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Approaching a Potential Supplier Should Never Be Intimidating.
©2006 by Dennis Hessler
I received an email from a man interested in getting into the exporting business, but he had a few questions.
They were good questions, too. Most of them had to do with setting up an office, required funding for an intermediary, and finding buyers. But he said one thing that I found a little curious. He was worried he might be intimidated when it came time to deal with big companies expecting to make megabucks with a trade transaction.
Intimidated? Who's doing whom a favor here?
This made me wonder if there are many more new exporters out there with the same concerns. Approaching the potential supplier isn't exactly a walk in the park, but it shouldn't be an intimidating event, either. Let me tell you why.
For one thing, I always suggest you target small and mid-sized companies, not the big corporations. There are lots of reasons, but the best is that small companies are far more approachable.
When you deal with smaller companies--preferably ones with which you have an edge or an advantage (like familiarity with their product or a particularly ripe market in which to sell it)--you'll usually deal with the man in charge, not some hotshot kid out of business school. This is someone who understands business and is not interested in intimidating you.
The other question posed in the email letter is "How can I possibly compete for the few companies not exporting?"
First of all, you're (as the politicians might say) laboring under a misapprehension. The most recent figures I have indicate that only 30,000 U.S. manufacturers out of more than 300,000 are exporting at all. That's right. Only 10 percent of U.S. manufacturers are currently exporting their products. Now you tell me: during a domestic market slowdown, are these manufacturers MORE or LESS likely to be looking for new markets, like overseas markets?
Of course they're looking for new places to sell their products. In fact, there may not be a better time to be approaching suppliers (the 90% who aren't exporting) than now.
Let's get back to the senior officer at the small or mid-sized company you're targeting. In my experience, intimidation is the least of your problems. In fact, a little intimidation might help. Most intermediaries take a kind of blase attitude when it comes to approaching suppliers.
I call them "beggars" and so do many company executives. They get this name because they randomly call manufacturers (at least they're not afraid to use the phone) and offer their services as an intermediary. It quickly becomes clear in the conversation they they're calling ANYBODY. They have no idea what the company does or where they're going to sell their products.
You tell me. If you were the president of a small company selling, for instance, an electrical machine part, and someone called you like this, what would you do?
Undoubtedly, you wouldn't be impressed. After all, you've probably spent your life building up this company. You care a great deal about your products, where they're sold, your bottom line and who's representing your company. Are you really going to give the time of day to this "beggar" who just wants a commission and knows nothing about your company and its products?
Do your homework and let someone else worry about being intimidated.
Dennis Hessler is an international trade consultant and publisher who runs his own home-based trade and information company, Spyglass Point Productions. You can learn more about Dennis' international trade information products, including how-to-books, videos, software, newsletter and consulting services by contacting him directly of visiting his website.
Spyglass Point Productions PO Box 13141 Pensacola, FL 32591 Phone: 850-438-5527 http://www.spyglasspoint.com Dennis@spyglasspoint.com
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