World marketplace is only a click away

By Debbie Blossom

Published: April 13, 2008

Creating a company Web site with the goal of grabbing a piece of the global marketplace may seem like an easy way to boost revenues, but there are multiple factors to consider before dipping into those international waters.

Yet e-commerce has become a powerful tool for marketing products and services worldwide, and its use is growing rapidly in major world markets, speakers at the 25th Annual Oklahoma World Trade Conference in Tulsa said Thursday.

Exporting products overseas "is very hard,” said Kenneth Carlton, professor of information technology at Oklahoma City University. "And the Internet might be the most important tool.”

Oklahoma grosses more than $4 billion in exports every year, but the door is open for expansion, said Charles Mills, chairman of the Oklahoma District Export Council.

Carlton's presentation to state business owners highlighted vital elements to consider before delving into dealing with international customers. "Marketing campaigns are the key to pulling it off,” and building confidence in a company that clients may have never heard of, he said.

In promoting products and services, though, companies should first research potential clients, consider language barriers and cultural attitudes, understand packing, labeling and documentation and insurance requirements, and know custom and tariff charges.

And most importantly, "You need somebody in every country to form a strategic alliance with,” Carlton said.

Every company's needs are different, and for Bartlesville-based Blue Sky Bio, a Web page is the only method the virtual firm has to conduct business, said general manager John Carey.

Blue Sky manufactures and distributes dental implant systems in the United States, Canada and the European Union, Carey said. With only a handful of employees, the company contracts out to experts most of the services it requires to get its dental systems to the hands of buyers.

"We use production facilities from coast to coast,” he said. And without a sales team, Blue Sky invests liberally in marketing and advertising its product in medical journals, for instance.

Beth Schmidt, director of marketing and communications for the Oklahoma Department of Commerce, urged business owners to carefully analyze and critique their Internet ventures.

"Worry about designing a site people will come to,” Schmidt said. ‘Organize your Web site around the way a customer will look at it, not the way your company is organized.” Web sites "Need to be in sync with the rest of your marketing plan,” she said. "You need to know why you have a Web site, and measure against that.”

Becoming a global player "Is even more of a necessity today,” said Jim Greenway, manager of global Web communications for T.D. Williamson Inc.

Greenway, part of a panel discussion on how companies can best market Web sites, said companies need to identify a target market, develop marketing strategies, incorporate the cost, determine if a system can handle multiple languages and if outsourcing is needed, and make sure everyone on staff is committed to an online operation.

"It's key that your entire organization is wrapped up in this,” he said. "Everyone needs to be onboard.”

The conference also featured comments from Tulsa Mayor Kathy Taylor, a luncheon presentation from Scott Petruska, a vice president in the international department of Commerce Bank in Kansas City, Mo., and an afternoon session on export opportunities in Mexico and Latin America.

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