Filipino Franchises Go Global

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Filipino concepts are gaining wider acceptance globally, the Association of Filipino Franchisers, Inc. (AFFI) reports.  Many members already have franchisees abroad:  Aquabest (healthy water), Figaro, Potato Corner and Eat Bulaga, for example, where these brands have a presence in Australia, Indonesia, Japan, the Middle East, South Africa and the United States.

Read the entire article:  15 Pinoy franchise businesses going global in 2 years

Related article:  Open a New International Path:  Franchise

Hello Planet Entrepreneur

Photo courtesy:  Wiley

Say hello to a new book, Planet Entrepreneur, written by members of the World Entrepreneurship Forum, the first global think tank fully dedicated to entrepreneurship.  Members who contributed are as follows:   Steven D. Strauss, Tugrul Atamer, Inderjit Singh, Nikhil Agarwal, Colin Jones, Thais Corral, Tony Meloto, Jeannie Javelosa, Jack Sim, David Drake, Baybars Altuntas, Fadi N. Sabbagha, Anna-Lena Johannsen, Nicolas Shea and Laurel Delaney!

For a look at the table of contents, more information on the co-writers of Planet Entrepreneur and an excerpt from the book, visit here.

Each chapter focuses on different aspects of the challenges and opportunities currently being encountered and solved by entrepreneurs worldwide, including:

• Using technology to solve real-world problems
• Empowering women and minority entrepreneurs
• The global rise of the self-employed entrepreneur
• Making the marriage of business and the environment work for all
• Social media as a launching pad for your ideas
• Taking your business global in the digital age (my chapter contribution!)

Planet Entrepreneur explains how the world's best entrepreneurs are making a profit or meeting a pressing social need, and how you can too.

Buy the book now: Planet Entrepreneur

(Full disclosure:  I am a pioneer member of the World Entrepreneurship Forum)

Think BIG in the Global Marketplace

©2013 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

"I like thinking big.  If you're going to be thinking anything, you might as well think big." - Donald Trump

Photo:  Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago

I like thinking big. If you're going to be thinking anything, you might as well think big.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/d/donald_trump.html#TKBxcbZW7BGeUwgp.99

I like thinking big. If you're going to be thinking anything, you might as well think big.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/d/donald_trump.html#TKBxcbZW7BGeUwgp.99

I like thinking big. If you're going to be thinking anything, you might as well think big.
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/d/donald_trump.html#TKBxcbZW7BGeUwgp.99

Lessons From Burberry On Going Global

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Iconic British luxury fashion brand Burberry, established in 1856, offers a great case study on how to do a global launch via all media channels, including social media.  Here's what they did:

... pushing its spring women’s show in London out across 11 social networks, its own digital flagship and through 13 live-streams on outdoor screens set up in locales from New York’s Times Square to Hong Kong’s Worldwide House. 

And it can't hurt that they partnered with Apple:

Apple approached Burberry to exclusively use the iPhone 5S to capture images and video before, during and after the show, and Twitter’s real-time reach resulted in tens of millions of impressions for content relating to the event.

A first on numerous fronts and thus far, it appears to have worked.

Read the entire article:  Burberry's Spring Show Goes Global

Key insight:  Don't just use the United States social media platforms to launch your brand globally.  Use other country's popular platforms such as Japan’s Sumally and China’s Sina Weibo, Douban and Youku.  I talk about this in my new book, "Exporting:  The Definitive Guide to Selling Abroad Profitably" (chapter 6).

The Global Website Is Alive and Well

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With the advent of social media platforms, there is much talk worldwide about whether we really need a website anymore.  You do.  The website is alive and well but has changed and is far more global.  It has adapted to accommodate social media feeds and videos, for example, to be far more interactive.

In the article below, the author talks about four key points on localization challenges and best practices.  One being, "the global website is alive and well, but it has changed."

Read:  Driving Marketing Localization Success:  Four Takeaways From Brand2Global

How to Be Like Apple

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So you're a small business owner but want to grow up to be like Apple, Google or Coca Cola?  It's not as hard as you think.  First, change your mindset.  Next, to help you make a big impact when it comes to branding, practice these four lessons from Interbrand's 2013 Best Global Brands list.

No. 1: Be consistent.
No. 2: Be nimble.
No. 3: Concentrate on service.
No. 4: Use digital to your advantage.

Read:  Four Small-Business Lessons from 2013's Top Global Brands

Are You Playing in the $2.2 Trillion Export Market?

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My friend and respected colleague, Anita Campbell, who runs the wildly popular Small Business Trends, writes a great article for the OPEN Forum at American Express on the benefits to exporting.

More small businesses are exporting their goods and services. Don't miss out on this revenue-boosting opportunity.

Read the entire article:  The $2.2 Trillion Market You Could Be Missing Out On

Not sure on how to get started and play in the export market?  We've got you covered.  Go here.