Business and Management

Archive for the ‘Fast business’ Category

Get Attention Grabbing Green Trade Show Displays
Everyone is going “Green” these days. The words, eco-friendly, environmentally friendly and other phrases are household phrases now more than ever. If you own a business that attends shows in order to promote your products or services, you need top quality, attention grabbing Green displays to show off your environmental awareness and to show off your wares. Like other kinds of displays like pop up displays, tabletop displays, retractable banner displays, modular displays and fabric displays, Green displays for use at shows can be customized to fit your needs.

Typically, people that sell Green products and services use these hybrid displays made from recycled materials and energy efficient LED lighting, but even if your product or service has nothing to do with the environment (as long as it does not hurt the environment), it’s okay to show the crowd you appreciate the cause. It will also get you a lot more attention at shows. You can even add recycle cans and tubs to your area for functional use or for show. You can choose 10 x 10 sized Green trade show displays, or 10 x 20 to have that little extra room to show off your stuff. These use fabric tension for stretching the display graphics fabric to show off your Green colors.

When they made these Green displays, they really went all out to make them attractive enough to stand out from all the rest. You just can’t get this kind of eye-catching trade show display style anywhere else. You go to shows so that people will see how relevant your products or services are to them, so why not stack the Green Eco stamp on your area to show you really do care. You can even give away cool Green promotional products with your business logo and information on it. Key chains, stress balls, pens, stationery and other fun free items will not only get them to your booth, but remind them of your product or service every time they use them.

I can only speak from a furniture stand point but my guess would be it’s not much different across most retail establishments. There are three types of furniture businesses out there; the Big Chain, Big Independent and the Small Independent.

The Big Chain guy has multiple stores in multiple states, they succeed on perceived image or perceived low pricing which in many cases is an illusion. Typically if they spend a dollar on a product they sell it anywhere from 1.85-2.20. They use suggested retail pricing to compare to which is three times the cost of the product, some times four times the cost, thus if a dollar is spent suggest retail price is as much as 4.00. The Big Chains effectively use special financing to their advantage offering up to two years without interest. Often the Big Chain uses their buying power to squeeze their suppliers into cutting off the smaller stores and big independents local to them so their customers can’t price shop. The best way they protect themselves from price shopping is they get their suppliers to make certain collections exclusive to only them. Normally if you see something priced in a Big Chain Store it’s a safe bet you can find it cheaper elsewhere.

The Big Independent guy typically has multiply stores in one state or his state and a bordering state. In many cases they operate much like the Big Chain, they have enough buying power to affect the smaller guys in their area, keeping them from carrying certain collections or certain suppliers. While most of the Big Independents have the same pricing structure as well as offer attractive financing, they will at times come down to make the sale so there are certain situations where you can wheel and deal and get a lower price from the Big Independent.

The Small Independent guy normally has one store, at times two maybe three locations but most of the time he operates out of one building. There are some small independents that use the same pricing structure as the first two examples but this retailer is normally your best chance to get the lowest price. He will start his pricing at the 1.85-2.20 and come down from there, sometimes this type of retailer isn’t the most trustworthy. Because of his size he doesn’t need as many procedures and policies to guide his employees so trust your instincts and guard yourself by using a credit card when dealing with them.

In the current Global Business paradigm outsourcing and purchasing from international vendors is the norm in Corporate America. Even small and medium sized businesses must be thinking here to trim costs, remain competitive and survive. With these truths unveiled perhaps I might be so bold as to recommend a very good book, on International Purchasing:

“International Purchasing Handbook” by James M. Ashley – 1998.

There are almost too many traps to consider in international purchasing. This book spends quite a bit of time explaining how global sourcing in the Pacific Rim, must be understood by international purchasing agents if they hope to succeed. Finding experts is paramount and understanding how these suppliers think is too and that is before you even get into language barriers, legal barriers, tariffs and getting payment to them or receiving payment. How to use brokers, clearing houses, freight forwarders and trading companies are clearly defined in this book with case studies, examples and warnings.

Importing on your won, there is a whole chapter on commercial invoice, certificates of insurance, certificates of origin and payments in accordance with importing rules and regulations. There is also a chapter on developing a sourcing plan, finding international sources and making international relationships; empathy, understanding, history, etiquette, friendliness, and how to win and dine. Sub-chapters on Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong and South Korea, with topics on Southeast Asia, Europe – both East and West. Some discussion on Middle East, Israel, and Latin America too.

Learn how to negotiate with foreign partners and suppliers. How to negotiate with various cultures and how to document tactics, all key to international purchasing and well defined in this work. The book is filled with contracts and things you need to know when contracting once you have negotiated terms, more importantly how to enforce these contracts and how to consider the costs in every single clause of the contract. There is a chapter on various laws in international business as well as trade quota issues and explanations of International Agreements and Associations:

• GATT
• WTO
• NAFTA
• ASEAN
• APEC
• AFTA
• ATPA
• OECD
• CCET
• CBERA
• CCET
• CBERA
• IBCC