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Export Communications Review Improve your communications with global clients

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Export Communications Review Confidently and successfully trade with overseas customers without necessarily learning their language

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Export Communications Review Aim

• Improve business performance

– Enquiries

– Sales

– Efficiency

• Encourage companies to export more effectively through the development of

an appropriate communications strategy

• Prevent cultural and language barriers coming between companies and

overseas business

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Export Communications Consultants

• Ten consultants deliver reviews in the UK

• Selected

– International experience – Language / exporting / SME knowledge – Sales, consultancy, analytical and interpersonal skills – Independence and impartiality

• Trained

– Two-day workshop – Accompanied review – Development and training workshops

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Reasons why companies want a review

• Develop business in markets

thought too difficult

• Improve relationships with

overseas customers

• Increase export turnover

• Handle enquiries from export

markets

• Communicate successfully with

export markets

• Learn about prices, procedures and

suppliers

• Improve performance of website

• General Health Check

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Trigger Points

Entering new markets

Especially those thought too

difficult

Launching new products/services

Re-doing their website

Embarking upon trade show or

mission

Experiencing problems in a

particular market

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The consultant can focus upon certain export activity

• Documentation and manuals,

catalogues and packaging for

international audiences

• Preparation for and representation

at an overseas trade show or

exhibition

• Preparation for a presentation to

an international audience

• Improving relationships with

overseas agents and distributors

• International sales and invoicing

processes

• Systems for handling foreign phone

calls and emails

• Training of overseas staff;

language training needs in the

UK and recruitment of export staff

• International website strategy

• Presentation to an international

audience

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What happens in a review

Face-to-face meeting

Analysis of strengths and weaknesses (SWOT)

Practical recommendations to improve communications in export markets

Providers and Costs of implementing

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Recommendations

• Promotional materials

• Packaging and technical issues

• Localisation and optimisation of

Website (SEO)

• Distributor forums and

newsletters

• Cultural aspects

• Telephone contact

• Conduct of meetings/Use of

interpreters

• Handling foreign enquiries

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Localisation and Optimisation of the web pages

• ‘Customers are more likely to buy

from a website in their own

language’ (Source IDC)

• ‘Visitors stay twice as long if a

website is in their own language’

(Source Forrester Research)

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Website ECR

• Does your website generate export business for you?

• Does website attract international customers?

• Do international visitors understand your offering?

• Is the site optimised for searches conducted abroad?

• Is social and business networking working for you abroad?

• Can you answer foreign language enquiries that arise?

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Website ECR The website review will examine

• International content

• Site set-up and management

• Design, structure and navigation

• Translation and localisation

• Promotion of the international pages

• Monitoring of performance

• Communication issues arising

• Web presence

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Good practice examples

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Good practice examples

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What they say…

‘We have increased our international

business by 25% in the first month

following the Website Review’

(Powerbronze)

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What they say…

‘The improvements we made to our

communications have made us

more competitive’ (London College

of Professional Training)

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What they say…

‘I was impressed by the clarity with

which they presented their Search

Engine Optimisation (SEO)

knowledge and experience. The

knowledge gained will be put to

great use in our new website and

make it really work for us’

(Bigbury Mint, Devon)

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What they say…

• ‘The Review has had a wide impact as we have used the same approaches

for other overseas markets. It has certainly increased our confidence in

dealing with worldwide markets’ (Supreme Music, Brighton)

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What they say…

‘60% of exporters using this service

claimed to have improved business

– an average increase of £100k for

all companies reviewed’

(Source: UKTI’s survey of users)

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Quality Assurance

• All reports are read and approved

• Accreditation and Registration of Consultants

• Two workshops per annum for all consultants

• National Business to Business Centre

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UKTI subsidy

• A company can have any number of reviews

• Each review can focus on a different area of communication

• Preparing for exhibition or overseas trip

• Marketing materials

• Handling enquiries

• Website…

• Eligible companies can receive a 50% subsidy from UKTI for up to three

reviews

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Eligibility criteria

• Fewer than 250 employees

• Trading for at least two years

• Currently exporting

• Have plans for exporting

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How to apply

by email

info@ukecr.co.uk

by email

jay.kettle-

williams@ecr.consultants.org

on-line application form on

www.ukti.gov.uk/ecr

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Export Communications Review Thank you for your attention

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Export Communications Review QUESTIONS?