USA Export Marketing Tips

Thinking about selling in the USA?
Here are a few tips that may be of help to non-US companies entering the US market:

Many, if not most initial marketing efforts of non-US companies in the US result in failure. Keep that in mind when everything looks too easy or when someone says that research is a waste of time.

American managers are often quite skeptical about the quality and marketability of non-US products and technologies. Overcoming skepticism is one of the key tasks of the non-US manager targeting the US market.

Managers of large companies that successfully sell in the US travel very frequently to visit potential customers in America. Small exporters often try and make deals via e-mail and fax, waiting to travel until everything is settled. Maybe there is a reason that the small exporters remain small?

The United States is the most organized country in the world in terms of finding published business information. There is no excuse for not doing your homework.

The development of the Internet and e-commerce provides non-US companies in many fields with the opportunity to compete with US firms like never before. Managers in countries outside the US should embrace these technologies.

Numerous non-US corporations try to sell in the US with a minimal investment in marketing by collaborating with US based distributors, strategic partners or agents. While some of these relationships are successful, most are short lived, many resulting in lost time and sales for the exporter. Choose your US partners carefully.

Developing a US channel strategy is a key element in evaluating US marketing options. The market is too large and complicated for exporters to try to sell in every US distribution channel. Deciding on key channels to target should be one outcome of a US market study.

Many non-US companies are opening their own US offices in order to control their destiny and not be dependent on US distributors and agents. While opening a US operation is a major commitment for many exporters, in many cases it is the best way to succed in the US market.