MANUAL INVENTARIOS

1: Introduction, mission statement and business principles

An export marketing plan (EMP) is a very useful tool for newcomers in the arena of internationalisation, as well as for entrepreneurs who already have a market presence in foreign markets. For both types of companies, it is a marketing and management instrument that helps to make sound, logical and fact-based decisions. It is a tool for structuring and systemising your approach of new markets or your expansion efforts in existing markets. As such, it is an integrated part, or extension, of your company's business plan. At the very least it is a tool for fully appropriating opportunities at the lowest possible cost.

When preparing an export marketing plan, the first thing to do is to put things into perspective and to prepare an introduction that includes a short historic track record and a brief statement on your current position and performance: who you are, what you do (business concept), and the markets you cover. This is what we call the sense of location.

Subsequently, you include the company's mission statement, which is like a company charter. The mission statement should summarise your company goals and your company's strategy: where you want to go and how you want to get there. This is what we call the sense of direction.

Actually, what we're talking about here is your set of business principles. These principles could be captured in a Code of Conduct for your company. A Code of Conduct can provide an excellent 'business card' your company can use to present itself to potential foreign buyers - many of whom adhere to their own Codes of Conduct. Matching your Code with theirs will help guarantee connectivity between the two firms. You can use the CBI's Code of Conduct Builder to write your own Code of Conduct in a way that ensures the kind of connectivity Western buyers are looking for.

2: Current market position

Having defined your mission statement and business principles, it is now time for you to describe your company's current market position in more detail. This is the starting point for your future international market expansion. Your baseline. This is important because when you start exploring new international markets, you will be confronted with market access requirements, demands and competition which may have complete different dimensions. Market factors which will challenge the organisation and may require adaptations in the production, marketing and logistics processes. Adaptations, which often require investments. For that matter, it is useful to make an x-ray of your current market position. It will enable the organisation to identify the gap to be closed between the current market position and desired market position. At the same time, it also helps to clarify to what extent the organisation has optimized the opportunities in the current markets.

We recommend to describe the current market position by means of the so-called marketing mix (the 6 Ps).

Product

Elaborate on your present product assortment: what products do you sell, what is their market position, and what competitive alternatives are available in the market?

Place

What is your current market coverage, which distribution channels do you use, and how does this relate to the competition?

Price

What is your pricing policy, to what extent do you apply different pricing from the competition, and how do you apply pricing flexibility in order to promote sales (e.g. discounts, quantity offers, contractual tenders etc.)?

Promotion

Describe the promotional tools you employ, i.e. your promotional mix (advertising, trade fair participation, Direct Marketing, e-Marketing etc.).

People

Describe the company's policy towards social accountability, in terms of occupational health and safety for the workers, and to society as a whole.

Planet

Elaborate on your company's environmental awareness, eco-mindedness and your position on environmental management.

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