International Business

Brick And Mortar Companies Use Information Products For International Business Development

by on 24 April, 2008

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Information Products To Open International Markets

iconcatib Brick And Mortar Companies Use Information Products For International Business DevelopmentHow can businesses use the internet for international sales and lead generation?

Brick and mortar companies often do not take the time to study how they can create their own international business from their home office. It is important to review certain basic sales functions on the internet.

Internet is an information source. It has been widely commented on that people do not want to pay for information any more. Seth Godin’s books and blog to cite just one source.

The first reflex when you need information is to go online. This is true in many, many countries. You can get information for free on the Internet. Why pay for it?

Here are the two main categories of information available on the internet:

  • General online content – also providing excellent organic SEO value for the publisher
  • Information products, give away for free, as an incentive to subscribe to something, or for sale online.

General online content can be put online in websites, blogs, forums, directories and social media places such as YouTube or DailyMotion, Wikipedia.

Information products come in various formats:

  • EBooks,
  • Teleseminars,
  • Video training in online format or on DVD
  • E-Courses delivered automatically by email in text, audio or video formats,
  • Membership sites in various formats
  • Subscription based online training

Infopreneurs use these information products to create product funnels of varying price points, from free incentives, low priced front end products through to packages sold at thousands of dollars. Infopreneurs use information products as a business on its own. There are several online business models that create an automatic stream of income once in place.

Other offline businesses typically use front end information products to either

  • Create an online lead generation tool for their offline business
  • Create a new stand alone business model

These information products have been sold on the internet for a while now.

There is a decrease in the price of eBooks, and infopreneurs are using low priced incentives to get people to sign up on forced continuity membership programs.

Does this trend in the online information market affect businesses actively seeking international development? You must not forget the first points made above.

People all over the world expect free information on the web. And when they need information they look for it on the web.

People will spend money to implement this knowledge, learn skills, get ideas, and for quick solutions on how to use this information.

In international business development information products are used as:

  • An effective tool for international market research – creating authority, online visibility, inciting feedback – when used with the right online channel, and with the right content.
  • An international lead generation tool – in an integrated marketing strategy, and with the right content.

This is the reason why brick and mortar businesses interested in international development need to implement an online content and information product creation plan.

You can have your own international market research tool right in your domestic location. An online information strategy gives you:

  • Flexibility on your own international market development.
  • Control over risks in traditional international business development
  • Control over the pace at which you want to expand

An international lead generation tool which you can tweak real time, at no cost.

Brick and mortar businesses need to look at how they create their online presence. Providing content in the right format and within the right strategy gets you more international clients.

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"Cindy is a real authority on all things international marketing.
She is who I turn to when I have questions and you should too"
-- Chris Garrett, co-author of the "Problogger" book

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  • Don Draper

    Offshoring has probably done more to create jobs and raise the standard of living in the US than any government initiative. More people are hired in the long run as companies become more productive, and the jobs are at a much higher level. The predicted demise of the software industry in the US was all wrong — it's as strong as ever, and there are much more higher level jobs available now. Being able to get products at half cost is better than getting a 100% raise, since cheaper products don't have an income tax burden.

  • Don Draper

    Offshoring has probably done more to create jobs and raise the standard of living in the US than any government initiative. More people are hired in the long run as companies become more productive, and the jobs are at a much higher level. The predicted demise of the software industry in the US was all wrong — it's as strong as ever, and there are much more higher level jobs available now. Being able to get products at half cost is better than getting a 100% raise, since cheaper products don't have an income tax burden.

  • Colin Y.J. Chung

    Riffing on that note… Shorting stocks ALSO does not question your patriotism.

    • http://cindyking.biz Cindy

      Hi Colin,

      Not sure I follow your comment. Care to expand?

  • Colin Y.J. Chung

    Riffing on that note… Shorting stocks ALSO does not question your patriotism.

    • http://cindyking.biz Cindy

      Hi Colin,

      Not sure I follow your comment. Care to expand?

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  • http://www.colincopy.com Colin Y.J. Chung

    Hi Cindy,

    Late in reply — forgot to click on the “notify me” checkbox.

    I was jumping a few too many steps ahead of Don’s note when he wrote his note pro-offshoring. The general sentiment seems to be “offshoring kills American jobs and is unpatriotic.” I disagree with that sentiment and agree with Don’s note.

    From that I unfortunately skipped ahead in my brain to something else in my head that is “perceived” by the general public to be “unpatriotic” and destroys the American economy — which is shorting stocks.

    Again, I wholly disagree with that. I believe shorting stocks maintains the free market. There needs to be yin and yang basically.

    So. Ultimately, I fired off a comment that was two tangential thoughts away. I apologize for the confusion.

    Colin Y.J. Chungs last blog post..Why You Should Write at 5th Grade Level… or Below!

    • http://cindyking.biz Cindy

      Thanks for explaining Colin.

      This also opened my eyes to the different angles people can have on the topic of outsourcing.

      I hate to admit it, but I only think from the business angle… and not about the saving money aspect. This might be because i come from a very small country where “patriotic” and “unpatriotic” sentiments have a different perspective.

      The cross-cultural marketer in me, always asks if this is the best fit for the business. I have seen so many customer service centers outsourced that may be cheaper, but that cannot offer the right service to a company’s clients. Simply because you cannot re-program cultural behaviors.

      With regards to the large scale economics of outsourcing, history shows fluxes in where things are sold. I feel I’m better at spending my time on finding the best business opportunities in the market I live in. Again, not based on the money, but based on business. I guess I think human nature is stronger than I am. :)

      So I read your comments with interest.

  • http://www.colincopy.com Colin Y.J. Chung

    Hi Cindy,

    Late in reply — forgot to click on the “notify me” checkbox.

    I was jumping a few too many steps ahead of Don’s note when he wrote his note pro-offshoring. The general sentiment seems to be “offshoring kills American jobs and is unpatriotic.” I disagree with that sentiment and agree with Don’s note.

    From that I unfortunately skipped ahead in my brain to something else in my head that is “perceived” by the general public to be “unpatriotic” and destroys the American economy — which is shorting stocks.

    Again, I wholly disagree with that. I believe shorting stocks maintains the free market. There needs to be yin and yang basically.

    So. Ultimately, I fired off a comment that was two tangential thoughts away. I apologize for the confusion.

    Colin Y.J. Chungs last blog post..Why You Should Write at 5th Grade Level… or Below!

    • http://cindyking.biz Cindy

      Thanks for explaining Colin.

      This also opened my eyes to the different angles people can have on the topic of outsourcing.

      I hate to admit it, but I only think from the business angle… and not about the saving money aspect. This might be because i come from a very small country where “patriotic” and “unpatriotic” sentiments have a different perspective.

      The cross-cultural marketer in me, always asks if this is the best fit for the business. I have seen so many customer service centers outsourced that may be cheaper, but that cannot offer the right service to a company’s clients. Simply because you cannot re-program cultural behaviors.

      With regards to the large scale economics of outsourcing, history shows fluxes in where things are sold. I feel I’m better at spending my time on finding the best business opportunities in the market I live in. Again, not based on the money, but based on business. I guess I think human nature is stronger than I am. :)

      So I read your comments with interest.

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