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EXPORT
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February 201
3
EDA Office of Foreign Trade • Riverside County, California • USA
Here are 9 keys needed to motivate your
foreign representatives
Here are 9 keys needed to motivate your foreign representatives:
1.
Communication.
The importance of communicating frequently, quickly, clearly and completely, can
scarcely be overstressed. Good communication alone won’t guarantee success overseas, but because of
distance and language/cultural differences, bad communication can assure failure. Specific examples:
–
Information on competition world-wide. – Your product advantages
(
Help him sell )
2.
Service.
You must service both products and orders. You must provide for both spare parts and servicing
abroad. You must establish a warranty procedure. You must support your distributor’s local service
3.
Training.
Here or there, but it is an essential investment for long-term success. Both engineering and
(
especially)
sales training.
As my father told me its better to train someone and have them leave your company than not to train them and have them stay.
4.
Feedback.
Ask your distributor’s opinion. Respect it, but do not rely totally upon it. Get him in the
habit of communicating with you. In today’s world you better have a skype account and be willing to
talk to your partners at all hours of the night. Don’t make them always bend to your schedule.
5.
Commitment.
If you are committed to him, let it show. Your body language and tone are just as important as the words you say.
6.
Motivational Spark.
Have something “new“ on each trip. Don’t use visits to dwell on one order or on problems only.
Use training sessions out of his office
(
work / play seminar)
for motivation and building personal loyalty as well. Don’t
give them all your tricks on your first visit. They will have expectations of greatest that you can’t meet in the long run.
7.
Local Promotion.
Often best to give him/her discount and let him handle. Sometimes more involvement
is helpful, but sometimes not. Think local and Act Local…. its a lot more difficult than it seems.
8.
Periodic evaluation.
Is he meeting his own goals? Your? Specific steps? How does he evaluate your assistance? Make
sure your goals/objectives are S.M.A.R.T.
(
Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely – time component)
9.
Help him build his/her business.
Send him leads. Nothing say “I love you” like a good sales lead. All to
often we forget the challenges these foreign enterprises are undergoing. Give, give, give….
By Brad Holt
At HSI we have been helping companies
grow their businesses through
international outsourcing and entry into
new markets. When entering foreign
markets you have to rely on your foreign
partners and distributors. So how do
you motivate these representatives?
HSI provides consulting, trade and investment due diligence for companies growing their business in Greater China.
Our professional consulting team has vast experience in Pacific Rim markets, and expertise in major industries. HSI team
member’s former clients include Asian and U.S. firms, spanning the fields of manufacturing, distribution, construction
and engineering, architecture, design, entertainment, high technology, health care, and consumer products
Brad Holt
,
Phone:
949 533 4681,
E-mail:
Brad Holt
