your results, and change and adapt your strategies based on those find- ings. Remember: It’s OK to fail. In fact, failing tells you a lot about what the market is and is not ready for.
BE FLEXIBLE AND CREATIVE Because no two markets are the same, you really have to be flexible in your approach – no matter where you’re working. Though a solution may have been a home run in one country, it likely won’t see the same success rate in another – especially one with a vastly different culture and market. That’s not to say you can’t recycle the strategies and models you’ve used in the past, but be ready to adapt them significantly in a particular country or provide different incentives to faster adoption. Be willing to do it on all levels, too – with your product offerings, in your programs, and in your pricing. Be sure to use your on-the-ground team to your advantage in this. They’re intimately familiar with the region and culture, and they’ll have deep insight into how to customize your solutions to better fit the local market's needs and wants.
STRIKE A BALANCE One of the most difficult parts of global leadership is finding a way to adhere to your corporate priorities,
SELLING TIP The “Captain Kirk” Close
Just when the sale seemed gone for good, a Star Trek- style message brought the buyers back. A couple about to tie the marriage knot requested my DJ service for their wedding reception music. Then they seemed to vanish into thin air. We sent them the appropriate paperwork. When they didn’t return it on time, we tried calling repeatedly – but always got an answering machine. Although I left messages, they never called back. In a last-ditch effort to connect with the couple and save the sale, I left one final message. The groom-to-be had recorded their answering machine greeting in his
mandates, and structure, while still being mindful of the unique dynamics and market needs on the ground. In most cases, corporate structures
are pretty rigid and one-size-fits-all. Unfortunately, to really resonate with a foreign market, you need something more localized – something that re- spects the unique needs, challenges, and preferences of the customers in that region. The key here is to strike a balance – one that keeps you in line with the most important corporate standards but is still tailored to suit your mar- ket’s needs. When you have real-life knowledge of the market, you will have the confidence to recommend adjustments as needed.
A big part of striking that corpo- rate-local balance lies in resourcing. Generally, the corporate expecta- tion is that execution in a region is always the same – no matter where it’s located. But, when you actually look at execution in a region or country, you realize some of your regions are woefully under-resourced with people (or marketing budget), for example. It’s your job to make people aware of these gaps, structure a request for what is needed to be successful, and get creative about how to achieve the intended result with fewer resources (which, in many cases, is inevitable).
CREATE TRUST AND RESPECT It’s hard to build a strong team across oceans and boundaries, but it must be done. You have to remember: You won’t be there on the ground every day. Your local teams are your repre- sentation in the market, and you want them to be your advocate – behind your efforts and goals every step of the way – even when you can’t be present. Put time and resources into building
a strong unit – one where everyone feels trusted and respected by you. This can be done in a number of ways: • Be present on the ground. Make
regular, extended visits, and give all your team members face time. Show them you’re there no matter how many miles are between you. • Use their ideas and insights. This shows you respect their input and gives them ownership in your strategies. I call this the “influence vs. impose” approach. Instead of simply imposing corporate guidelines on them, listen to them, understand them, and let their unique needs influence you. • Respect their time. It can be hard to coordinate conference calls and meetings in different time zones, but don’t make your team members call in at unsightly hours because it’s more convenient to you. Show them you respect their time by making meet- ings convenient for all parties. It may require you to do meetings in the very
best “Scotty” voice, desperately explaining to the caller that the ship’s power was going down and he was giving Captain Kirk all he could, etc., then promising to call back later. Hoping that a little humor would help me get a call back, I assumed the role of Captain James T. Kirk and left the following message: “Captain’s log, stardate 9057.2. Have been unable to locate the missing couple and our hails are going unanswered. I fear they may have been captured by Klingons. I will attempt this final hail in hopes they can still be helped...” The very next day, they came to our office and signed their contract. By using humor to defuse a stressful situation, I had taken the pressure off my prospects and got a sale that might otherwise have been lost in space!
– PAT BRUNO SELLING POWER JUNE 2017 | 17 © 2017 SELLING POWER. CALL 1-800-752-7355 FOR REPRINT PERMISSION.
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