US Census department has released its most recent numbers on imports and exports, and both continue up in spite of the economic challenges.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Steven Checks In On Trade Dev With Germany
Hi John,
How are you! I took your small biz trade worldwide online class back in winter 2005. Thanks again for all that valuable advice.
I have started my own small international biz development company back in 2006 assisting German small and midsize energy companies with their expansion to western US. I’m currently assisting a German manufacturer with the identification of potential customers in the U.S. I’ve already contacted one importer/distributor who has a nationwide network of independent sales reps who is interested in marketing the products.
Please could you recommend a directory of importers/distributors who specialize in these types of products (solar toys, solar models, solar educational products).
Thank you & best regards,
Steven Weaver
Steven,
You can google search, but of course that does you little good... and the Germans can do that... do what I recommend to everyone, which is something the Germans cannot do themselves...
1. take samples straight into the stores you think should be selling these items... at least six stores... you are well positioned in the bay area to do this... upscale stores...
2. DO NOT TRY TO MAKE A SALE. Simply walk in with the items in a nice bag and when someone says "May I help you?" you say " A german exporter believes if these items are iported into the united states, you would by them from a usa importer. Is the german right?" And get ready for gasps, hesitation, etc... eventually you'll get to someone who is responsible...
poins to hit...
a. make clear it is new and they would be first
b. make clear they would likely be somewhat exclusive
c. if they ask price, you give them a rough... (say an item is ten euros fob germany, then figure Eur 12.50 landed so eur 25 wholesle in usa) or $37.50 wholesale to seller...
if they show any interest at all, you simply thank them and ask the name of a rep or an importer they would expect to find such a product from...
3. Armed with this info, you can approach the reps and importers about the customers who are ready to buy... then you put the deal together...
This is what I would recommend you do for yourself... since you are repping germans, do this for the germans... something they cannot do for themselves...
and then write up what you did, and present it to the Germans....
John
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Senator Wakes Up
This good senator objects to the government bailout of big banks as announced over teh weekend. he calls for the resignation of Bernanke and Paulson. The senator says he feels like he is living in Red China.
Well Yes. I recall listening in the mid-1990's to a small town USA mayor reporting back from a junket to China he made with various other mayors. He first spoke in a star-struck manner of how he got to travel with San Francisco mayor Willie Brown. Next, he assured us the mayors in charge of cities in Communist China were no different at all from the mayors in USA cities.
At least he was telling the truth.
Monday, September 8, 2008
F is Heartfelt
I share a concern for the environment, economy, society with my friends on the left, but their solutions so often strike me as loopy. But their very loopiness brings a perspective that leads to wonderful innovations, or just re-introductions of the good which was once lost...
I secreted myself last weekend at a mountain lake to get some reading and writing done, and at one point I strolled through a small town there and came upon a New Age crystal shop called Spirals. Sigh. I was going to walk on, but I had time to burn so I went in to see what was new in the world of auras and astral projection.
I saw some old. A company called www.oddity.biz clearly knocked off one of my glass candle designs, and did a terrible job of it. The materials were substandard, the wick was wrong, the copy of my design was very poor, ho hum. I have since looked at their website, and it is terrible. The founder sold it ten years ago, and now they compete on price, and make websites for other too. Tragic.
The owner of the store asked me if I had ever seen earth tone bowls before (like a good salesperson, she did NOT ask "May I help you?") I admitted ignorance of the item. She placed a large bowl in my hand, and struck it with a clapper, and and then ran the clapper along the side of the bowl, extended the musical note for quite a while, like a bell. "F" she said, "good for the heart." Indeed, the tone vibration was physically experienced in my heart. Now, I was born at night, but not last night. So when I tried, "C" and "G" note bowls, I held the bowl in exactly the same place as F, to see where the tone resonated in me. Just as F vibrated in my heart, so the other bowls and notes vibrated where they were supposed to, the brain, kidney etc.
Of course, music and healing is nothing new, it's just these bowls are made with the crystal that is associate with the organ, and shaped to hit the right note, in a process that requires laser light to fine tune the note. Strong medicine. Paramahansa Yogananda predicted all of this 100 years ago.
I noted to the owner I had heard some one argue the Star Spangled Banner is best in the key of F, and wondered what key it was normally played in (anyone know). I shared if F relates to the heart, perhaps we'd be in fewer wars if the star spangled banner was played in the key of F at sporting events. (Now who is loopy?!)
Here is a Spanish version of the star spangled banner that was a hit on Spanish radio leading up to the pro-freedom rallies earlier this year.
I don't go shopping very often.
Olympics Are Over, China Moves On
After the Olympics, the Chinese began unloading the bonds they are holding, threatening to bring down Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. To save the super wealthy iin America, the government has stepped in and bailed out these organizations. Don't worry, you won't feel the hit until you retire and your pension is desultory.
Our Medical Future
Great Britain is the since national health has devastated health care in that country. Hungarian dentists are cleaning up, so to speak.http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gif
Export Services Warning
Here is a cautionary tale about exporting services, and how you can get in trouble, or stay out. My advice is always "comply and complain."
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