Are You Using Twitter As a Global Force?

Are you using Twitter as a global force for your business - a direct line of communication with your constituency base? When people respond to your Tweets, do you respond in kind? According to Tricia Mulcahy of Ogilvy PR:

A recent study* indicated eight in 10 Twitter users surveyed worldwide said they thought the answers businesses posted on Twitter were at least as trustworthy as those from regular people, and about six in 10 said they wanted businesses to respond to them on the microblogging service. Clearly this shows that Twitter is more than a nice-to-have for businesses – it is becoming an important means of real time conversation with customers.

Learn more here.

* http://www.emarketer.com/Article.aspx?R=1008440

China Will Become a Creative Force: Are You Ready?

Interesting article here about the creative forces behind China and why it's been slow to peak.

Why just take a look:

"If you think about a discipline where China can make its mark, it would be outdoor," said Doug Schiff. "Japan excels at interactive, Singapore is known for print and Thailand TV. In China, most of the award-winning work has been in outdoor." He said the relatively low cost of outdoor campaigns makes it easier to experiment.

Yet, tried and true trends are emerging:

... we are seeing among the Chinese creative community in general are neo-traditionalism, nostalgia/retro, and a yearning for childhood," Mr. Schokora said, noting that what those have in common is a preoccupation with history. "As forward-looking as China is, creative inspiration is still coming from its rich past and robust heritage."

Read the entire article here. 

Posted by:  The Global Small Business Blog

Five Must-Haves To Get Started In International Sales

Here's my latest contribution for the American Express OPEN Forum via Small Business Trends:

5 Must-Haves That Make An International Sale Happen

No. 5 is my favorite.

Posted by:  The Global Small Business Blog

Products Make Better Exports Than Jobs

According to international trade specialists at Southern Illinois University, products make better exports than jobs.

Find out why here.

Illustration credit here.

Yankee Engineering At Its Best! The 2011 Chevrolet Camaro SS Convertible

The back of neck is getting dark and pretty" is how the Loving Spoon-Full" put it way back when.

Every Auto has its critics. Fro a former award winning new car dealers point-of-view I say, "bring Them On!"

It sure has been a blast tooling around Chevrolet's Super-Car, the 2011 Chevrolet Camaro SS Convertible,

The 2011 Chevrolet Camaro SS Convertible is a thing of automotive beauty and refinement.

Here are the Specs on the Camaro that we had at the Car Concerns Radio Proving Grounds this week:

Exterior Features

*Body-color front and rear bumpers *Electric soft convertible roof
*Day time running lights *Driver and passenger and passenger power ,body-color door mirrors *Exterior dimensions: 190.4 in. overall length, 75.5 in. overall width, 54.2 in. overall height, 112.3 in. wheelbase, 63.7 in. front track, 63.7 in. rear track and 37.7 ft. curb-to-curb turning circle *Front fog lights *Halogen headlights with complex surface lenses *Luxury trim: leather on shifter * Metallic paint
*Rear window defroster *Trunk/hatch spoiler
*Weights: published curb weight (lbs): 4,116
* Intermittent windshield wipers

Fantastic Interior Features and Turn-on's

*Front 12V power outlet(s) *Element antenna
*Anti-theft protection *Audio system with AM/FM radio, CD player (reads MP3 format) ; includes RDS , satellite radio *Cargo capacity: 10.2 cu. ft. all seats in place *Compass *Trip computer: includes average speed, average fuel economy and range for remaining fuel *Cruise control *Front cup holders *Outside air temperature indicator *Floor mats *Intelligent driver front airbag, intelligent passenger front airbag with occupant sensors *Sports driver seat with four 8-way power ; details: power height and power tilt, sports front passenger seat: with one 2-way power
*Front seat belts with pre-tensioners for driver and passenger *Front seat center armrest *Headlight control with dusk sensor *Two height-adjustable front head restraints *Interior dimensions: 37.8 in. front headroom, 35.7 in. rear headroom, 42.4 in. front leg room, 30.0 in. rear leg room, 56.8 in. front shoulder room and 42.4 in. rear shoulder room *Low tire pressure indicator * Navigation system with arrows and voice *Ultrasonic Rear Parking Assist rear radar parking distance sensors *Remote power locks , speed sensing *Power steering *Power windows, express driver and passenger *Front reading lights *Rear seat belts for driver and passenger *Rear seat center armrest with trunk access *Rear seats" *Rear view mirror
*Remote control trunk/hatch release *Seating: four passengers "Premium cloth upholstery *Service interval indicator *Front side airbag (incl. head protection)
*Seven speakers *Leather-trimmed, tilt/ telescoping steering wheel *Tachometer *OnStar On-Board : includes engine shut down *Driver and passenger vanity mirror
*Ventilation system with micro filter *Voice activating system for phone and navigation system

Performance & Handling

*Engine: 6.2L Veight-cylinder OHV and two valves per cylinders *Premium unleaded fuel *Fuel economy: EPA (08):, 16 MPG city, 24 MPG highway,
19 MPG combined and 357 mi. range *Multi-point fuel injection *18.8gallon fuel tank *Power (SAE): 426 hp @ 5,900 rpm; 420 ft lb of torque @ 4,600 rpm

Ride & Drive Handling Feature

*ABS *Ventilated four-wheel disc brakes *Electronic brake distribution *Electronic traction control (via ABS & engine management) *Immobilizer *Rear mechanical limited-slip differential * StabiliTrak stability control
*Independent front and rear multi-link suspension with stabilizer bar and coil springs *Tire kit

Over-all we thought that the 2011 Chevrolet Camaro SS Convertible was an absolute automotive marvel from the General Motors Design Team.

Car Concerns Radio issue's a "BUY" and "HOLD" on this offering from General Motors.

Put this vehicle in your Car Collection and figure at least a treble return in ten years.

The Car Concerns Auto Index 100 will be investing and to a certain degree of volume be acquiring.

Recorded on June 24, 2011 using a Cat Smith Video Cam Shoot.

CAR CONCERNS ROCKS IN THE USA EVERY WEEK-DAY MORNING
CALL HARRY MONDAY THUR FRIDAY...9:00 TO 11:00 A.M.(EST).
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EMAIL: harry@carconcerns.com

World: Let The Summer Fun Begin

"I wonder what it would be like to live in a world where it was always June." ~ L. M. Montgomery

Photo credit: ©Laurel Delaney 2011. All rights reserved. Chicago lakefront.

Posted by:  The Global Small Business Blog

Betting On Global Trade Rebound

If Maersk, the world's largest container-shipping line, is ordering ten huge container ships valued at $5.7 billion from South Korean Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering Co. with a delivery date of 2014 -- that can only be good news for global traders!

Read more (NYTimes.com):
Maersk Line to Buy 10 New Ships, With an Option for 20 More

In Search of An Irish Internet Entrepreneur

Found:  Sean MacEntee,
Irish Internet Entrepreneur

Photo credit:  Sean MacEntee (pictured) readies to jump out of a plane, The Irish Parachute Club

What Is a Freight Forwarder?

Good video from the U.S. Census/Foreign Trade that addresses the question of:  What is a freight forwarder?

Related articles in support of video:

11 Questions a Logistics Specialist Will Ask

Packing for International Shipping:  10 Factors to Consider When Packing For International Shipping

How to Prepare a Proforma Invoice

Posted by: The Global Small Business Blog

Trade Balance: April 2011

•  Exports increased to $175.6 billion in April from $173.4 billion in March.
•  Imports decreased to $219.2 billion in April from $220.2 billion in March. 

To learn more about good and services by category and goods by geographical area, go here.

Source:  U.S. Census Bureau/Foreign Trade Data

How to Find a Good Importing Wholesaler

Stuck on how to find a reputable importing wholesaler or distributor for your product line?  This should do it -- my latest article for About.com -- as their Import and Export Guide:

How to Find and Pre-Qualify Importing Wholesalers For Your Product Line Overseas

Spend Your Weekend Your Own Way

"There is only one success – to be able to spend your life in your own way." ~ Christopher Morley

Photo credit:   ©Laurel Delaney 2011, Loyola University Chicago lakefront North Shore Campus (6/17/11)

eBay: Fight For Growth in Asia Is Just Beginning

Will eBay make it in China?

The company argues that what matters is making money, and that it is building a much more viable business by exploiting its lead in the global market.

Is that all that matters in terms of running a global business: making money?

Well eBay plans to focus on that and reinventing its China business by helping local companies sell to consumers overseas.

Read the entire article here.

How is the National Export Initiative Working For You?

That's the question I have for small businesses after I read this article:

Small Businesses Barely Keeping Afloat

As always, the comments baffle me.  But I am serious about my question:  Is the NEI working for small businesses?

Is it the best of times for BIG businesses and worst of times for small?  We welcome hearing from you!

How to Have Happy and Safe Travels Internationally

In response to rising travel threats worldwide, the following article might be useful to you in preparation for your next trip.

Crisis Abroad:  Tips for International Travelers

Related article:

International Travel Alerts:  Travel Alerts By Country

Posted by:  The Global Small Business Blog

Expand Your Global Business Through Constant Reinvention

Do it the IBM way:

What started as a business making clocks, scales and cheese slicers has evolved into a global enterprise that’s responsible for a blur of innovations that include ATMs, mainframes, mini-computers, supercomputers, memory chips, the now obsolete typewriter, the barcode, and even that thin magnetic strip you see on your credit card.

Thanks to the Internet (and IBM), our world is not only becoming smaller but smarter too.

Read more about how IBM is transitioning from a multinational corporation to a globally integrated enterprise.  See if what they are doing applies to your global small business.  For example, where is your best work being done?  Put yourself and your business in the place with the most opportunity -- wherever that might be.

Thinking Big

Lady Gaga Is Conquering the World

Lady Gaga, queen of American pop music, and her management team have decided it's time to focus on conquering the rest of the world.  One of her first targets, after Germany with its 'Top Model' performance finale (as shown above) will be India.

Read more here on how Lady Gaga is going global.

Work Through the Critical Processes of Exporting

• How to determine your export readiness
• Worksheets for global market research
• Financing information and options
• Customizable export and marketing plan templates

Learn more here.   All brought to you by SBA.

Posted by:  The Global Small Business Blog

Expanding Across The American Air-Waves! Car Concerns Radio USA!

Announcing Car Concerns Radio USA! Yes Car Concerns Radio USA has a radically new Saturday broadcasting schedule that sends the show to over 30 new markets.

Now award winning new car dealer Harry Douglas can communicate via national syndication on the "Saturday Edition" of Car Concerns USA! The show will reach millions of Ready-To-Buy retail automotive consumers on the busiest car shopping day of the week. Harry will take your calls and give you the information that you will need to be WINNING at the dealerships.

Click on title to view all the new markets.


CAR CONCERNS ROCKS IN THE USA EVERY WEEK-DAY MORNING
CALL HARRY MONDAY THUR FRIDAY...9:00 TO 11:00 A.M.(EST).
BORDER-TO-BORDER...COAST-TO-COAST...USA TOLL-FREE: 1-888-454-3378 Streamed @ www.lifestyletalkradio.com
EMAIL: harry@carconcerns.com

How Retailers Can Find Riches Overseas

A new report, “The Global E-Commerce Gold Rush:  How Retailers Can Find Riches Overseas,” by Cisco Internet Business Solutions Group (IBSG) sizes up the challenges, opportunities and best practices for retailers who want to take advantage of e-commerce growth -- estimated to reach nearly $1.4 trillion in 2015 -- by going global.

Learn more here.

To read the report go to cisco.com/web/about/ac79/globalecom

Posted by:  The Global Small Business Blog

Car Concerns Credit Addvantage is Here!

The Car Concerns Radio USA Addvantage Credit Blue Card - $1000-$5000 guaranteed approval - unsecured credit line. Your opportunity to promote an unsecured subprime credit card - this is a store card only and does not display a Visa or MasterCard logo. These offers are very sought after and very high performing. Our Affiliate Partners have the opportunity to market our very rare and highly performing “Guaranteed Approval” Line of Credit Program. Our in-house store credit card is a unsecured, revolving line of credit that reports the cardholders account and credit history to major credit reporting companies. This product is an excellent credit builder/re-builder.



The The Car Concerns Radio USA Addvantage Blue Card - Exclusively from Car Concerns Radio USA Addvantage Buyers Club

1. Guaranteed Approval of a $1,000-$5,000 revolving credit line.

2. Buy the goods you need and build credit doing it!

3. Powerful tools for building credit!

4. Interest Rates as low as 0%

5. No Monthly Recurring Fees

6. No Hidden Fees

7. Up to $5000 Addvantage Credit line

8. Flexible payment options

9. When others say “NO”, we can say “YES”

10. Want a second chance? – Join the Club!


With the Addvantage Buyers Club Membership, new members are guaranteed to receive our Addvantage Blue Card with an initial $1000 -$5000 credit limit based on their ability to pay, not on the credit score alone. All applicants must be 18 years of age or older, a legal U.S. resident and have furnished accurate identity and application information.


CAR CONCERNS ROCKS IN THE USA EVERY WEEK-DAY MORNING
CALL HARRY MONDAY THUR FRIDAY...9:00 TO 11:00 A.M.(EST).
BORDER-TO-BORDER...COAST-TO-COAST...USA TOLL-FREE: 1-888-454-3378
HEARD ON THE CAR CONCERNS RADIO USA NETWORK: Boston 1460 WXBR Chicago 1230 WJOB
Las Vegas 970 KNUU Pittsburgh 1550 WLFP Hagatna Guam 560 KGUM
Orlando/Winter Springs IPR Radio Network Seattle/Bothell Big "R" Radio
Internet Streamed @ www.lifestyletalkradio.com
EMAIL: harry@carconcerns.com

My Top 10 Favorite Global Small Business Web Resources

Visiting these resources and studying them will help you get on top of your global game.  Here they are (originally published by Crain's Chicago Business (6/8/11):

Laurel Delaney:  Top 10 going-global websites

Do you have a favorite?  Let me know your best-kept secret!

Stop Restricting Imports

Severely imposed international trade restrictions worsen a struggling economy.  It may not impact global trade now but it could in the long run.  Here's why:

Keeping Protectionism at Bay
NYTimes.com (Editorial)

What's your opinion?

Illustration credit here.

Becoming a Global Force

How do you become a global force?  Be around for more than three decades and make a product that everybody around the world loves.  Find out which company we are talking about here.

Big hint.

Illustration credit here.

Posted by:  The Global Small Business Blog

Why Free-Trade Agreements Are Critical

According to South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com, Rep. Allen West (a Republican congressman from Florida's 22nd District, pictured), free-trade agreements are critical.

U.S. exports are at an all-time high, and our small businesses deserve a lot of the credit. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, small businesses account for nearly 97 percent of all U.S. exporters in 2007 and support nearly 4 million U.S. jobs. I urge President Obama and those in the Senate to work with the House to pass these free-trade agreements and continue this positive trend.

Read:

Free trade: Obama should make pending pacts a priority

Go Global: I Wish I'd Done It Sooner

That's what Fifth Ring co-founder Ian Ord said about the impact that being a globally operating business has had over the last decade. This was ahead of speaking at the forthcoming Go Global International Expansion Conference, which is being hosted by MiNetwork in Manchester in June.

Ord also said:

“We decided to go global in 2003 and took our first step into the Middle East in 2004. We started to plan our expansion into North America in 2006 and opened the office there in 2008. Given the success that particular office has achieved, I genuinely wish we had done it sooner but there were both resource and commercial constraints on our business. Expansion into Asia Pacific in 2011 was the next logical step in our international expansion and we were able to apply what we had learned from the move into the Middle East and North America.”

Read the entire article here.

Illustration credit:  fifthring

Posted by:  The Global Small Business Blog

How To Travel Safe When You Travel Internationally

Here are some practical tips and resources to check well in advance of your next international business trip to ensure a safe journey.

International Travel Alerts:  By Country
by Laurel Delaney, About.com Import and Export Guide

Posted by:  The Global Small Business Blog

Photo credit:  ©Laurel Delaney 2011.  All rights reserved.

Doha: Dead or Alive?

The Doha round has stalled for what seems like forever.  At this point, do you think it's dead or alive?

Read:

If Doha goes down, what goes with it?
by David Bosco for Foreign Policy

And let us know what you think.  We welcome hearing from you.

Posted by:  The Global Small Business Blog

2011 Porsche Panamera Moment

CAR CONCERNS ROCKS IN THE USA EVERY WEEK-DAY MORNING
CALL HARRY MONDAY THUR FRIDAY...9:00 TO 11:00 A.M.(EST).
BORDER-TO-BORDER...COAST-TO-COAST...
USA TOLL-FREE: 1-888-454-3378
HEARD ON THE CAR CONCERNS RADIO NETWORK:
Boston 1460 WXBR Chicago 1230 WJOB Las Vegas 970 KNUU
Pittsburgh 1550 WLFPGuam 560 KGUM Orlando/Winter Springs IPR Radio
Seattle/Bothell Big R Radio
Internet Streamed @ www.lifestyletalkradio.com
EMAIL: harry@carconcerns.com

World, Are You Listening? Exporting Sound.

An article from NPR talking about exporting sound to the world.

"I'm fortunate because I exported my business," says Carl Craig, one of techno's biggest ambassadors. "If I kept it in the U.S., we would have failed a long time ago."

 What are you doing right now locally that could be taken globally?