gross domestic product is made up of exports, ranking the Triad fifth in the nation. Greensboro-High Point ranked 44th in the nation with 
$6.5 billion in exports in 2010, according to the Brookings Institution, a research organization.

Learn more on how Greensboro plans to take on the world here.

The Sea and Sky Look All One Fabric

"So fine was the morning except for a streak of wind here and there that the sea and sky looked all one fabric, as if sails were stuck high up in the sky, or the clouds had dropped down into the sea.” ― Virginia Woolf, To the Lighthouse

Photo courtesy: ©2013 Laurel Delaney. All rights reserved.

Export Pros Share Their Stories

Setting Up an e-Commerce Credit Card System in Emerging Markets

Photodisc/Thinkstock

Enabling broader credit card functionality and multiple payment options on your e-commerce site allows you to sell to emerging markets, which comprise more than half of the world’s population, and to other promising regions of growth in the world as well.  In the article below, I discuss where these emerging markets are, what is involved in setting up a credit card system and what online payment methods are most commonly used to sell to emerging markets.

Full disclosure:  This article is for client Pitney Bowes Global Ecommerce Solutions

Read:  Credit Cards and Ecommerce in Emerging Markets

According to the United Nations, World Population to Grow to 9 billion by 2050

iStockphoto/Thinkstock

As the world population surges, what will the impact be on cities?

... the number of those living in urban areas will swell by 3 billion to hit 6.3 billion. With demand from cities for energy and resources is set to spike on the back of urban population growth, smart cities have emerged as the modern answer to the wave of urbanization sweeping across the globe.

What's a smart city?  Find the answers here.

Key quote in article:

Professor Gerhard Schmitt, executive director at the Singapore-ETH Centre for Global Environmental Sustainability, notes that “there is a strong link between smartness, sustainability and liveability”.

Rethink the Global Rules

iStockphoto/Thinkstock

Philippa Dee, Adjunct Associate Professor at the Crawford School of Public Policy, the Australian National University, writes about the prospects for trade in the Asian century, which appear good. However, Professor Dee highlights some immediate macroeconomic threats that are obvious.

Read: Time to rethink the global rules | East Asia Forum

According to David Shambaugh, China Goes Global

iStockphoto/Thinkstock

David Shambaugh says, "China punches below its weight."

The USC U.S.-China Institute hosted a talk by David Shambaugh on his new book China Goes Global (very positive reviews). Shambaugh examines China's rise in influence in many realms, but argues that China's impact is broad but not deep. 

David is an internationally recognized authority and author on contemporary China and the international relations of Asia.  He is presently Professor of Political Science & International Affairs and the founding Director of the China Policy Program in the Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University.  Learn more about David and his book here.

Read the entire article here.

Got the Wedding Bell Blues?

Madonna Della Strada Chapel:  Loyola University Chicago.  Picture-perfect for weddings.

Photo courtesy:  ©Laurel Delaney 2013.  All rights reserved.

Think Global, Act Social

iStockphoto/Thinkstock

Below is an infographic on China's social dynasty and digital globalization for 2013.  Have a look at what you should keep in mind -- regional differences, languages and localization, for example -- when you develop a global social strategy, which includes targeting China.

China's Social Dynasty and Digital Globalization

Women Entrepreneurs Forge Global Partnerships

Wavebreak Media/Thinkstock

Below is a great article by our friend and colleague Rieva Lesonsky who writes for Small Business Trends about how entrepreneurial women can forge global partnerships.

It is possible and profitable to expand globally. One of the best ways to do it is to find partners in other nations to work with. In June at the Dell Women’s Entrepreneur Network (DWEN) conference in Istanbul, I (Rieva) talked with several entrepreneurial women who are doing just that.

Read on ... How Entrepreneurial Women Can Forge Global Partnerships

Is Your Global Small Business Heading South?

Ingram Publishing/Thinkstock

As you manage your global small business, have you ever felt, "It's not working"? You are not alone. At some stage, every business owner experiences trouble.

Below are seven signs that serve as early detectors of a global small business declining (heading South).  I wrote this article for the About.com Import & Export guide site.

Could it be time for a course correction?

Read:  The 7 Signs of Import/Export Business Deterioration

Yodo1 is Going Global

iStockphoto/Thinkstock

Year and a half old Chinese gaming publisher Yodo1 is going global.

The publisher is helping Western studios tap the "gold mine" that is China, but at the same time, they're bringing bits and pieces of China abroad. 

Read the entire story here.

Every Organization is Global to Some Extent

iStockphoto/Thinkstock

By putting up a website, you have a global presence.  It doesn't necessarily mean you are transacting actual business across borders but it does mean people from all over the world who are connected to the Internet can find you.

The root of “going global” isn’t an option reserved for executives at worldwide companies; it is an essential activity that every decision maker must perform to keep pace in today’s world.

Going Global: What it Really Means Today

Private Retreat in the Heart of Oakbrook, Illinois

The Hyatt Lodge at McDonald's Campus, Oakbrook, Illinois.  Fabulous place.  Try it out sometime.  Good place to think, rest and relax.

Have a good weekend!

Photo courtesy:  ©Laurel Delaney.  All rights reserved.  "Hyatt Lodge at McDonald's Campus"

Fiksu. Who's That?

iStockphoto/Thinkstock

Boston-based Fiksu offers technology for lowering the cost and effort involved with marketing mobile apps.

Fiksu has had Chicago-based Groupon as a customer for the past three years, primarily for marketing its mobile apps in North America.

Next big project?  Fiksu will serve as the exclusive app marketing platform for Groupon's expansion outside of North America — particularly into Europe and Asia-Pacific.

Read the entire article here.

For Canadians, Why Export?

The Skinny on Border Friction

iStockphoto/Thinkstock

My latest article for client Pitney Bowes Global Ecommerce Solutions.  I discuss what border friction is, what causes it and how to minimize or avoid it.

Going Global 101:  What is Border Friction?

John Yunker Helps You Get Lucky with Pricing in Asia

iStockphoto/Thinkstock

I have always been a fan of web globalization expert John Yunker who is big advocate for the translation of software and websites (see Global by Design and Byte Level Research, companies he manages).  In the article below, he says:

"Numbers sometimes mean much more than the data they represent. People often have lucky numbers that carry emotional significance to them."  He goes on to say:  "But lucky and unlucky numbers can vary by culture. When selling into Greater China, Japan, and Korea, retailers need to be aware of these numbers and use them to their advantage when possible."

Read the entire article to find out how to avoid the unlucky numbers in your international pricing strategy and concentrate on the lucky ones:

How Your Pricing Strategy Can Bring You Good Luck in Asia

Other related articles on John Yunker posted here at The Global Small Business Blog

China Exporters Prefer Bank Wire Transfer for Payment

Hemera/Thinkstock

According to Global Sources' latest survey of 70 suppliers, the majority of China exporters prefer receiving payments for their overseas orders via telegraphic transfer (also known as bank wire transfer).

The survey also indicates that only 66 percent of participants said their preferred mode of payment is letter of credit.  Although that method of payment is declining over the years due to L/C risks.

Further, credit restraints are making it harder for some issuing banks, usually in Europe and the US, to confirm or even endorse L/Cs.The last two make it difficult for suppliers to use an L/C as collateral in securing bank loans, reducing its appeal among SMEs further.

Read the entire article here along with key findings which are quite interesting - here's one:

   2.  A down payment of 30 percent is common, but buyers, especially long-term customers from the US and the EU, can press for more favorable terms.

Sweet As a Flower

"Mama was my greatest teacher, a teacher of compassion, love and fearlessness. If love is sweet as a flower, then my mother is that sweet flower of love." - American musician, singer and songwriter Stevie Wonder

Photo courtesy:  ©2013 Laurel Delaney.  All rights reserved.

Issa London to Become a Global Lifestyle Brand

iStockphoto/Thinkstock

BIG plans for the future:  Issa London to become a "global lifestyle brand."

What is Issa London?  Issa London was founded in 2004 by Daniella Helayel and since become known worldwide for its highly versatile design collections that complement a range of timeless pieces appropriate for any occasion and body shape.

The British label was thrust into the limelight after Catherine Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge, opted for one of its flattering blue wrap dresses when she announced her engagement to Britain's Prince William in 2010.

Watch for Issa London to collaborate with Banana Republic next month, which includes a version of Catherine Middleton's engagement dress.

Read the article:  Issa London Going Global 

Note:

Issa London now wholesales through 350 stockists globally, manages a vibrant e-commerce platform, has a free-standing boutique in Tokyo, and plans for the opening of a Boutique in Sao Paulo, Brazil at the end of 2013. 

Ford's EcoSport Poised to Go Global

iStockphoto/Thinkstock

Ford is on a global role. After launching the EcoSport in India and Nepal, Ford India has now started exporting its SUV to South Africa. Next up? Ford will launch EcoSport in Europe, Middle-East, Sri Lanka and Vietnam by late 2013 or early 2014

Ultimately, Ford plans to take the EcoSport production global. Besides Chennai in India, Ford has shortlisted locations like Elabuga in Russia, Rayong in Thailand, Camacari in Brazil and Chongqing in China for its plants. It will be retailed in 62 countries by the year 2017.

Read the entire article here.