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Dear Exporter,
In this issue of The International
Journal, we take a look at what's
required to make the leap toward exporting
and what the rewards might be. We also
spotlight AMI's talented Marketing Manager,
Briony Nguyen. Finally, we offer some
international food and beverage news you can
use, as well as a couple of lite bites just
for fun.
(If you are having trouble viewing this
e-mail, you can
see it online.)
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Why Go Global? |
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You've probably heard that a global
company is a more valuable company,
but have you ever stopped to think
why? Here are just a few examples of
how expanding your sales
internationally can add value to
your company:
- Increases profits--Because
of lower marketing and other
fixed costs, international sales
are typically more profitable
than domestic sales.
- Raises consumer demand
-- Expand your sales
internationally and you can take
advantage of new markets that
haven't yet reached saturation
point. By building awareness in
overseas markets, you will
stimulate demand and grow your
product category.
- Gives you a jump on the
competition -- While your
competitors are busy focusing on
the domestic market, you can
increase revenue through
international sales and use it
to invest in your U.S. business.
Better yet, you could become one
of the first U.S. companies to
grab a piece of the market and
establish brand awareness early
on.
But before you make the leap to
exporting, you need to ask yourself
another question:
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Does Your Company Have What It Takes
to Go Global? |
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Successful companies understand that
exporting requires patience,
commitment, and a good dose of
realism. The following attributes
are crucial:
- A focus on long-term
brand building efforts, not
just short-term sales gains
- A realistic estimation of
the time and resources
required to enter new export
markets
- A serious commitment from
management
Take a good look at your company
and decide whether these qualities
apply. If so, you may be ready for
success in the international
marketplace!
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Selling Organic Products to Japan: A
Case Study |
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Recently, a client with a terrific
organic product came to AMI wanting
to know if we could help them
penetrate the Japanese market. We
did the research, and all signals
looked great. The product was top
notch, there were no local players
in the client's unique product
category, and there was only one
major international competitor.
AMI set out to help the client
identify, assess and recruit a
Japanese importer and distributor.
We assisted with product
development, marketing and managing
the supply chain. Ultimately, our
client achieved tremendous success;
however, as you'll see, the path was
not always easy. Here's what
happened . . .
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AMI Employee Spotlight |
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AMI's Briony Nguyen Receives
Exporting Award
AMI Marketing Manager Briony
Nguyen was recently named to
American Food & Ag Exporter's list
of Top 40 Exporters Under 40.
Below, the talented and multilingual
Ms. Nguyen shares her thoughts on
why she chose a career in the
international sector.
My Passion for International
Business
by Briony Nguyen
When people ask me why I'm drawn
to the international sector my
response is, I can't imagine not
working in the realm of the
international. Having grown up in a
multicultural family (my father is
Vietnamese and my mother is
Japanese-American), I have had a
global worldview for as long as I
can remember--it's part of who I am.
This is one of the reasons why I so
enjoy working with AMI's large
network of international customers.
Read the full
article . . .
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AMI Announcements |
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We're Moving to Larger Offices!
To serve our clients more
efficiently and accommodate our
growth, AMI is upgrading to a new
office space. While our phone number
will remain the same, our mailing
address and fax number will change.
Starting June 1, you may reach us
at:
Athena Marketing
International, LLC
1411 4th Avenue, Suite 629
Seattle, WA 98101
Phone: +1 206 749 9255
Fax: +1 206 624 8826
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In the News
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Korea--USA Announce Free Trade
Agreement Negotiations
South Korea and the U.S. intend to
negotiate a Free Trade Agreement (FTA)
prior to mid-2007. If successful, it
would be the largest FTA since NAFTA.
It would particularly benefit U.S.
food and agricultural processors.
According to economists, an FTA
would increase both countries'
exports by 37.5% . . .
Read the full article . . .
China's Food Industry Grows 20%
in Q1
In our last issue, we talked
about the incredible opportunities
the Chinese marketplace presents for
the US food and beverage producer.
China's growth continues to be
robust, particularly in the food
and beverage sector, where
Asia Times reports 20% growth in
the first quarter of 2006. . . .
Read the article . . .
Newsbites Lite: Kitchen Tools of
Mass Destruction
You wouldn't want to insult
this pastry chef-- who knows
what else she might have in her
arsenal? According to the Western
Mail, a Welsh pub was recently
evacuated because the enormous
object the landlord's mother was
using to roll out pastry turned out
to be a World War II bomb. . . .
Read the story . . .
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The Real Thing?
What looks like an oversized
bottle of Coca-Cola is actually a
trompe l'oeil sidewalk chalk drawing
by English artist Julian Beever.
Beever creates amazingly realistic
drawings that resemble
three-dimensional objects when
viewed from the proper angle.
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