Export marketing article 1 of 3

Is your brand export ready?

We sat down and chatted with Lucy Wildman and Francis Frost, directors of Module Marketing, about export marketing, brand development and global strategy.

Is your brand ready for export?  It’s not a loaded question but it is one of, if not the, most important questions you should be asking when thinking about global markets.

So what exactly does “export ready” mean, and how do you assess whether your brand ticks all these boxes?  One of the biggest mistakes keen exporters make is not recognizing from the outset that the global marketplace is constantly evolving and takes different shapes depending on each respective market.  If your brand is unable to adapt and evolve it is unlikely to flourish.

With that in mind, our first recommendation to new and prospective clients clawing their way into the exporting is to look deeply and conduct a brand audit to assess whether the brand has the core DNA to take on the big guys.  You’re not an accountant, and neither are we, but taking a step back and assessing three fundamental parts of your business: Operations, Brand/Product and Sales/Marketing will identify potential stumbling blocks, mitigate risk and highlight your brands value prior to your foray into global markets.

OPERATIONS

Two of the most important questions we believe keen exporters should ask themselves are

1) Can we able to supply on-time?

An often misunderstood and overlooked aspect of exporting is fulfilling orders on-time. Open-to-buy and selling seasons in export markets such as North America and Europe are an established part of business and more complex than in New Zealand.  If you’re not able to supply within the specified delivery window your order runs the risk of being canceled or the buyer imposing crippling late fees and the relationship with them being tarnished.

Receiving your first export order is a great achievement, but before you start popping the champagne make sure you have identified potential hurdles such as short delivery windows, country specific product testing and compliance requirements, cancel dates and any other fine print at the bottom of the contract.

2)  Is your manufacturing scaleable for export markets?

It sounds basic but do you have access to the raw materials required to scale up if and when you receive re-orders or land that big fish account?   

Raw material considerations or availability and production leadtimes are important factors that need to be mapped out before you start thinking about export markets.  Prior to making the leap to exporting, we suggest mapping out B and C contingencies in the event raw material or production fails could sour business relationships with export clients.

Another less discussed consideration is whether you have the mental resources and internal team structure to manage the challenges exporting may throw your way.  This is perhaps a timely opportunity to identify a star player among your team who can step up to the challenge, or alternatively leaning on a mentor or work with an expert who can guide you through the intricacies of exporting.

We’ll ask the question again; is your brand ready for export?

This article is the first of three covering how to ready your brand for export.  In the next issue of NZExporter we’ll cover the importance of identifying your brand’s DNA and how to create an authentic customer brand experience.

Module Marketing is New Zealand’s premier export marketing agency, delivering results through marketing, communications and strategic partnerships with a number of small and medium sized businesses within New Zealand.  Their experience runs deep in marketing, strategic thinking, brand development and positioning, through an intimate understanding of global markets.

www.modulemarketing.com