Marketing Appeal: "Made In America"

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Marketing Appeal: “Made In America”

Once “Made In America” Was Simply An 'Inside' Patriotic Slogan;

But Today The Cachet Of “Made In The USA” Has become Very Magnetic For Attracting Foreign Consumers.

Originally Published In The Internationalist Page Blog

Increasingly, the “Made In U.S.A.” label is moving more foreign consumers (particularly wealthier consumers in emerging nations) to purchase American exports, especially fashion and luxury items. And this appeal is starting to drive foreign sales of other types of American-manufactured goods as well. The underlying motivation is status, and this status is associated with the overseas perception that Americans are a very wealthy people who spend a great deal on everything, without regard to cost. This bodes well for the U.S. Balance Of Trade, and for U.S. small- to medium-sized businesses who are in, or who are moving into, the export business.

The following is excerpted From a U.S. EX-IM Bank press release dated November 4^th, 2014:

“Washington, D.C. – Ex-Im Bank Chairman and President Fred P. Hochberg issued the following statement with respect to September’s export data released today by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) of the U.S. Commerce Department. According to BEA, the United States exported $195.6 billion of goods and services in September 2014.

“These numbers clearly demonstrate that products stamped ‘made in America’ are sought after in markets around the globe,” said Hochberg. “Ex-Im Bank is proud to support U.S. exporters and their workers as they expand their sales in the global marketplace, and create quality, middle class jobs here at home.”

Exports of goods and services over the last twelve months totaled $2.3 trillion, which is 47.5 percent above 2009 levels, and have been growing at an annualized rate of 8.5 percent over the last five years.”

There has never been a better time to enter the export business (especially for durable goods and services) than at present. While there are excellent government guarantee, financing and informational programs available through the SBA, the Department Of Commerce and the U.S. EX-IM Bank, it is generally worth the relatively minimal expense of retaining a consulting firm or solo consultant who can assist you in navigating these government programs and positioning yourself with international representatives, agents, distributors, logistics services, customs guidance and the like.

Interestingly, while the cost of market entry into global business is very small, the widespread perception among many business owners is that moving into export is an expensive and time-consuming proposition requiring a great deal of travel and large credit facilities. Nothing could be further from the truth. It is quite any easy matter for virtually any producer of durable goods or non-geographically-centered services to establish a virtual export division. And both the credit facilities and the payment guarantees are easy to obtain if you utilize the services of a professional to get you started, systematized and running.

If more eligible businesses were to open virtual export portals, the private sector of the United States would be generating even more full-time jobs and contracting opportunities than it currently is. This is highly desirable.

Instead of merely looking toward overseas markets to source materials and to outsource labor, many U.S. Small- to medium-sized enterprises would be better served by selling their domestically-produced or generated products or services overseas at the market premium that emerging economic countries' consumers are more than willing to pay for the “Made In America” cachet.

If you or your company would like to get more information regarding the setting up of a virtual export division, please feel at liberty to contact the author by going to http://DouglasECastleConsultancy.com, or by clicking directly on http://bit.ly/CASTLEDIRECT. The time could not be better.

Douglas E. Castle

NOTE: THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS ARTICLE SHOULD NOT BE CONSTRUED BY THE READER AS BEING LEGAL, FINANCIAL, TAX, ACCOUNTING, ECONOMIC OR INVESTMENT ADVICE. NO OFFERING OF SECURITIES OR OTHER INVESTMENT INTERESTS OF ANY TYPE IN ANY ENTITY IS MADE HEREBY, NOR IS A SOLICITATION FOR THE PURCHASE OF SECURITIES OR OTHER INVESTMENT INTERESTS OF ANY TYPE IN ANY ENTITY MADE HEREBY. THIS ARTICLE IS INTENDED FOR GENERAL INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND REPRESENTS THE VIEW OF THE AUTHOR ONLY.

THIS ARTICLE IS COPYRIGHT 2014 BY DOUGLAS E. CASTLE, WITH ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. ANY REPRODUCTION, TRANSMITTAL OR DISTRIBUTION OF THIS ARTICLE, EITHER IN WHOLE OR PART, IS UNAUTHORIZED AND MAY BE UNLAWFUL, UNLESS FULL ATTRIBUTION IS GIVEN TO THE AUTHOR AND ALL IMAGES AND LINKS IN THE ARTICLE REMAIN INCLUDED AND “LIVE.”

THE INTERNATIONALIST PAGE - Douglas E Castle

http://theinternationalistpage.blogspot.com

A discussion of international business, events, markets, joint ventures, currencies, outsourcing, offshoring and financing, importing and exporting, as well as global sources of goods, services, labor, capital, trade guarantees, credit insurance and emerging markets.

Key Terms: international, global, business, trends, prediction, foreign exchange, outsourcing, supply chain, offshoring, import and export, emerging markets, the world economy, trade balance, trade finance, foreign direct investment, joint ventures, sovereignty, cultural sensitivity, diversity, emerging markets, INCOTERMS, tariffs, International Business Companies, asset protection trusts

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CLS - Country Limitation Schedule: EXIM Bank, USA

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If you conduct business with The Export-Import Bank of The United States, the Bank periodically publishes a list of countries which have limitations or restrictions placed upon them (usually in accord with U.S. political policy, with a respectful nod to those United Nations' sanctions, pronouncements, resolutions and other sentiments expressed in their many meetings) by the Bank in terms of their eligibility for EXIM's participation.

Following is the latest schedule which will likely be in effect at least for the first calendar quarter of 2013. The bulletin is excerpted from a regular notification which The Internationalist Page Blog and CrowdFunding Incubator LLC both receive:

You are subscribed to Country Limitation Schedule (CLS) for the Export-Import Bank of the United States.  This information has recently been updated, and is now available.

The Country Limitation Schedule (CLS) issued by the Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank) has been updated. The new CLS is effective December 27, 2012.

The new CLS may be accessed on-line on December 27, 2012 at: http://www.exim.gov/tools/countrylimitationschedule/index.cfm. The CLS and Cover Letter are also attached as PDF files.

The CLS indicates where Ex-Im Bank is "open for cover" and where Ex-Im Bank is "off-cover". The "open for cover" designation refers to the possibility, rather than the certainty of Ex-Im Bank support in particular cases. Where the CLS presents an X mark, Ex-Im Bank is "off-cover", and is therefore not willing to consider approval of routine transactions. These "off-cover" determinations are due to economic and/or political risks associated with the country.

For more information on the Ex-Im Bank, please visit our website at:
http://www.exim.gov

• CLSCOVERLTRDec2012.pdf
• CLSDecembert2012.pdf

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Always remember that there are a number of EXIM banks throughout the world and situated in a number of countries. Each of these has the same basic agenda (i.e., to stimulate its home country's exports, and help with its Balance Of Trade and Balance Of Payments, et cetera). Without rendering any professional opinion or offering you any advice, a saavy businessperson can arbitrage the CLS and other differences in policies between these banks through re-domiciliation and a number of other devices to favorably arbitrage some very exciting business transactions.

As always, thank you for reading me and for re-tweeting me.

Douglas E. Castle

p.s. The notion Of "Going Green" is a major, growing trend, and will become increasingly involved in government policy-making, contracts and favors, as well as being heavily infused into the capital markets, including CrowdFunding - reference The Global Futurist Blog. Expect the EX-IM Banks in most of the industrialized nations to reflect this in their willingness to issue financing and guaranties.

p.p.s. "Always remember that one country's protectionism is another country's industry opportunity." -  Douglas E. Castle

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FINDING COMMON GROUND

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Dear Friends:

Sadly, people seldom open their doors, whether in real space or cyberspace, to strangers. As Human Beings, we have been reared in a culture of defensiveness and fear. Yet, despite this, we must find the appropriate instrument (not necessarily a battering ram or a tear gas grenade) to pry the door open in able to commence a productive dialogue; productive dialogues lead to friendships; and friendships lead to enhanced Relationship Capital, prosperity (through trade), and peace.

Some door-opening techniques are simply outlined below for your consideration. Each of them positively and effectively exploits some aspect of behavioral psychology:

• Before you communicate, review the prospective recipient's bio, blog or website, so that you can open with a genuine compliment or a relevant question;


• Initiate your dialogue informationally...do not speak of specific business;


• Touch upon topics which are universal to all civilized persons, such as: difficult economic times, bringing up healthy children, climatic change, alternative energy, international cooperation and relationships, and the like;


• Ask for the recipient's opinion or views on these topics;


• Ask that the recipient review your blog, website or other materials and give his or her opinion on them -- this shows your respect for the other person's intelligence and point of view;


• In correspondence, try to incorporate pictures of yourself (with family, if possible), and ask if the recipient would do the same -- this personalizes and humanizes the dialogue, and permits the recipient to exercise a bit of ego;


• Have a productive informational interchange (as described in the preceding points) before you tactfully broach your business or other cause-based proposition.

A ritualistic celebration of "common ground" is so deeply ingrained in the socialization process, that to gracelessly rush into a business proposition would be foolhardy. Additionally, if you honor this ritual, you will be talking about business with a new friend, instead of a stranger.

Again...build bridges instead of fences.

Faithfully,

Douglas Castle, INTERNATIONALIST

p.s. I could not resist posting the picture in the above right. As silly as its portrayal of the situation is, there is, lamentably, too much truth to the astounding deficiency of reason that instantly overwhelms otherwise rational persons when there is a perceived threat and they are in need of some release of pent-up energy, or in need of a person or group of persons to blame for the problem.

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GOOD NEWS/ BAD NEWS: EURO vs DOLLAR.

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Dear Friends (and I use this latter term with cautious optimism):

In my last post, I discussed the far-reaching implications associated with shifts in the pattern of Inbound Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). In brief, I stated my belief that the implications may be negative (barring any brilliant and immediate course correction initiated by enlightened leaders and legislators) for U.S. world economic leadership. It is disturbing for any fan of the United States' original brand of entrepreneurial innovation and capitalism to watch as U.S. investors, both individual and institutional, give portfolio preference to foreign markets over domestic markets.


The solution, as I had stated then, does not lie in trade restrictions, investment restrictions, foreign stock ownership restrictions and other xenophobically-driven intrusive sanctions and controls which merely delay and intensify the inevitable -- the answer has to do more with our being more innovative, more price-competitive, more supportive of our exporters and home-grown small businesses, as well as to our applying more honey than vinegar to our international public relations effort. Revisiting such once-successful ideas as the Investment Tax Credit, the R & D Tax Credit and incentives to businesses for creating and supporting domestic employment and contract awards to other domestic enterprises may well be helpful. Although human nature tells us that people are driven primarily by fear of loss or the threat of pain and only secondarily by the opportunity for enrichment, domestic enterprises are offered pitifully little in terms of governmental and regulatory support or opportunities for enrichment at all.


In keeping with this theme, many have noticed that the Euro has been rising significantly against the USD (the Dollar) during these last few years. While there are fluctutions in the rate of exchange from day to day, the macroscopic trend over time is obvious: The Euro is rising against the Dollar. If you are heavily invested in Dollars, or in Dollar-denominated contracts, or in future payments from customers in Dollars (especially if you have to make payments to your suppliers or contractors in Euros). A possible way to hedge against this trend is to request payments inward in Euros, while paying your suppliers and contractors outward in Dollars...there are also different insurance products available to hedge against adverse foreign exchange risk in longer-term contracts and installment payment scenarios.


For holders and receivers of Dollars, the preceeding paragraph was esentially the Bad News, with some suggestions as to strategies for mitigating the impending loss, e.g., "damage control," as they are increasingly fond of calling it in the White House. What follows, however, is the Good News...and along with it, an opportunity for U.S.- domiciled firms to garner profits and reacquire consumers.

As the Euro increases in value against the Dollar, the purchasing power of overseas consumers rises considerably in terms of their ability to buy increasing amounts of U.S. goods and services. This provides U.S. exporters with a pricing advantage against equivalent goods and services being offered for sale by Euro-pegged nations. Savvy overseas buyers are not focused on the implications of a decline in the value of the dollar against the Euro -- they are interested, as well they should be, in buying bargains. Such U.S. staples as recurring exports, bank instruments, securities, and even real estate are becoming increasingly attractive. If properly publicized, the United States is fast becoming a house of great bargains, and a terrific place for internationalists to go shopping. It presents an opportunity for us to attract international consumers back to the U.S. marketplace, and to hopefully recapture their faith, loyalty and business. The challenge to the various trade-related agencies of the United States, such as the Department Of Commerce and the Small Business Administration, to name just two, to get the word out internationally, and positively. This could indeed be marketed as Good News. Possibly.

As my late father would have likely said, though, "Don't get too happy yet, son!" (he often called me that, as he frequently forgot my first name). His admonition would be most appropriate here because...information is just noise unless it is acknowledged and acted upon.

AMEN.

Faithfully,

Douglas Castle, Internationalist*

*And for this post only, Eurologist.