Bright and Prosperous 2014!

©2014 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

Happy 2014!

May It Be Bright and Prosperous

Impact On International Expansion Can Be Significant

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According to The Motley Fool, in the first quarter of 2012, Netflix entered the U.K. and Ireland, and the quarterly international contribution loss spiked from $60 million to $103 million sequentially.  When Netflix began serving the Netherlands last quarter, it was accompanied by a sequential increase in the international contribution loss.

They go on to report:

While these numbers are "choppy," the impact of expansion on profitability is significant.

Can you still be profitable while you grow internationally?  I think so.

Netflix should not automatically shy away from international expansion just because it will be expensive. Indeed, if the company can secure a first-mover position in Internet video within its new markets, they should become quite profitable over time.

Netflix's International Expansion Will Be Expensive

100 Best Websites for Entrepreneurs: The Global Small Business Blog is On the List

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Forbes brings you the first annual list of FORBES 2013 100 Best Websites For Entrepreneurs and The Global Small Business Blog made the list. Whether you’re seeking advice on going global, scaling your business or looking for general industry insight, these sites, according to Forbes, are worth reading.

There are websites to help market your startup (Duct Tape Marketing) and think about taking it international (Global Small Business Blog). There are news sources and newsletters, as well as a bunch of question-and-answer forums (Stack Overflow, Quora, Reddit) to address the most specific entrepreneurial demands. Present, too, are sites like Startup Lawyer, which can help founders address the legalities of starting up.

 100 Best Websites for Entrepreneurs - Forbes

Holy Name Cathedral Chicago

©2013 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

World-famous Holy Name Cathedral Chicago.

Technology Is Changing the Global Landscape

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This year Google opened its first “Winter Wonderlabs” in six U.S. cities to showcase its tablets, laptops and other gadgets. Customers can try out the products but must buy them online. The showrooms will close at the end of the holiday season.

Learn what else is different for retailers who have both a brick and mortar and online presence, including Amazon, Bonobos and prescription eyeglass specialist Warby Parker.

Read the entire article: Online retailers build brands by opening showrooms

Issuing a Commercial Import Invoice

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In this article, I talk about why a commercial import invoice is important and how to prepare one.

A commercial invoice, signed by the seller or shipper, or his agent, acts as a bill of sale between a buyer and seller, describes what you are importing and references important transaction numbers. It also serves as a vehicle for the seller to get paid as well as a device for you to receive your merchandise in a timely fashion and in good order.

Read the entire article:  What's Needed on a Commercial Import Invoice

Shine Bright This Holiday Season

©2013 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

May Your Holidays Be Bright

and Filled With Joy!

A Santa All Year Round and All Around the World?

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Is it possible to have a Santa all year round, all around the world, and one who generates business?  In Finland, they're trying to do something exactly like this.

Read the entire article:  Finnish Santa Claus wants to go global, all year round  

To SMEs in China, The Whole World Can Be Your Market

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After China became a member of the World Trade Organization, twelve years ago, China claims "it’s fulfilled its commitments and made great strides in exporting its "Made in China" brand."

China promised to open the market by bringing down tariffs. The ensuing flood of giant multinationals put tremendous pressure on the country’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Yet, Li Mingliang, who runs a private fish processing company says:

"Today my products can not only be sold in China, but are exported to neighboring countries like Japan and South Korea. The whole world can be my potential market. We are all connected. A decade ago, that was unimaginable."

Read the entire article:  China makes great strides in exporting "Made in China" brand

The Purrfect Pet Food Store

©2013 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

This playful photo was taken at Urbanimal Chicago, the all natural pet food store owned by Daniel Irizarry where:

... [We] believe it's not enough for our furry children to simply survive. Instead we seek to educate and provide products and services that will allow them to thrive.

Pay a visit to Urbanimal to meet the biggest cat of all - and dressed up for the holidays!

Where Did Your Bacon and Eggs Come From This Morning?

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According to Joel Backaler, a contributor to Forbes, Chinese companies go global because of government encouragement as well as business necessity.  He goes on to say, "However, it takes more than international ambitions alone to succeed in developed markets."

The article, the first in a six-part series, begins with:

What did you eat for breakfast this morning? You may be surprised to learn which country it came from…or at least who owns the company that made it. If you had bacon and eggs and live in the U.S., you likely ate Smithfield Foods’ bacon—now owned by China’s Shuanghui International after its $4.7 billion acquisition of the Virginia-based pork producer in September 2013. If you live in the U.K., perhaps you ate a bowl of Weetabix cereal, which was acquired in May 2012 by China’s Bright Food for £1.2 billion (approximately $1.9 billion).

Read the entire article:  Why Do Companies Want to Go West?

Exports Thrive in a New Facility for Madagascar Chocolate Company

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The African island nation Madagascar had some of the best chocolate in the world, but didn’t export any of it.  That's about to change.  Two Peace Corps volunteers Tim McCollum and Brett Beach are on a mission to import and sell both chocolate and vanilla products that are entirely made in Madagascar.

Their company can be found by visiting:  Madécasse

Read the entire article:  Former Pfizer factory trades medicine for chocolate

Facebook For Business Goes Global

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Facebook for Business goes global; it will be made available in 11 more languages, as well as looking to publish regular content including case studies, tips and trends.

The site will be available in Korean, Japanese, Taiwanese, Chinese, simplified Chinese, UK English, German, French, European Spanish, Italian, Brazilian Portuguese, and Latin American Spanish.

Read the entire article:  Facebook For Business set to go global following launch in 11 new languages

Exporting: The Definitive Guide to Selling Abroad Profitably Is Available for Sale Now!

Photo courtesy:  Apress

It's official -- my new book, "Exporting:  The Definitive Guide to Selling Abroad Profitably" is ready to order as of December 17, 2013!  Order the book here:  ExportingGuide.com.

Some pre-press news:

What Entrepreneurs Should Know About Exporting Now

Authors Publish (the latest)

The Definitive Book on Exporting Has Arrived!

I hope you like it!

News release (added 12/17/13 at 11:00 a.m. CST):

Enter the International Marketplace with "Exporting" by Laurel Delaney - Released by Apress Media

Digital SMEs, Let's Go Global with Unilever

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Unilever's Go Global initiative started earlier this month and is open to digital marketing start-ups in the area of content, mobile or other connected devices.  The seven digital companies selected will be awarded $100,000 and their technology will be incorporated into a Unilever brand’s marketing campaign in the UK, US, South Africia, Indonesia, India, Brazil or Argentina.

The Unilever brands involved are: Magnum, Surf, Flora Pro-Activ, Hellmann’s, Vaseline and Clear.

Learn more here.  Apply here (deadline:  January 17, 2014)  Make your global dream come true in the new year!

Happy Holidays from The Global Small Business Blog!

©2013 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

Wishing you a holiday season

filled with joy

and special moments.

Note:  Macy's Walnut Room Chicago, established in 1907, is one of Chicago's most beloved landmarks.

From Dishwashing Soap to Diapers, California Will Export it

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The executive director of the new California-China Office of Trade and Investment, Diane Long, a veteran member of China's expatriate business community, plans to help California entrepreneurs navigate doing business in China.

Her mission:

 ... helping boost the Golden State's exports to the world's second-largest economy, now about $14 billion a year.

Read the entire article:  Diane E. Long helps California boost exports to China

Seven Social Media Global Career Killers

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In the article, "Six Social Media Career Killers, Sylvia Pennington talks about blunders one can make while using social media platforms.

I've added one more misstep to make it seven:  Be culturally sensitive to your audience!  With the Internet, you now must understand, appreciate, and work with individuals from cultures other than your own so be aware, accept cultural differences and adapt accordingly.  (For example, would every person in the world identify with the photo shown above if you placed it on your LinkedIn account, a more business-oriented site?)

Read the entire article:  Six Social media career killers

Is Yahoo! Truly Global?

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Yahoo! has rolled out a new home page globally in the UK, Ireland, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, and South Africa.  But does this make them truly global?

Read:  Yahoo!'s New Homepage Starts Going Global

Duty Free Model is Going Global

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Qatar Duty Free is preparing to expand internationally, with Senior Vice President Keith Hunter saying the company will look at opportunities around the world.

“We’ll [says Hunter] be looking all around the world [for] any opportunities where it may be a business opportunity for us or a partnership or an association.”

Read the entire article: Qatar Duty Free Signals Ambitions For International Expansion

Pack Light On Your Digital Devices When Traveling Internationally

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Oh how difficult it is to leave our digital devices behind when we travel internationally for leisure.  But that does not need to be the case.  You can travel overseas and still stay connected with the world.  Here's how - with some tips on considering a lightweight digital device packing mentality.

What to do (and not to do) when traveling overseas with Apple gear

(Note:  In my new book, "Exporting:  The Definitive Guide to Selling Abroad Profitably," I cover an entire chapter on international travel and security tips (Chapter 26).  The book will be published by Apress in nine (9) days!  

The Human Element to Website Translation

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The human element to Web translations is crucial to entering global markets.  All too often ...

“Translating all but the smallest websites into multiple languages can be as grueling as producing original content,” said Henderson. “For one thing, translating web content is not as simple as translating print copy. The language is served live by host systems, and special inter-dependencies exist between multiple language versions for the sake of efficiency and accuracy.”

Read the entire article:  Website translation crucial to entering global markets

In my new book , "Exporting:  The Definitive Guide to Selling Abroad Profitably," I talk about web translation considerations in Chapter 15.  You're gonna love it.  The book will be published by Apress December 18, 2013 - in nine (9) more days!

New Kid on the Block in Chicago: OfficeMax in the Streeterville Area!

Photo courtesy:  OfficeMax

Photo courtesy:  OfficeMax

Photo courtesy:  OfficeMax

I had the great pleasure to connect with Kristin Muntean, vice president of Strategic Initiatives and Innovation at OfficeMax to discuss its new OfficeMax location in the heart of downtown Chicago. According to Muntean, the OfficeMax Business Solutions Center advances the third pillar in the OfficeMax “Road to Success” strategic plan—innovative and disruptive moves. As a leading worldwide supplier of workplace products, services and solutions that provides a seamless, multichannel network for delivering those solutions, OfficeMax is establishing a new way to partner with today’s growing businesses. Here’s an excerpt from our interview.

Laurel Delaney: Why did you open a location in the near North side of Chicago – Streeterville -- area?

Kristin Muntean: OfficeMax recognized the positive relationships that exist between the small business community and the city of Chicago. Chicago and OfficeMax both support small business, their growth initiatives and their innovation. With over 19,000 businesses within a one mile radius of the Streeterville location, there is a great opportunity for OfficeMax Business Solutions Centers to provide more focused support and solutions to the local businesses and the entrepreneurs in the area.

Delaney: Why the target on small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs)?

OfficeMax has a successful history of serving business customers of all sizes, which makes us uniquely positioned to introduce a retail format designed for local businesses and entrepreneurs. We understand that entrepreneurs have specific needs and the importance of providing a resource nearby that will work to understand and serve their business. The OfficeMax Business Solutions Center is a unique retail concept designed specifically to address the needs of local entrepreneurs and small businesses through a relationship-based service center focused on the services, products and solutions they need.

Delaney: Please explain your key differentiator at OfficeMax Business Solutions Center.

Muntean: Through this relationship-based retail service center, OfficeMax provides local businesses with a portfolio of specially tailored services and solutions. Key elements of the OfficeMax Business Solutions Center in Streeterville include:

1. Focus on small business customer: We understand the needs of small businesses and have services, products and solutions to help grow their businesses.

2. Services focused: The store has a wide array of services, specifically designed for business, including print and document services, computer repair and maintenance, hard drive recovery, 24/7 IT support, websites and web design, domain names, cloud storage, shipping, office space planning, payroll processing, credit card processing and more. In addition to services, the OfficeMax Business Solutions Center also has a full array of office supplies and technology products including laptops, tablets and printers.

3. Business Solutions Adviser: Our Business Solutions Adviser has an office in the store and partners with business customers to understand their needs and create customized programs and pricing specifically designed for each business.

4. Knowledgeable associates: Associates have received enhanced training to ensure the highest quality service to help connect entrepreneurs to the products and services they need.

5. Collaborative and technology enabled center: Business community space within the store includes free Wi-Fi that lets customers conduct informal meetings or simply bring in their laptop to plug in and work.

Delaney: What’s the biggest benefit to SMEs knowing about your Center?

Muntean: The OfficeMax Business Solutions Center provides local businesses and entrepreneurs with a relationship service center to meet their needs and help them grow. We are a “one-stop shop” that goes beyond office supplies and products and offers a full range of services and solutions to meet the needs of all types of businesses from start-up to those businesses that have years of experience. Every step of the process—from starting up and formalizing their business to setting up an office or website—OfficeMax can be their partner. Your readers can find out more about the service and product offering at the OfficeMax Business Solutions Center here: officemax.com/businesscenter.

So my dear readers, you want to grow your business?  Pay a visit to OfficeMax Business Solutions Center during the holidays!  The address is:  550 N. St. Clair Avenue, Chicago, Illinois, 60611, U.S.A. 

Note:  This is not a paid endorsement nor is it an advertisement.  This is merely our support to the great things OfficeMax is doing for SMEs in our neighborhood.

Gold Gems for Taking Your Business Global

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Kunal Sarda, cofounder and COO of VerbalizeIt, a human-powered translation platform for businesses, crafts a good case for Forbes on taking your business global.

What was once a game reserved for multinationals [going global] is now open to anyone. Why haven’t small businesses gotten the memo?

The Secrets to Taking Your Business Global

The Countdown Begins on the Release of "Exporting: The Definitive Guide to Selling Abroad Profitably"

Photo courtesy:  Apress

We are getting closer to the publication date on Exporting:  The Definitive Guide to Selling Abroad Profitably.  Meanwhile, here's a clip on an interview my esteemed colleague John Tozzi conducted with me for Bloomberg Businessweek:

What U.S. Entrepreneurs Should Know About Exporting Now

Here's a clip from the interview:

What made you want to write this [book] now?

Not enough entrepreneurs and small businesses really know how to export. The Internet has been a game changer for anyone who wants to do business internationally. How do you reach customers? What do you do as a small business owner to have the world find you? Once you find those customers, how do you get paid? Once you get paid, how do you get the merchandise or the service in the hands of a potential customer? Sign-up to be notified when Exporting is published!

Stuck on Business Growth? Look Outside Your Own Borders!

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Tom McGee, deputy chief executive officer at Deloitte LLP, writes a thoughtful article on why companies should consider going global and what questions you should ask beforehand.

One interesting quote from Mr. McGee:

With 95% of the world’s consumers residing outside the U.S., going global can be a pretty attractive option for many mid-sized companies. In fact, a recent Deloitte survey found that almost three-quarters of mid-market executives say global expansion is important to their business.

 Read the entire article:  Five Questions to Ask Before Going Global

Global Mobile: Put It First in 2014

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Want to go global?  According to Nic Newman's article for CNN.com, you should put mobile first.

Gartner, the market research firm, has predicted that by 2015, tablet sales will be higher than those of PCs and laptops combined. There are now more connected mobile devices on earth than there are people.

 Read the entire article here.

Note:  I devote an entire chapter to mobile business - the greatest challenge and greatest opportunity facing businesses today - in my new book:  Exporting:  The Definitive Guide To Selling Abroad Profitably (coming out this month!).

Seven Trends Supporting Global Small Businesses

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The benefits to going global are unlimited.  With it, though, come some challenges such as how to go mobile, reach out to the world via social media and outsource to online vendors and contractors?  Fortunately, I address all of these issues and many more in my new book, Exporting:  The Definitive Guide to Selling Abroad Profitably coming out by Apress December 18, 2013!  Meanwhile, read:

7 Tech Trends Supporting Small Business Globalization in 2014

Sweet Home Chicago For the Holidays

©2013 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

The historic Chicago Water Tower with a pretty holiday tree in front - one of the few buildings in downtown Chicago that survived the Great Chicago Fire of 1781.

All Printers On Earth Apply Here

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FESPA, the only independent global awards in the print industry recognizing the best print in the world and the people behind them, has overhauled its awards program, opening the event to every single printer in the world and toning down emphasis on technology.

“We wanted to open the event to every printer in the world so they can show off their talents and skills,” he [Duncan MacOwan, head of events] said. “We also wanted to make it annual to give greater exposure to winners, short-listed and highly commended entries and give added momentum and relevance.”

The ten application categories are as follows (make yours fit!):

1. Instore
2. Outdoor
3. Interior
4. Functional decoration
5. Garment
6. Integrated
7. Sustainable
8. Special effect
9. Fine art
10. Vehicle decoration

The independent judging panel includes end-users such as ad agencies, print buyers, printers and other experts.  The judges come from NikeID, McCann Erickson Istanbul and Philips BG Consumer Luminaires, to name just a few of the representative companies.

Are you a printer?  Then apply today -- visit http://www.fespa.com/awards -- to get the worldwide attention you deserve.  You have until February 28, 2014 to submit your application.  Good luck!

Original source:  Fespa awards go global and "technology agnostic"

Thank You for Your Readership; It Means the World to Me!

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Examining Product Names in Multiple Languages

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Making sure a company or product name does not offend anyone, sound strange or translate into something other than its original intent in countries all over the world is no easy feat.  For Choice Translating, based in Charlotte, its their profitable niche examining product names in multiple tongues.

"It's expensive to create a brand identity," says Vernon Menard, who co-owns [For Choice Translating] with his wife, Michelle. "We're cheap insurance." 

Read the entire article:  Found in translation:  Avoiding multilingual gaffes

Related article(s):

• How not to sell abroad
• Adventures in Mistranslations From Around the World
• Funny Mistranslations From Around the World

Look Abroad for Growth

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According to "Expanding Internationally:  How to Improve Your Odds Abroad" published by the Daily Business Buzz:

• China's economy grew by over 10 per cent annually from 2000 to 2010
• India expanded by seven per cent yearly
• Brazil has grown by nearly four per cent per year
• The economies of Canada, the U.S. and the European Union each grew by less than two per cent annually

“The emerging markets are where you have constant GDP growth. Going to those countries should be no longer a question of why, but rather a question of how,” says Frank Pho, vice president, Global Expansion, at the Business Development Bank of Canada

Looking abroad for growth offers increased revenues, additional profitability and much needed diversification for small businesses.

Read the entire article:  Expanding Internationally:  How to Improve Your Odds Abroad 

The Game Goes Global, Baseball That Is

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Major league baseball is about to take baseball around the world. 

“I’m really looking forward to growing the sport around the world, to teaching some kids to play the game that has given me and my family so much,” LaTroy Hawkins* said.

Read the entire article:  Major League Baseball going global with offseason outreach efforts

* Hawkins is 40 years old and a veteran of 19 major league seasons.

Prepping for Holidays at Roosevelt Collection in Chicago

©2013 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

©2013 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

I had the opportunity to preview the movie Black Nativity with Jennifer Hudson Thursday night (11/21) at the ICON Theater at Roosevelt Collection in Chicago.  Beautiful area!  I encourage you to give it a visit if you haven't already.

• The Shops at Roosevelt Collection
• Urban Life, Collected:  Roosevelt Collection Blog

With All the Challenges and Barriers, Why Go Global?

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With all its challenges and barriers, why go global?  Here's one reason:

The U.S. represents only about 3 percent of the consumers in the world, albeit the wealthiest. 

To tap into the other 97 percent of the consumers in the world, you must go global.  Before you start, do your homework and proceed with caution.

Read the entire article:  Avoid the Growing Pains of Going Global With Your Business

A Checklist To Expediting Clearance of Goods On Imports

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Whether you use your own transportation company (i.e., UPS or FedEx) or your supplier’s preferred shipping carrier, you will want to minimize errors on your importation, which can cause shipping delays. I’ve prepared the following 10-point checklist to use as a guide for expediting the clearance of your goods. It gets down to “the devil being in the details,” so pay attention to what needs to be done and do it accurately.

Read:  A 10-Point Checklist to Expedite Clearance of Goods On Imports

International Trade and the Law

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When you expand your business internationally, there are a host of issues you need to address on the legal front.

Knowing the ground rules and preparing properly for doing business in another culture, with its own rules, politics and traditions, can make for profitable business. Taking your small business international is a complicated process, however, that is governed not only by U.S. laws, but also by the laws of other countries.

Read the entire article:  Taking Your Small Business International

Global Business Intelligence Tools

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To conduct global market research, track your competitors worldwide, acquire new sales leads and evaluate opportunities, including finding new sources of supply on a brand new product idea, you might visit these fab four:

1. PIERS
2. Datamyne
3. Import Genius
4. Zepol

 Have we given you a leg up for the future on developing a global competitive edge?

Crafting a Global Ecommerce Strategy

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In developing a global ecommerce strategy, the human side of your enterprise must be taken into consideration.  Do you have the right people on board?  Do you have enough people on board to execute on a strategy?  Yet before you can make these decisions, you must know what you want from your business - a real catch-22.

The article below will provide solutions to the challenges at hand and help guide you in the process.

Read the entire article:  How to Craft an Ecommerce Strategy and Recruit the Right Team to Implement It

Note:  I devote an entire chapter to ecommerce in my new book, "Exporting:  The Definitive Guide to Selling Abroad Profitably."

Horses in the Sky

©2013 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

A building in Chicago between Lake and Randolph Streets (about 1100 West).  Like all great discoveries, you must be on the hunt as I was.

Developing a Global Brand for a Small Business

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We’ve all heard the saying, "first impressions matter," and it rings true for small businesses looking to expand into the global marketplace. Creating a global branding campaign for your small business doesn’t have to be a costly endeavor. But it’s something that’s vitally important to the global success of your business.

To develop a brand as global as Mickey Mouse, what do you do?

Read:  Global Branding For Small Businesses

Ready, Set, Social Global

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Social media and networking has the ability to take a business global provided you leverage it in a very strategic way.  I write about this extensively in Chapter 6 in my new book, "Exporting:  The Definitive Guide to Selling Abroad Profitably," (http://www.ExportingGuide.com) to be published by Apress December 18, 2013.

Meanwhile, take a look at some other strategies for launching an international social media campaign here.

Globally, Why Would Anyone Follow You?

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Why would anyone follow you?  That is the question Cari E. Guittard, Principal, Global Engagement Partners and Professor of Global Management, Hult International Business School asked her students during a class she taught on women's leadership at the Hult International Business School in Dubai.

Before we get to how that question was handled (don't want to let the cat out of the bag here), she defines global leadership.

Take a look:  Our World Demands a More Effective Global Leader

And by the way, Why would anyone follow you?  Let me know and we'll post your answers here. Meanwhile, need some help?  Explore the Global Mindset Inventory tool.  And read:  Leading With a Global Mindset.

6 Tips for Networking Globally

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English is not the only language spoken in our world.  When you network globally, consider these six tips for building your fan and follower base worldwide via social media.

Read the entire article:  Using Social Media Internationally:  How Not To Get Lost in Translation

Note:  I devote an entire chapter on this topic called Creating a Social Media and Social Networking Presence (chapter 6) in my new book, "Exporting:  The Definitive Guide to Selling Abroad Profitably" to be published December 18, 2013 by Apress.

Shifting From Local Leaders to World Leaders

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YMCA of Greater Kansas City Young Achievers hit the road in Europe as they joined youth from 62 nations for an 11-day global conference. And in the process, they became leaders of the world, bringing understanding and solutions back home to Kansas City.

In Prague, the YMCA Young Achievers transformed themselves from local leaders to world leaders, tackling some of the toughest global problems and challenges. Workshops, networking and strategic planning on homelessness, poverty, education and many more global issues got these teens from the middle of America personally engaged with youth from around the world, giving them new a point of view to see the world in a much different way.

Read the entire article:  Young Leaders Go Global

Love this quote from one of the young leaders:

“Once you take someone on a global mission, it really just expands their mind and unleashes things within them that they really don’t know and it allows them to go further in life,” said Webster.

Hot Chocolate to Warm the Heart

©2013 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

My favorite race in Chicago:  the Hot Chocolate 15/5K, considered America's sweetest race.  I finished the 5K but didn't break any records!  See you there next year.  Have a great weekend.