Entering New Countries
by
Charlie Smith
Operational Insights Inc.

There are a shocking number of direct selling companies that fail to plan appropriately before entering a new country. I know of companies where they have even gone so far as to start shipping product by sea to a country, and say that they will figure out all the details by the time the product shows up! The pressures to expand internationally invariably come from respected and successful sales associates who claim that they can get the company into the country quickly and effortlessly. The entrepreneurial nature of very successful sales associates can literally know no borders, and in fact, neither may they restrict their sales efforts to countries where your company is "officially" doing business.

I would strongly suggest that as a responsible executive, it is your duty to not play the part of the three monkeys (Hear No Evil, See No Evil, Speak No Evil).

If you don't have a strong international growth plan, then some of your sales associates will plan for you, and you may be forced to make up continuous "work around" systems for individual sales associates that will eat up your company resources, and put your international reputation at risk....more