Selling Pingar Offshore

Over the past couple of months, I have visited the USA, Singapore and the UAE to look at sales opportunities for Pingar.

The main purpose of the visits has been to research the feasability of establishing a formal sales channel in each region, either direct or indirect. Each region clearly share different business cultures and hence there is no single template to follow.

What has been consistent in each visit has been the support of NZTE and their locally-based representatives. In Santa Monica, I had good meetings with Peter Bull and Calvin Cheong who were able to point me in several positive directions. In Singapore, it was Liam Corkery. In UAE, it was Hesham Saleh. The one consistent theme was that because I had made the effort to actually visit the local market and shell out the necessary dollars to do so, NZTE locally responded very positively. This has been reflected in the follow-up emails and actions that have taken place since my return to NZ after each visit.

In my view, it is not enough just to attend seminars and conferences in NZ to learn about 'Export'. The real answer lies in researching a potential market, engaging with NZTE, planning a visit, booking the flights and accommodation, and spending time in your chosen market. That demonstrates a commitment to 'export' that emailing and video conferencing doesn't.

That commitment is two-way. Firstly, one begins to understand the opportunities and pain points a particular market offers. Secondly, and as important, the local market responds very positively to the visit. They understand the distance you have traveled and this itself demonstrates real intent.

As part of New Zealand's '2007 Export Year' program, NZTE has made available approximately NZ$30 million dollars under a product called 'The Market Development Component of the Enterprise Development Grant Scheme (EDG-MD)'. Funds are available to assist NZ businesses assess market opportunities offshore. The funding allocation for May 2007 - May 2008 is almost complete, but another raft of funding is available for July 2007 - July 2008. Click the link above, register and apply!