Make a World of Difference

Reprinted with permission from MSI Pulse

Attracting and Winning Multi-Country Opportunities

The world of business is simultaneously expanding and contracting. Technology has stretched our horizons, permitting us to connect with anyone at any time. That same inter-connectedness shrinks the playing field, bringing once-distant markets close. Where commerce outside of your home market was once only for the largest global corporations, today even micro-businesses are operating in more than one country.

The best way to increase commerce is to start by identifying countries that pair logically with your geography—Germany and Sweden, or Michigan, U.S. and Canada, for example. Identify the concentration of exports and imports taking place between them, as well as the number of companies with operations in both. A helpful tool is uniworldonline.com.

The next step is to interview people within these country pairs to learn about the channels of distribution (the ways you will reach targeted buyers). Not only enlist the help of other firms in the international alliance, but interview consulates, chambers, economic development council members, bankers, lawyers, accountants, speakers, writers, university professors, translators, interpreters, cultural consultants and other providers of goods and services to companies with these country pairs. There are many people in market pairs who are sources of market intelligence.

Once you’ve identified potential buyers, multi-country pursuits are demanding. Here’s what you can expect:

You’ll need to respond promptly. These large, multi-location initiatives tend to pop up quickly, with the prospect evaluating several potential providers. You won’t have months to wine, dine and win over a potential client.
There will be multiple decision-makers in multiple locations. They will likely be operating in disparate time zones, languages and currencies.
The competition will be formidable. You may be up against large international firms that are already serving the company you’re trying to win over.

Selling Skills Required

When an opportunity arises, move quickly to mobilize your team and identify a pursuit team leader. This is someone who possesses not only the technical skills, but also the selling skills required to reel in this big, potentially slippery fish. A prospect will fairly assume that the competence you show in the selling cycle reflects the competence you will bring to the delivery of the work.

Structure an organizational chart for each location that maps out who’s in charge and what authority they carry. Much as you would with a piece of domestic business, you’ll need to qualify this multi-country opportunity. You do this by obtaining answers to these essential questions from key players in each location:

Why buy, or switch providers?
Why now?
Why us? (what do you know about us)
Who else? (who are you considering)
Who cares? (who are the decision makers)

These answers result from meeting one on one, not from converging on a prospect with an entourage. Persuasion happens between two individuals, not in a group encounter. The more you can achieve a personal rapport, the more likely you are to learn about potential competitors and decision makers’ hidden motivations. And the more likely you are to ultimately get the business.

Power and Politics

Finally, be mindful of the potential of power and politics to facilitate or derail your opportunity. Imagine that you’re working with a U.S. company that is acquired by a British company. Now, in addition to the American CEO, CFO and accounting director, you’re interacting with their U.K. counterparts. You need to know who’s got the power and who’s in charge.

Assign one team member to each of those leaders, learning everything they can about them, their needs and their decision making. Regularly report this information to the full team as you finesse and execute your plan.

Don’t shy away from multi-country opportunities. Go boldly into this expanding, shrinking new world and plant your flag firmly! The rewards are out there.