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Seashell Consulting Inc. | hanna@seashellconsultinggroup.com | www.seashellconsultinggroup.com

You may have been running your company for years dreamt of exporting to the far-east or emerging markets like Brazil, but quickly dismissed the idea because you are faced with one or more of the following challenges common to SMEs:

UNABLE   TO   CHALLENGE  BIG  COMPANIES

Wi t h   m a ny   i n d u s t r i e s   a r e  dominated   by   large   multi-­‐national  organisations  with  marketing  teams  the   size   of   some   your   entire  organisations,   may   be   thinking  there  is   no   way   to   compete.   Maybe  not,   I   think   the  key   is   to   not   think  competition.  These  companies  have  a  global  presence,  spend  millions  of  dollars   of   marketing   and   public  relations   and   have   extensive  distribution.  

There   are   advantages   of   being  smaller   and   the   presence   of   large  corporations   can   create   new  opportunities   for   your   small  company.   Though   commercials  i n A l u ence   buye r   b ehav i ou r,  c o n s u m e r s   a r e   b e c o m i n g  increas ingly   d iscern ing   and  interested  in  unique,   rare   and  hard  to  Aind  quality  brands    that  still  offer  personal   relationships   and   Alexible  service.  

You   should   focus   your   efforts   on  providing   a   niche   products   and   a  strong   focus   on   personal   service  and   quality.   Creating   virtual  networks   will   also   assist   you   in  building   a   resource   database   and  create  opportunities  to   share  ideas,  interactions   with   a   wider   market  and   opportunities   to   tap   into  European   Union   funding   that   is  sometimes   only  available   to  groups  of   producers/service   providers.   To  survive   in  this   climate   you  need   to  have   the   right   networks   and  support.  

LACK   CLEAR   GOALS   AND  STRATEGIES  

Many  SME’s  fail  to  create  a  roadmap  that  will  deAinite  how  their  business  will   grow   and   who   will   buy   their  products   and   services.   Further,  m a ny   c omp a n i e s   d u r i n g   a  downturn  are  quick   to  slash  cost   or  cut   back   on   market ing   and  promotion   for   the   company.   This  may  be  important  in  the  short-­‐term  

but  the  company  must  look  to  ways  o f   i n c re a s i n g   r evenue   a nd  implementing   long-­‐term   growth  a n d   s t a b i l i t y   m e a s u r e s .  Unde r s t and i ng   you r   t a r g e t  audience,   product   positioning,  distribution   and   pricing   strategy  and  what  makes   it   unique   from  the  offering   of   competitors,   is   key   to  successfully   growing   your   brand  locally  or  in  new  overseas  markets.  

BARRIERS  TO  INNOVATION  

While   most   founders/owners   may  have   the   creative   styles   to   produce  the   goods   and   services   their   not  have  the   Ainancial  resources   to   hire  full-­‐time  research  and  development  personnel   and  marketing   strategist  that   can   drive   innovation   and  market   growth   in   the   company.  Failure   to   tap   into   the   right  resources  can  have  a  negative  effect  on  your  company’s  growth.  

Though   the   expertise   may   be   in-­‐house   for   developing   the   products,  a   lack   of   understanding   of   the  market   trends  and  needs   combined  with   inadequate   sales   skills   can  have   an   adverse   effect   on   your  business.    Today,  with  the  Internet,  social  media  and  many  outsourcing  possibilities,   SME’s   with   a   clear  road  map  can  tap  into  the  resources  they  need  to  like  never  before.

“Today Reaching A Mass Audience Is At Lower Cost Than Ever Before.”

THERE IS A DEMAND FOR NICHE BRANDS AROUND THE WORLD

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Seashell Consulting Inc. | hanna@seashellconsultinggroup.com | www.seashellconsultinggroup.com

LACK  OF  KNOWLEDGE  OF  MARKETS:  

You may be faced with questions such as: “how do I find buyers for my brand and build export markets to leverage risk and increase sales?” “How do I find the financial resources need to expand and provide the necessary in-market support to develop the brand?” Faced with the challenge of competition from global brands with billboards and glossy adverts on every corner, SMEs can become overwhelmed by the prospect and some fail to try.

For many European companies rumours and misconceptions of foreign markets have also contributed to what a European Commission survey (2007) found to be only 8% of European Union SMEs are exporting. With the current downturn in Europe and new emerging markets around the world, failure to take advantage of building export turnover can have an adverse effect on the survival of a SME.

Customers around the world are always interested in quality products and services. There are opportunities out there and with the right resources and partners in each

market, combined with promotional effort using social media, public relations and other online and offline media to draw awareness to the brand, SME’s can grow successfully internationally. There are many ways of promoting products and services to a mass audience at low-cost, selecting the right media will be determined by your strategy. You don’t have to be a billion dollar enterprise to play like one!

Small and medium companies can operate with a big business attitude and achieve success internationally. It is important that you undertake a proper marketing audit of your brand to assess existing and potential gaps, ensure that your branding is appealing to your target audience and develop a a clear strategy engaging the right resources that will support your strategy.

Promotion and public relations will be key to creating awareness for your brand and you don’t need a multi-million dollar marketing budget to do it! We live in an era where communicating and selling to a mass audience is more accessible and faster than ever before!

“Small  and  medium  

companies  can  operate  with  a  big  business  attitude  and  achieve  success  

internationally.”

Seashell Consulting Inc. is a boutique marketing firm helping companies develop new international markets, strategic roadmaps for international growth, international market insights, branding strategies.