Exporter Services Overview.

Services.

We are proud to offer you an impressive array of export-oriented services designed to help you break into the Russia/CIS marketplace and establish your sure-footed presence there, or just to fine-tune a certain aspect of your established operations. These services are provided in our state-of-the-art facility in Moscow as well as our regional offices - our real strength comes from our ability to have regional reach.

Solutions.

While companies already established in the Russia/CIS marketplace would likely be interested in our individual services, those companies just looking to enter the market would probably be better served by looking at our export solutions.

For your convenience we grouped related services into export solutions - turnkey packages that accomplish a specific goal on your path to becoming a full-fledged member of the Russia/CIS marketplace. In fact our solutions can guide you from the very beginning of your journey - by researching the potential for your products to sell - to the very end where you are an established and successful partner in the market with your own direct-sales or distribution channels, or even your own subsidiary.

Business Databases.

And finally, we offer a set of export-related products from our sister site of EurasiaMonitor.com. These products, while not a substitute for our professional services, can provide you with business intelligence that will be very valuable to you as a participant of the Russia/CIS marketplace.

Our facilities.

Our capability to offer these services/solutions/products comes from our Moscow facility which houses a publishing house, a direct-marketing department and our business-database and statistical unit. Additionally, a wide network of regional representatives aid us in our regional reach - a very unique strength not typically seen in a Russian business information and services company. We are proud of our regional capability in Russia, and we think that you will appreciate seeing the results that doing business with us can bring you.

Before investing thousands (or millions) of dollars in order to export to an unknown market, let us carefully investigate if there is a serious market for your goods or products.

If the answer to your exporting plan is YES, the next step is in identifying and evaluating future partners, distribution channels and sales reps in cities/regions with high sales potential.

You may wish to travel overseas to assess the size, condition, and location of offices and warehouses of your potential retail/wholesale associates. We’ll arrange a meeting for both parties, translate materials and handle the practical logistics for the meeting.

After you make a formal decision to engage in a relationship with your new business partner, our associate, the Export-Import Bank of the United States, can offer trade financing solutions to both parties and help this business opportunity succeed.

You are now a player in this new lucrative market. As your export intermediary, we’ll represent you in Russia/CIS—promoting your products at exhibitions, trade shows--or use telemarketing, direct marketing and targeted advertising to increase your client base.

Keep in mind opportunities for export trade missions to Russia/CIS.

Thinking About Exporting?

Step 1: Answer a few questions regarding your product, market, goals, timetable and budget.

Step 2: You’ll receive from us a clear appraisal of how we see your exporting picture based on our experience.

Accessible 24/7

Attention! Discount on other services if you subscribe to a Complete Industry Resource Package.

• Drawing on a number of our business databases, we can identify the key factors that will ensure your exporting success. Additional local research is done if needed.
  
• All pieces of crucial information are transformed into personalized export data accessible only by you.
  
• The data will be maintained for the duration of your subscription.
  
• E-mail alerts will inform you of new opportunities and important changes related to exports in your industry.

About Export Solutions.

Your Overall Purpose Is...

The idea behind the export solutions is simple: we'd like to make breaking into the Russia/CIS market as uncomplicated as possible for you. Toward this end, the best approach is to offer sets of packaged services that move you from one stage of market penetration to the next.

There are five export solutions we offer; they correspond to three stages of market penetration. Taken in progression, they will enable your company to go from having no presence in the Russia/CIS marketplace to being an established and respected force in it.

Stage 1. You inevitably ask yourself the question: will my product sell in a country/region of a country, and will it make a profit so it is worthwhile to sell it there? We supply the Market Research Solution for the definitive answer to your question. At this point you will know if you want to enter the market or not.

Stage 2. Once the answer is clear and you wish to enter a market, we are there with our Product Promotion & Branding Solution. Use it to promote, brand and sell your product in your selected marketplace. At this point you are recognized as a company with market presence, sales and customer base.

Stage 3. If you sell machinery or equipment to other businesses, use our B2B Direct-Sales Solution in order to gain customers for your durable goods. If you would like to distribute your product to the end consumer, try our B2B Distribution Networks Solution so that you can get reliable distributors and to sell your product continuously. Or, utilize our B2B Custom Solution and tell us in your own words what you would like to accomplish.

Next: Market Research Solution

Market Research Solution.

Purpose.

If you would like to sell your product(s) nationally or regionally within the Russia/CIS marketplace, it is essential to gauge the level of interest in your offerings and profit potential. We offer a comprehensive solution to help prepare you to make the decision to or not to enter the market.

What are Your Options?

We can gauge the market potential of your product(s) within the Russia/CIS marketplace at the following levels: - country, - federal district, - region, - city. Working with regions and municipalities is a real strength of ours. Select as many regions as you like and receive a comprehensive report outlining your market potential in those target areas.

What You Get in the End.

In the end you get a very comprehensive report that states which markets are worth entering, based on a host of relevant factors, and which markets are not worth your trouble. Our research is comprehensively detailed, and our conclusions are clearly stated.

What Steps Make Up The Solution?

• Determine current and future market demands for your product.
• Research other companies selling products similar to yours. It’s followed by studying their tactics and business methods.
• Determine the price range at which you can sell your product(s).  (from minimum to maximum)
• Find out before a certain time period or holiday season when it will make most sense to introduce your product(s) to different markets and/or various target groups.
• Figure out the costs of transportation and other logistics your company will incur in delivering your product(s) to markets.
• Determine the most prospective regional markets for our product(s).

The Bottom Line.

You should order our market research solutions service when you want to see if your product(s) will sell profitably in the Russia/CIS marketplace. You can have us do research by nation and region(s) to derive a precise picture of where your goods will earn a profit. The outcome of our research on your behalf is thus a comprehensive report containing clear recommendations pro and contra on the usefulness of entering the markets of Russia/CIS.

Next: Product Promotion & Branding Solution

Product Promotion & Branding Solution.

This holds true for any product introduction.

When placing a new product on the market, there are several crucial phases that will run their course before a product will meet with success. These phases could run between 6 to 12 or even 18 months. During these phases, potential customers become used to a new product offering. This holds true for any product introduction.

Purpose.

To advance your product in the Russia/CIS market. The purpose is to also establish your brand and introduce your product in both  national and regional markets.

The Outcome.

The end result is that your product will have: repeat clients (who will buy again and again); growing sales; a client database with detailed client history; a recognized brand name; assured market presence for your company.

What Services Are Included?

Step 1: Before we begin putting together your complete package of services, we need several preparatory steps to insure a high degree of success.

1. First, we recommend that you order the Market Research Solution prior to ordering this one. It provides you with a detailed study of market and profit potential for your goods or products destined for target countries/regions.

2. We’ll assemble a 6 to 12-month work plan. We investigate: 1) trade shows you need to participate in; 2) trade shows you should attend as an observer; 3) trade journals in which you must advertise, both nationally and regionally; 4) trade associations you definitely should join in Russia/CIS.

3. We must study the specifics of your product needs. For instance, if you sell equipment, machinery, etc., your potential clients will inevitably ask about service and support options. Many foreign companies are on shaky grounds when they enter the local market. To avoid market-entry failure in this case, we establish contacts with companies who specialize in providing service and support for products in the same category as yours. Your product will be embraced  because your clients will feel secure  that there will be dependable service and support requirements.

4. Our staff will provide a translation of your website into the Russian language or another CIS language, depending on the market you plan to enter.

5. Our ad department will create advertising materials, price lists, brochures and presentations to advance awareness of your brand and product.

6. Our marketing people will develop scripts for telemarketing and presentations to your clients.

7. An opening of a phone line dedicated to your business will be launched in one of our Moscow offices.

8. Assign and train a few staff members to take care of your customer-service issues. When needed, we’ll contract a skilled local technical specialist who can address your technical concerns in dealing with client orders, requests and queries.

Step 2: Now, finally, we’re ready to begin fully promoting your product.

The array of services we think important for the promotion of your product are:

I. Active participation in important trade shows.

II. Industry-Specific Advertising.

III. A four-phase (about 1 year) direct-marketing campaign.

IV.             Phone Promotions.

V.               Client Data Maintenance.

Should the specifics of your product foster demand for other forms of promotion (e.g. billboard advertising, etc.,) we will work on your behalf with appropriate professional agencies who provide these additional services.

Daily reports for you with inquiry types, statistics and follow-ups based on your feedback.

The Bottom Line.

Order this solution when you are sure you wish to enter the Russia/CIS market. It will help you gain awareness of your product(s), recognition of your brand in relevant markets, and initial sales. We also assist you with customer-service issues either by helping you create your own Russia/CIS local customer-service center, or by handling customer-service issues on your behalf.

Next: B2B Direct-Sales Solution or B2B Distribution Networks Solution

B2B Direct-Sales Solution.

Purpose.

We recommend this to companies supplying expensive, durable goods, who need individualized sales pitches to clients.

Based on long experience, we have identified the following types of direct sales for the Russia/CIS market:  

• Industrial sales (equipment, industrial tools, raw materials, etc.)
• Professional services (for instance, business education services, etc.)
• Consumer sales to the rich (for instance, directors of large enterprises.)     

Should your target market belong to one of those groups, we can seriously help your direct sales--not only in the capitals of  Russia/CIS but also throughout the vast administrative regions that offer much economic potential.  

Please take the following into consideration.  

1) To be effective while attempting direct sales, it is necessary to offer fair market  prices and conditions that are no less attractive than what your local competitors offer. To find out this information, we suggest that you look at our sister Market Research Solution.

2) Just as with your country’s market, the Russia/CIS market likes best what it trusts. Efforts to achieve direct sales are much more effective if your product carries a strong brand name and wide recognition. We recommend, therefore, that you first look at Product Promotion & Branding Solution. You are much more likely to begin direct sales when you undertake the basic efforts addressed in our solutions to introduce your product to the market. You should then be able to brand it and form the right pricing policy.

Services.

Preliminary:

• Creation of a database about attractive clients.
• Determination of market prices and sales conditions for your product.
• Preparation (from translation to printing) of advertising materials. The idiosyncratic specifics of the local market will be factored in.
• Production of scripts for telemarketing, client presentations and personnel training.

Work with clients:

• We alternate between telemarketing, direct-mail campaign, telemarketing, etc.
• We can also follow up the telemarketing and direct-mailing campaigns with a visit to the potential client (if we have a representative in that particular region.)

What is the outcome?

We give you a detailed report about each company. The results are grouped according to their readiness to buy your product.  

1) This group will buy your product now or in the nearest future (typically both of these comprise 5-10% of the total.) These are great sales opportunities and can be accessed immediately.

2) This group expressed deferred interest in buying your product. It consists of the following:

• Companies interested to buy within 1 to 6 months.
• Companies interested to buy, but would like to purchase your product through their main supplier.
• Companies that want to make your product part of their purchase plan for the next quarter, six months, or year.
• Companies that want you to submit a bid to buy your product.
• Companies that are not satisfied with price, quality or sales conditions for your product.
• Companies that use local suppliers or are self-sufficient, but could become clients for your product for the right supply conditions.

Continued Business with Deferred-Demand Clients.  

As a rule of thumb, deferred-demand clients form the majority. In order to make them part of your sales outcome, we will form with you, a staged Work Plan. We continue to act on your behalf in trying to sell to this group. There are two approaches we typically take, although individual attention may be required in some cases.

We follow prevailing market conditions.

We analyze pricing policies and work methods of your competitors. In addition, we follow business relationships on the local market and product trends.

Client Feedback.

We seek close business relationships with our clients. For their benefit, this includes:  the creation and maintenance of a deferred-client database; regular seasonal telemarketing; mailings which consider account specifics of each client; greeting cards for holiday occasions; visiting trade shows to build our client relations with exhibiting companies.  

Using market conditions and client feedback, we can give you practical recommendations regarding current pricing and requested product features. We hope to broaden your product line and introduce new products per your clients’ demand.

B2B Distribution Networks Solution.

Purpose.

This solution should be ordered either after or along with the Product Promotion & Branding Solution. Its purpose is to build and strengthen a distribution network across Russia and/or other CIS countries for your product(s).  

What You Get At The End.  

A great number of distribution channels across Russia and/or other CIS countries to deliver your product. In addition, you obtain partnerships with reliable transportation companies bringing your goods or product(s) from port of destination to regional distributors.

What Services Are Included?

We locate companies that distribute the type of product(s) you wish to sell. We create a database of these companies for each region in the country. For this purpose we use not only our in-house databases, but also local information gathered from our regional representatives.

We proceed to work with these companies according to this plan:

Phase 1: Conduct telemarketing, direct marketing and personal meetings on your behalf to determine which distributors are interested in distributing your product(s). After we end up with a list of distributors who want to work with your company, you can engage them directly. We can help you further on the local level if you need us.

Phase 2: Conduct negotiations on your behalf and iron out conditions between your company and those distributors.

Phase 3: Provide professional translation services and all local necessary assistance during the contract-signing process.

Phase 4: Maintain continuing local contact with your distributors and remain on the lookout for new potential distributors you could work with.

Support with logistics.

Find for you transportation firms that will handle your shipments from the port of entry to its final destination. Make contact with these firms and iron out service conditions.

The Bottom Line.

For the most part, you should order this service after you have entered a new market. Sometimes, however, you may wish to order this network solution service while just entering a market. It will give you a reliable B2B distribution network to get your product(s) to the people who wish to buy them on a reliably continuous basis.

B2B Custom Solution.

Before you order this package...

Please kindly consult the list of our services for what you are looking for. If none can fit your requirements for what you are looking to do, we stand ready to design a custom solution for you.

Please write to BIA, Inc. at usa@planetinform.com with your requirements, and we will respond within 24 hours.