Many local companies are taking the global route. You can too. The world is shrinking at a feverish pace. In the past it was too expensive for small business to search out other markets for their products and services. You’d have to send a sales force to sell your company and that is cost prohibitive for most of us.
We’ve all heard that the business playing field is more level than ever before because of the internet. This is only true if you know how to play on that field. If you jump onto a soccer field and have no idea how to play soccer the better players’ll bump you out. It’s the same with promoting your business online. Many have tried to put up a website promoting their business but it takes much more than just putting up a website. You must market your product and/or service; you may need to have a multilingual site, depending on the market you are after.
Websites are not the only method of promoting your business abroad. If you can’t afford to have a business website created at this time, using the Internet in other ways may also be helpful. Joining online communities that share the same business interests you have is one possibility. People looking for the product and/or service you offer will find you listed within these Online communities and will be able to contact you easily.
We asked Stewart Fritchman of Sunriver Coffee Company how he acquired business outside the area. He told us, “I’ve been involved in the coffee business for 12 years. In 1996 I opened my knowledge base to the general public for consulting purposes. I travel coast to coast on a fee basis to establish coffee houses, carts and drive-throughs. Recently I’ve entered negotiations to set-up a chain of coffee houses in the Netherlands. All of this is possible from Central Oregon thanks to high speed internet, video conferencing and the Redmond Airport having direct flights to International hubs.”
Bringing business into the local economy from abroad is smart business. If you build this infrastructure within your organization and have it running when the next economic slowdown occurs you will make it through the slow period that much easier.
When you have business outside the local region you will have a part in advertising the community we all live in. In turn this will be attracting more visitors to our local area, wanting to see our beautiful Central Oregon home. As the cycle continues others will begin to reap the benefits of thinking global and profiting local.
Tim Parsons is a co-founder of PANAGRAFIK – A visual communications group.
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We can be reached by e-mail at thought@panagrafik.com or snail mail to P.O. Box 8206, Bend OR 97708-8206graphic styling of your business materials. We can be reached by e-mail at thought@panagrafik.com or snail mail to P.O. Box 8206, Bend OR 97708-8206
