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Chapter One
Perhaps you
truly can't
judge a book
by its cover,
but consumers
can--and
do--judge a
product by its
package.
And if you're trying to peddle
your wares overseas, your
packaging is even more crucial.
While what works in one country
will not necessarily have the same
effect in another, there are some
universal truths:
Color is a package's most important
element. Worldwide, red is
generally considered a positive
color, and gold usually signifies
quality.
In Asia, packages should have an
American and imported feel, and in
Europe, you should go with an
upscale, elegant look. Warm, bright
colors connect in Latin America,
and what sells in the United States
works just as well in Canada.
Overseas, storage in homes and
stores is an issue, so keep your
packages small. Also, avoid clutter,
and limit your use of numbers and
words.
Most important: Do your homework!
Remember, think globally, but
act locally.
Do you send
your sales
letters and
promotional
materials in a
company
envelope,
emblazoned
with your
logo in the
left-hand
corner?
Most entrepreneurs do, and
that can be a big mistake.
According to direct-mail guru
Jerry Fisher, most people glance at
their commercial mail and decide
whether to toss or open it in a matter
of seconds. Fisher claims you
can save your mail from being
trashed by sending it in a primarily
blank envelope. Instead of spelling
out your company's name in the
return address, try creating an air
of mystery and use only initials. For
instance, here at Entrepreneur
Press, we would send an envelope
bearing only our return address,
topped by the initials EP.
You might want to test your
mailings, using one with an intriguing
or compelling message printed
on the envelope and one that's virtually
blank. But mark Fisher's
words: Sheer curiosity will get your
"essentially anonymous" envelope
opened more than 50 percent of
the time.
Every time
you speak, you
have a chance
to make or
break your
business.
That's why it's so important to
choose your words with care.
So says Donald Weiss, author of
Why Didn't I Say That ?, who suggests
we eliminate the "ahs" and
"uhs" from our vocabulary because
they make us sound unsure and ill
at ease.
Use active sentences, such as
"We need to fix this now!" instead
of the more passive "This is in need
of some attention."
How we speak is just as important
as what we say. Don't talk too
loudly--or too fast. People are
more apt to listen when spoken to
in a relatively slow, lower tone of
voice.
So be aware of how you sound.
Powerful speech patterns can
strengthen your image and influence.
Do you know
what your
competition is
up to?
chances are
you don't.
And that could mean your
business is headed for
big trouble.
A recent study conducted by
professors at UCLA and Stanford
University showed most business
owners are clueless when it comes
to assessing their competition.
Most of those surveyed misread
their competitors' strategies, seeing
reactions that simply did not occur.
What's worse, almost 80 percent
were blind to their opponents'
actions, which can lead to losing
both customers and market share.
But you can learn to keep up
with your competition. Role play!
Put yourself in their shoes, and
analyze their strategies. Visit their
stores, and use the Internet to dig
up as much information as you can
about them, their tactics and their
goals.
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