MANAGEMENT
Though I had spent my whole career in sales, I had never worked globally. While my decades of sales and chan- nel management experience certainly “translated” to my new position, my old strategies and solutions, unfortu- nately, did not.
As we executed the same promos,
products, and programs across the globe, I quickly learned that each region and country often required its own carefully tailored solution – one that included unique pricing, programs, products, and promotions customized exactly to that market’s needs. There was a lot of trial and error at the outset, but, once I realized that no two regions are the same – and that each required anything from a small change to a wholly new and different approach – we (me, along with my geographic, on-the-ground teams) were able to work our way toward an effective and successful sales channel in each region.
While I’m in year three, and leading these global efforts is still challenging, I’ve picked up a few methods that allow me to success- fully engage and be productive globally – all while representing our corporate priorities and achieving our goal results. Below are some of the lessons I learned that might help others achieve greater success.
GET TO KNOW THE CULTURE This is my number one tip for global leaders: Immerse yourself in the re- gion you’re taking on.
No matter how far away that region or country might be – or how foreign its language is – set aside time to travel there. Understand your busi- ness, your customers’ points of view, your employees, and the market dy- namics. Try to commit to an extended period of time, too – at least a week (consider two, if possible). The most important thing is to be consistent in your visits, as much as budget and time will allow. Aim for once a quarter or, at minimum, twice a year. While you’re there, do it all. Sched-
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INSIDE THE INDUSTRY WITH BARRY TRAILER: BE MINDFUL, NOT MINDLESS
ule face time with every single mem- ber of your team – and that includes employees who are not directly related to sales (though they may support sales as a cross-functional team). Talk to them. Get to know them. Ask them about their ideas, thoughts, and goals. The best time spent is meeting with your customers directly and not just re- lying on your teams to convey custom- er feedback. It is likely your local teams will set up business reviews and infor- mational interviews with customers. But just as important as these is spending downtime with customers and partners over dinner or lunch. Develop relation- ships in the region – and do it consis- tently. It will give you valuable insights and many more details than a business review ever will.
All in all, diving into each new mar- ket will allow you to 1. Become intimately familiar with the unique nuances of the culture and region
2. Really understand the mindset and challenges of your customers in that area
3. Develop strong relationships with your teams on the ground All these can give you a leg up when strategizing how to market, promote, and sell your services to the country or region.
FAMILIARIZE YOURSELF WITH THE MARKET
Every market has its idiosyncrasies. When working in Germany, for ex- ample, I quickly discovered that, as a country, they have unique views and even legal requirements in utilizing software products or participating in buying programs. These aren’t necessarily good or bad – merely factors that drastically impacted what we were offering and how we could promote it. It’s these unique requirements you need to become familiar with in each new region you serve, so allot some resources for really digging into the market. Conduct customer surveys and market analyses, and take a look at what your competitors are doing in the area. What products are they offering? How are they promoting them? What is the structure of their pricing and buying programs? How are they succeeding and failing? Markets move at different paces, and some are slower (or faster) to adapt new technologies and offer- ings – so pay close attention to what other suppliers are offering and how it’s being received by their customers or the market in general. Ultimately, your best bet is to simply test and measure. Try something, measure
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