Articles by Babu on ArticleSnatch.com

Sourcing Guide for Developing Export Products

Fri, 24 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0400

A key success factor in any export business is clear understanding and detail knowledge of products to be exported. Before starting marketing effort and contacting prospective buyers, one must be ready with a detail sourcing guide that documents all necessary information about your product basket. We shall identify key elements of a sourcing plan and how to document them in this article. Whether you are exporting first time or been in export trade for a long time - it pays to be methodical and systematic in your approach. Its not enough to have all necessary data 'in your head' - but equally important is to put everything on paper in a structured manner. Once you have done that - it becomes easier to find the gaps in your knowledgebase and take necessary corrective actions. Preparing Product Portfolio Once you have zeroed in to a set of products - next step is to prepare a profile or dossier for each selected product. The dossier should contain all information about the product - its sourcing, packaging, pricing, selling etc. Together, these dossiers will comprise your product portfolio. I have prepared a sample checklist for preparing product dossier. **End Summary** Topics: Product Sourcing]]> Export Marketing]]> Overseas Marketing]]> Expo]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Amit worked in blue-chip Indian and overseas MNCs for 15 years in various capacities like Research and Information Analysis, Market Development, MIS, R&D Information Systems etc. before joining bandwagon of on-line business in 1997. He now advises a number of Indian b2b portals on trade over Internet and writes e-commerce related trade articles for Indian suppliers portal .

Beware of potential traps in L/C payment

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Letter of credit (L/c) is a widely accepted and commonly used payment method in international trade. They are usually issued by larger banks and contain a promise to pay a seller (beneficiary) upon receipt of goods by a buyer if certain conditions outlined in the letter have been met. There are three general principles governing the use of letters of credit: 1. The banks' responsibility to deal in documents only; 2. the rule of strict construction, which dictates that the terms and conditions of the letter of credit are to strictly adhered to; and 3. the rule of independence, which mandates that the letter of credit is to be considered independent from the sales contract or any other agreement between the parties. Put simply, the Issuing bank has two main roles: â€¢ To give a binding undertaking to the seller that if compliant documents are presented, the bank will pay the seller the amount due. This offers security to the seller â€¢ To examine the documents, and only pay if these comply with the terms and conditions set out in the letter of credit. **End Summary** Topics: database]]> manufacturer]]> exporter]]> importer]]> trade point]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Amit worked in blue-chip Indian and overseas MNCs for 15 years in various capacities like Research and Information Analysis, Market Development, MIS, R&D Information Systems etc. before joining bandwagon of on-line business in 1997. He now advises a number of Indian b2b portals on trade over Internet and writes e-commerce related trade articles for Indian exporters portal.

Frauds in Import Export Business - Time to Exercise more Caution

Thu, 02 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Ironically, this is the time to exercise more caution as fraudsters may exploit present desperation in market to target more exporters with seemingly lucrative deals. Exporters should be very cautious about certain geographical regions which have become a favorite destination for fraudsters and con artists. Some may find it sweeping generalization or even unfair treatment - but the fact remains that there is no sign of a decline in scam proposals even after wide publication of Nigerian and other scams. Worse, the fraudster populations seem to be growing everyday with newer and more daring con games. Victims have nowhere to go as there is no law court or policing authority against these fraudsters. Exporters and importers should be careful of various seemingly lucrative proposals coming from certain regions and countries such as Nigeria, Benin, Togo, Cote' D Ivory etc. and exercise enough caution. We document here a few scams. Some of these are specific to certain geographic regions - others more universal. Nigerian Money Offer (419 scam) This is by far the most popular one - where Nigerian businessman, Bank Manager, Govt Bureaucrat or just about anybody offers huge sums for small help in siphoning money out of their country. **End Summary** Topics: Export Import Frauds]]> Internet Scams]]> Nigerian Frauds]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Amit worked in blue-chip Indian and overseas MNCs for 15 years in various capacities like Research and Information Analysis, Market Development, MIS, R&D Information Systems etc. before joining bandwagon of on-line business in 1997. He now advises a number of Indian b2b portals on trade over Internet and writes e-commerce related trade articles for Indian suppliers portal .

Professional Websites is a Key success factor for exporters

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Exporters, aspiring to use Internet for overseas marketing, must recognize certain basic facts about Internet and orient their marketing drive accordingly. Principles of traditional marketing, though still applies to Internet, needs to be supplemented with intrinsic features of the Web such as its anonymous nature, absence of geographic borders and all round competition. What's considered a cozy niche product in your domestic market, ceases to remain so when exposed to world wide web. Having good product and competitive price is simply not enough for success in such an environment - your business should also be able to inspire sufficient confidence in customer's mind. In the anonymous world of Internet, where buyer and seller are unlikely to meet each other physically - a professional web-presence goes a long way in establishing your credibility and attract buyers from all over the world. Without a professional web-presence, you are ill-equipped to survive and grow in overseas markets. Going to battle field without arming yourself sufficiently brings failure and disaster. **End Summary** Topics: web-site]]> business e-mail]]> export marketing]]> e-marketing]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Amit worked in blue-chip Indian and overseas MNCs for 15 years in various capacities like Research and Information Analysis, Market Development, MIS, R&D Information Systems etc. before joining bandwagon of on-line business in 1997. He now advises a number of Indian b2b portals on trade over Internet and writes e-commerce related trade articles for Indian suppliers portal .

Should You Consider Banner for Advertisement ?

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Banner advertisement is perhaps the oldest and most common mode of advertisement in the world wide web (www). In its simplest form - it acts like a billboard, spreading a promotional message and helping interested visitors to jump to relevant web-site. Difference between a physical billboard and on-line banner advertisement lies in ability of the later to measure campaign effectiveness. Unlike traditional ad media like TV or print where measuring audience response is difficult - its possible to obtain clear and accurate measurements of success or failure of on-line ads through web traffic analysis. How good is banner advertisement for your business ? Should you adopt this known and trusted method or go for new ones like search engine based PPC ? The answer lies in your requirement and an understanding of what banner advertisement can deliver. Let us discuss various concepts associated with on-line advertisement and analyze how banner advertisement works. What Kind of On-Line Advertisement Suits my Business ? There are three major reasons for creating online advertising campaign. These are: *Building brand awareness *Increasing website traffic *Creating leads and sales You need to analyze your precise requirements and prioritize the objectives of planned ad campaign. **End Summary** Topics: Banners]]> Internet Banner Advertisement]]> Flash Banner]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Amit worked in blue-chip Indian and overseas MNCs for 15 years in various capacities like Research and Information Analysis, Market Development, MIS, R&D Information Systems etc. before joining bandwagon of on-line business in 1997. He now advises a number of Indian b2b portals on trade over Internet and writes e-commerce related trade articles for Indian suppliers portal .

6 Tips on How to Get Customer Attention in E-mail Marketing

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Billions of e-mails are sent through Internet everyday. Internet marketers send millions of e-mails everyday to potential customers, hoping to make a sale. However, how many customers bother to read these e-mails let alone respond ? While relevance of product offered, quality, price etc. may play important role behind such customer apathy - more often, its quality of e-mail that matters most. Great majority of marketing e-mails are not even opened - let alone be read or responded to. There may be many reasons why an e-mail goes unanswered, such as server down, spam filter or recipientâ€™s mailbox full - but mostly the reason lies in its format, content and style. Chances of an e-mail eliciting any kind of response is indeed poor when recipient thinks the e-mail as 'waste of time' or 'there's nothing more to write about'. Obvious destination for such e-mails is the trash folder. To be successful in e-business and saving your e-mails from trash folder - its extremely important to understand what's acceptable in business e-mails in terms of writing style, format and content. **End Summary** Topics: e-mail marketing]]> Professional Communication]]> Internet Marke]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Amit worked in blue-chip Indian and overseas MNCs for 15 years in various capacities like Research and Information Analysis, Market Development, MIS, R&D Information Systems etc. before joining bandwagon of on-line business in 1997. He now advises a number of Indian b2b portals on trade over Internet and writes e-commerce related trade articles for Indian suppliers portal .

Trade Fairs - Are They Still Relevant for Export Marketing

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Are trade fairs still relevant? In this age of Internet and electronic commerce - how valid are trade fairs? Let us examine the issue threadbare Trade fair is a rather expensive marketing channel. Besides, substantial monetary investment, one needs to sort out considerable logistics challenges. In case you are participating in overseas trade fairs, challenges are manifold such as visa clearance, sorting out language barrier, on-site trade promotion etc. Even after attending to all these troubles and spending considerable sum of money - you are still not sure what kind of return to expect on investment. Naturally, one would expect popularity of trade fairs to diminish with time. However, what we see on ground is just opposite - trade fairs are getting increasingly popular all over the world. In the USA alone, an estimated 9,000 trade shows or fairs attract over 65 million visitors per year. The Canton fair in China is a legend. Ministry of Commerce (China) has been organizing this fair since 1957 and is considered one of the most successful trade event anywhere in the world. **End Summary** Topics: Trade Fairs]]> Trade Exhibition]]> Export Marketing]]> Overseas Tr]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Amit worked in blue-chip Indian and overseas MNCs for 15 years in various capacities like Research and Information Analysis, Market Development, MIS, R&D Information Systems etc. before joining bandwagon of on-line business in 1997. He now advises a number of Indian b2b portals on trade over Internet and writes e-commerce related trade articles for Indian suppliers portal .