By working with the trade office and displaying at its booth, the company was able to increase its exposure internationally in a cost-effective way, says Cremer. His company has displayed at shows in Japan, Korea, Germany and Canada. In addition to the state trade office, several associations and federal government offices offer services to exporting companies. These services range from educational seminars to individual counseling to assistance with paperwork and even help with export financing. While companies may begin their international business serendipitously, as Har-mony Enterprises and Aeromix did, few stay successful internationally without carefully adapting to market conditions in the countries in which they work.
Some adaptations are small, but crucial.
For example, Aeromix has several rules for international communications to guarantee that it is understood properly by those who may not speak English as a first language. They never use slang. Any sentence with more than one comma is too long. Faxes cover only one subject. When he travels overseas, Anderson studies the culture carefully and is open to new experiences.