Import Export Business Questions-Answers-Warning
1) Use the search box in the upper left side of this blog to help you in search through this blog and the many years worth of valuable posts.
2) There are nearly 6 years of posts in this blog, you are encouraged to use the archive date links located on the lower right side of the navigation bar --> --> --> - they are listed by Month/Year.
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QUESTION Part 1: I have no experience and/or knowledge of import/export business.
Answer: I had no experience when I got started - that is why we offer a self study course, the best one that "I" believe is available and I could offer you any number of courses that would earn us a lot more money than the one we offer does, however, I like to sleep at night and know that I have provided you with the BEST course I feel is available.
QUESTION Part 2: I was born in the Philippines.
Answer: Great! You have an advantage over other Americans in having connections there or the ability to speak the native language - think of this fact as an asset instead of a liability.
QUESTION Part 3: What is my chance to be become successful in this business?
Answer: Subjective question that I cannot answer - I would be lying to you if I told you everyone becomes successful who purchases the course we offer - as I told you above, I like to sleep at night - I simply cannot answer this question because it is up to you. I strongly suggest you take advantage of all the free materials we offer on our website and blog and after you have digested that information, then consider purchasing the course we offer ONLY if you feel the business is something you REALLY wish to pursue.
This isn't buying a lottery ticket, it is a training course and how you apply what you learn and how persistent and patient you are in doing so has more to do with your success than anything else, but MOST of all you have to WANT to succeed in this business. It is NOT an opportunity, it is a BUSINESS.
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QUESTION: I am entering an agreement with a company in Belize, CA and will be shipping Solar Products to them. The bank is asking of an Export Contract. Is there a form for this contract? I looked in Forms.gov but could not find an official form.
Answer: There are various places on the web that you should be able to find an example or an explanation of what goes into an export contract.
But, first and foremost, ask your bank what they expect to see in the form of an agreement and ask if they have any examples - no use going thru the motions if what you present them with does not meet their requirements.
Pro-forma invoices often spell out the payment, products, quantities, delivery etc. and may suffice, however, in today's strict financial lending rules, your bank may need more. Pro formas are the easiest form of contracts to work with, but again, your bank may not deem that sufficient.
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Import Export Business Job Market Fraud Warning!!!
I receive an email every day with links to the latest new information available on the Internet relating to import, export, international trade, international business, etc..
On an increasing level I am seeing ads being posted to many of the free classifed ad sites online, especially Craigslist for entry level Import Export agents, clerks, whatever. Most cite legitimate daily activities that an agent or clerk might perform but they never give ANY type of direct contact information for the prospective employer.
They will generally ask you to either contact them for an interview which is through Craiglist's email system which protects their identity and many will be brazen enough to ask you for your resume because they know many people are simply so trusting of their fellow human beings that they will send it.
If your resume has your social security number and other personal identity details, you have just handed an identity theif what they need to steal your identity. If it doesn't contain this information and they will generally evolve the conversation by email, phone or skype as a means of getting it.
In some instances they may forgo stealing your identity to steal from you via your bank account, even if you do not have much or any money in your account.
I have explained the fake cashier's check or money order scam elsewhere in this blog so rather than repeating what is stated elsewhere, understand that jobs like they are offering, simply do not exist. They are going to potentially make you financially liable for thousands of dollars that you "will" have to pay so be smart, use the search engine box in the upper left of this blog and search for either the word(s) scam, fraud, fraudulent and read how the real world works and remember I am simply the messenger.
The International Business Times is the leading provider of international business news online.
Showing posts with label import export business. Show all posts
Showing posts with label import export business. Show all posts
Inspiration For Import Export Business Success
Inspiration For Import Export Business Success
I hope you will take a few minutes to read this post in it's entirety because it will hopefully provide you with some inspiration to succeed whether in the import export business or any business.
When I read the commentary provided below in an electronic newsletter I subscribe to this morning it really hit me that much of what was being quoted was so important to everyone searching for success in this business, any business or life in general.
The commentary posted below is appropriate to you if you are considering the import export business or any business and includes some of the BEST quotes about business and life in general that I have read in some time so I hope you will find them as inspiring as I did.
I have never owned an Apple computer or an Iphone, Ipad or anything that Steve Jobs helped bring to the world but when I learned of his passing last evening and the accomplishments that have helped literally millions of people around the world it really hit me that we have lost what can only be equated to our generation's Thomas Edison.
It is sad that our illustrious government leaders from all parties are not declaring what a true American and World hero Steve was? The real creation of jobs is having government get out of the way and allow entrepreneurial ingeniuty move forward with out the heel of government bureaucratics squashing it from existence before it has a chance to flourish.
It is also sad that we elevate people who are great at one sport or another to 'hero' status when in reality they have done nothing to elevate the level of mankind for anything other than a period of game played.
So to conclude my intro to the excellent, excellent commentary below I simply say Steve Jobs, may you rest in peace and know that the world is a far better place because of the time you were here and know to that not only were you the hero of those younger than you those older than you (me).
************************************************************
The following is the word for word commentary by Mr. Simon Black, Senior Editor for SovereignMan.com and is published with the authorization of his organization:
Sovereign Man
Notes from the Field
Date: October 6, 2011
Reporting From: Hong Kong
You've undoubtedly heard by now that Steve Jobs passed away yesterday after a long battle with cancer; it's been all over the news with wall-to-wall coverage, and iCandle vigils have sprung up all over the world. Jobs is being remembered as a pioneer, a technological revolutionary, a visionary. Rightfully so.
But it's important to give credit where credit is due, and the world owes a tremendous debt to Steve Jobs for something else. He was perhaps the greatest living example of 'philanthropy' in action.
While people like Warren Buffet are pleading with the government to raise their taxes and give away their wealth to sycophantic bureaucrats, Jobs showed time and time again that the best way to improve people's lives is to create value and be productive.
Steve Jobs was one of the most productive human beings to have ever lived; he started several successful companies which directly employed tens of thousands of people. Indirectly, his businesses improved the livelihoods of millions across the globe, from Chinese factory workers to iPhone app programmers to Apple shareholders.
In building an empire and unimaginable wealth for himself, Steve Jobs enriched the lives and livelihoods of others by creating value. Not by forced redistribution. Not by giving things away. By creating value.
Ironically, just as I write this I am watching President Obama on Bloomberg Television trying to explain how many jobs his new plan will create-- 1.9 million in his estimate:
"We're just going to keep on going at it and hammering away... until... something gets done. I would love to see nothing more than Congres act... so aggressively."
Politicians would do themselves and their constituents a great service by comparing their own track record for enriching people's lives against Steve Jobs' performance, and then kindly stepping out of the way. The path to prosperity is not paved in votes, but rather in freedom: the freedom to create, produce, risk work hard... and be rewarded for your efforts.
If you have the time, I'd encourage you to take a few minutes and read some of Jobs' own words; there are boundless sources online that will praise his creativity, drive, and intellect, but perhaps no one is better suited to explain Steve Jobs than the man himself.
Below I've pasted in some key quotes taken from his 2005 Stanford commencement address, and an old 1985 interview with Playboy magazine that the folks at Zero Hedge dug up. Enjoy.
Jobs on -not- following the crowd:
"Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma-- which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary."
Jobs on change and politics:
"We're making the largest investment of capital that humankind has ever made in weapons over the next five years. We have decided, as a society, that that's where we should put our money, and that raises the deficits and, thus, the cost of our capital."
"I think it takes a crisis for something to occur in America. And I believe there's going to be a crisis of significant proportions in the early Nineties as these problems our political leaders should have been addressing boil up to the surface."
Jobs on charity... and the importance of failure:
"And that's the problem with most philanthropy-- there's no measurement system. You give somebody some money to do something and most of the time you can really never measure whether you failed or succeeded in your judgment of that person or his ideas or their implementation. So if you can't succeed or fail, it's really hard to get better."
Jobs on careers:
"Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don't lose faith. I'm convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You've got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. . . As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. . . So keep looking until you find it. Don't settle."
Jobs on making it count:
Most of the time, we're taking things. Neither you nor I made the clothes we wear; we don't make the food or grow the foods we eat; we use a language that was developed by other people; we use another society's mathematics. Very rarely do we get a chance to put something back into that pool. I think we have that opportunity now. And no, we don't know where it will lead. We just know there's something much bigger than any of us here.
Jobs on [the blue screen of] death:
"[D]eath is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life's change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new."
Well done, Mr. Jobs. Be thou at peace.
Simon Black
Senior Editor, SovereignMan.com
************************************************************
Remember, there are over 5 1/2 years of posts in this blog and you are encouraged to use the archive date links located on the lower right side of the navigation bar where they are listed by Month/Year to access them or you may wish to use the search box located in the upper left side of the blog to search for specific words or phrases.
Until next time.
Ron Coble
I hope you will take a few minutes to read this post in it's entirety because it will hopefully provide you with some inspiration to succeed whether in the import export business or any business.
When I read the commentary provided below in an electronic newsletter I subscribe to this morning it really hit me that much of what was being quoted was so important to everyone searching for success in this business, any business or life in general.
The commentary posted below is appropriate to you if you are considering the import export business or any business and includes some of the BEST quotes about business and life in general that I have read in some time so I hope you will find them as inspiring as I did.
I have never owned an Apple computer or an Iphone, Ipad or anything that Steve Jobs helped bring to the world but when I learned of his passing last evening and the accomplishments that have helped literally millions of people around the world it really hit me that we have lost what can only be equated to our generation's Thomas Edison.
It is sad that our illustrious government leaders from all parties are not declaring what a true American and World hero Steve was? The real creation of jobs is having government get out of the way and allow entrepreneurial ingeniuty move forward with out the heel of government bureaucratics squashing it from existence before it has a chance to flourish.
It is also sad that we elevate people who are great at one sport or another to 'hero' status when in reality they have done nothing to elevate the level of mankind for anything other than a period of game played.
So to conclude my intro to the excellent, excellent commentary below I simply say Steve Jobs, may you rest in peace and know that the world is a far better place because of the time you were here and know to that not only were you the hero of those younger than you those older than you (me).
************************************************************
The following is the word for word commentary by Mr. Simon Black, Senior Editor for SovereignMan.com and is published with the authorization of his organization:
Sovereign Man
Notes from the Field
Date: October 6, 2011
Reporting From: Hong Kong
You've undoubtedly heard by now that Steve Jobs passed away yesterday after a long battle with cancer; it's been all over the news with wall-to-wall coverage, and iCandle vigils have sprung up all over the world. Jobs is being remembered as a pioneer, a technological revolutionary, a visionary. Rightfully so.
But it's important to give credit where credit is due, and the world owes a tremendous debt to Steve Jobs for something else. He was perhaps the greatest living example of 'philanthropy' in action.
While people like Warren Buffet are pleading with the government to raise their taxes and give away their wealth to sycophantic bureaucrats, Jobs showed time and time again that the best way to improve people's lives is to create value and be productive.
Steve Jobs was one of the most productive human beings to have ever lived; he started several successful companies which directly employed tens of thousands of people. Indirectly, his businesses improved the livelihoods of millions across the globe, from Chinese factory workers to iPhone app programmers to Apple shareholders.
In building an empire and unimaginable wealth for himself, Steve Jobs enriched the lives and livelihoods of others by creating value. Not by forced redistribution. Not by giving things away. By creating value.
Ironically, just as I write this I am watching President Obama on Bloomberg Television trying to explain how many jobs his new plan will create-- 1.9 million in his estimate:
"We're just going to keep on going at it and hammering away... until... something gets done. I would love to see nothing more than Congres act... so aggressively."
Politicians would do themselves and their constituents a great service by comparing their own track record for enriching people's lives against Steve Jobs' performance, and then kindly stepping out of the way. The path to prosperity is not paved in votes, but rather in freedom: the freedom to create, produce, risk work hard... and be rewarded for your efforts.
If you have the time, I'd encourage you to take a few minutes and read some of Jobs' own words; there are boundless sources online that will praise his creativity, drive, and intellect, but perhaps no one is better suited to explain Steve Jobs than the man himself.
Below I've pasted in some key quotes taken from his 2005 Stanford commencement address, and an old 1985 interview with Playboy magazine that the folks at Zero Hedge dug up. Enjoy.
Jobs on -not- following the crowd:
"Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma-- which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary."
Jobs on change and politics:
"We're making the largest investment of capital that humankind has ever made in weapons over the next five years. We have decided, as a society, that that's where we should put our money, and that raises the deficits and, thus, the cost of our capital."
"I think it takes a crisis for something to occur in America. And I believe there's going to be a crisis of significant proportions in the early Nineties as these problems our political leaders should have been addressing boil up to the surface."
Jobs on charity... and the importance of failure:
"And that's the problem with most philanthropy-- there's no measurement system. You give somebody some money to do something and most of the time you can really never measure whether you failed or succeeded in your judgment of that person or his ideas or their implementation. So if you can't succeed or fail, it's really hard to get better."
Jobs on careers:
"Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don't lose faith. I'm convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You've got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. . . As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. . . So keep looking until you find it. Don't settle."
Jobs on making it count:
Most of the time, we're taking things. Neither you nor I made the clothes we wear; we don't make the food or grow the foods we eat; we use a language that was developed by other people; we use another society's mathematics. Very rarely do we get a chance to put something back into that pool. I think we have that opportunity now. And no, we don't know where it will lead. We just know there's something much bigger than any of us here.
Jobs on [the blue screen of] death:
"[D]eath is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life's change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new."
Well done, Mr. Jobs. Be thou at peace.
Simon Black
Senior Editor, SovereignMan.com
************************************************************
Remember, there are over 5 1/2 years of posts in this blog and you are encouraged to use the archive date links located on the lower right side of the navigation bar where they are listed by Month/Year to access them or you may wish to use the search box located in the upper left side of the blog to search for specific words or phrases.
Until next time.
Ron Coble
Just a friendly reminder - 5 1/2 years of archived posts in this blog are shown in the lower right of the sidebar area (scroll down to see them) - These posts contain IMPORTANT information you need to know - after reading this post/page, go visit the archives, bookmark the blog so you may easily return as more valuable and important events occur - real world information and REAL experiences are posted here, ignore them at your own peril.
This post is another in response to a comment (and follow up comment to my reply) that was left on a previous post - here is the original comment --
Ron, thank you for the time you have put into making this awfully informative blog. It has been a huge help to me in my pursuit of becoming a successful export agent. I have done my due diligence and have identified the two productss I want to export and the companies I want to help export. I have also identified the foreign companies who I know need and want the products I want to export. My question to you is "how do I present myself to these foreign companies introducing my self and purpose"? The method of contact will be email initially. Any advice on what to include in my first few emails? Thank you again for all your hard work. You have helped so much.
Initially I sent an email to the publisher of the Import Export training course we offer for some feedback on how he would answer this inquiry, the following is 'part' of his reply, I am not going to publish part of the information because it contains information that is included in the course and it would not be equitable to those who have paid to get it then see it freely published in this blog -
"This is an involved question and neither of us knows all the particulars. Is he selling one-sies or container loads? Has he prepared a pro forma invoice? How is he handling servicing? Is it even an issue with his product? How is he going to get paid? Without knowing any more, I would suggest he contact (portion redacted to ensure Import Export paid training customer value). He might be well advised to get our trade training materials so he doesn't come across as an amateur who will be dismissed out of hand."
I initially posted a short reply to the original comment as follows:
I will try to post a longer reply as a regular post to the blog shortly so be on the lookout. In the interim I must tell you that you need to read thru "all" the posts of this blog and most of your questions will be answered...if you do not find the answer the first time, read through them again...the arhcived posts are available by Month/Year links on the right side navigation area at the main blog page which you may find by clicking on the title then scroll down and look to the right side for all the dates going back to 2006.
To which the following was posted by the original commenter:
thanks for replying, I had a feeling you might have already posted the answer on your blog. However, its rather difficult going 5 years of posts.
Is there any search functionality for the blog? That would save a ton of time and make finding pertinent information so much easier for your readers.
to which I replied:
there is a search box in the upper left corner of the blog as provided by blogspot the blog platform provider. Also, quite frankly, I personally feel going through all the posts, with the exception of the announcement types that have become outdated, ALL the information I have posted should be viewed as worthwhile taking the time to read and digest otherwise I would not have taken the time to post it.
I apologize for the length of this post lead in but in order to better understand my overall reply you need to read the exchange completely.
Working backwards in the comments, I wish to emphasize again that if I post something on this blog, "I" view it as being important to anyone who is seriously interested in succeeding in the import export business. Yes, there are announcements that are now outdated that you may easily skim past but the blog is filled with "REAL WORLD" experiences.
My experiences and those of others I have talked or corresponded with in some way over the past 23 1/2 years and much of what I have posted here is really to help people save themselves "from themselves". There have been many people who try to enter this business without having some formal training only to get burnt severely which translates into $$$$ lost. These experiences are posted in this blog and if you are serious about this business, you need to read them and learn from them.
Reading the posts in this blog or other posts found in other blogs or websites does not make you a ready for prime time trader.
This blog will help those who are not ready for prime time by learning that if the blog is too much to take the time to read then you really should not bother purchasing any paid training because you will not commit the time and effort necessary to read and understand it...so in that sense this blog is a public service, freely given of my life's valuable time.
Yes, I am a grumpy old man "sometimes", and quite frankly I sometimes feel my time would be better spent taking a nap than posting new information here since it seems to be ignored by those who need it the most.
Getting back to one of the original commenters questions regarding making initial contact with a potential buyer....the question refers to using "email".
This part of the comment, in and of itself, proved to me that the commenter had not read through my blog completely because had they done so, they would have found that in several posts I recommend against using email as a means of making initial contact with a buyer. In those posts I give the best methods that will bring success and not have your email summarily deleted along with what the receiver thinks is junk email.
Additionally, I provide a set of agreements, letter formats and other valuable bonus resources for people who purchase either the exporters master training package or the import export business toolkit. These are resources that I have used and continue to use in my business and which I will not share freely with the general public but only those who are committed enough to read the blog in it's entirety and who then purchase one of the courses mentioned above.
So the bottom line reply to the commenters question - "Any advice on what to include in my first few emails?" is don't use email to try to make initial contact - read why in this blog - then read the rest of the blog, then if you are serious about moving forward, get the export training course or import export training course, study it, and only then move forward with making contact with potential buyers and sellers.
For anyone reading this blog....please take the time to read past and present posts...they were made to 'hopefully' help you from making the mistakes others have made, including me. The blog is also what works and what doesn't, it is about current and past events in international trade, it contains links to resources and much, much more.
This post is another in response to a comment (and follow up comment to my reply) that was left on a previous post - here is the original comment --
Ron, thank you for the time you have put into making this awfully informative blog. It has been a huge help to me in my pursuit of becoming a successful export agent. I have done my due diligence and have identified the two productss I want to export and the companies I want to help export. I have also identified the foreign companies who I know need and want the products I want to export. My question to you is "how do I present myself to these foreign companies introducing my self and purpose"? The method of contact will be email initially. Any advice on what to include in my first few emails? Thank you again for all your hard work. You have helped so much.
Initially I sent an email to the publisher of the Import Export training course we offer for some feedback on how he would answer this inquiry, the following is 'part' of his reply, I am not going to publish part of the information because it contains information that is included in the course and it would not be equitable to those who have paid to get it then see it freely published in this blog -
"This is an involved question and neither of us knows all the particulars. Is he selling one-sies or container loads? Has he prepared a pro forma invoice? How is he handling servicing? Is it even an issue with his product? How is he going to get paid? Without knowing any more, I would suggest he contact (portion redacted to ensure Import Export paid training customer value). He might be well advised to get our trade training materials so he doesn't come across as an amateur who will be dismissed out of hand."
I initially posted a short reply to the original comment as follows:
I will try to post a longer reply as a regular post to the blog shortly so be on the lookout. In the interim I must tell you that you need to read thru "all" the posts of this blog and most of your questions will be answered...if you do not find the answer the first time, read through them again...the arhcived posts are available by Month/Year links on the right side navigation area at the main blog page which you may find by clicking on the title then scroll down and look to the right side for all the dates going back to 2006.
To which the following was posted by the original commenter:
thanks for replying, I had a feeling you might have already posted the answer on your blog. However, its rather difficult going 5 years of posts.
Is there any search functionality for the blog? That would save a ton of time and make finding pertinent information so much easier for your readers.
to which I replied:
there is a search box in the upper left corner of the blog as provided by blogspot the blog platform provider. Also, quite frankly, I personally feel going through all the posts, with the exception of the announcement types that have become outdated, ALL the information I have posted should be viewed as worthwhile taking the time to read and digest otherwise I would not have taken the time to post it.
I apologize for the length of this post lead in but in order to better understand my overall reply you need to read the exchange completely.
Working backwards in the comments, I wish to emphasize again that if I post something on this blog, "I" view it as being important to anyone who is seriously interested in succeeding in the import export business. Yes, there are announcements that are now outdated that you may easily skim past but the blog is filled with "REAL WORLD" experiences.
My experiences and those of others I have talked or corresponded with in some way over the past 23 1/2 years and much of what I have posted here is really to help people save themselves "from themselves". There have been many people who try to enter this business without having some formal training only to get burnt severely which translates into $$$$ lost. These experiences are posted in this blog and if you are serious about this business, you need to read them and learn from them.
Reading the posts in this blog or other posts found in other blogs or websites does not make you a ready for prime time trader.
This blog will help those who are not ready for prime time by learning that if the blog is too much to take the time to read then you really should not bother purchasing any paid training because you will not commit the time and effort necessary to read and understand it...so in that sense this blog is a public service, freely given of my life's valuable time.
Yes, I am a grumpy old man "sometimes", and quite frankly I sometimes feel my time would be better spent taking a nap than posting new information here since it seems to be ignored by those who need it the most.
Getting back to one of the original commenters questions regarding making initial contact with a potential buyer....the question refers to using "email".
This part of the comment, in and of itself, proved to me that the commenter had not read through my blog completely because had they done so, they would have found that in several posts I recommend against using email as a means of making initial contact with a buyer. In those posts I give the best methods that will bring success and not have your email summarily deleted along with what the receiver thinks is junk email.
Additionally, I provide a set of agreements, letter formats and other valuable bonus resources for people who purchase either the exporters master training package or the import export business toolkit. These are resources that I have used and continue to use in my business and which I will not share freely with the general public but only those who are committed enough to read the blog in it's entirety and who then purchase one of the courses mentioned above.
So the bottom line reply to the commenters question - "Any advice on what to include in my first few emails?" is don't use email to try to make initial contact - read why in this blog - then read the rest of the blog, then if you are serious about moving forward, get the export training course or import export training course, study it, and only then move forward with making contact with potential buyers and sellers.
For anyone reading this blog....please take the time to read past and present posts...they were made to 'hopefully' help you from making the mistakes others have made, including me. The blog is also what works and what doesn't, it is about current and past events in international trade, it contains links to resources and much, much more.
Is US Exporting Climate Worse/Better Or About The Same
This blog has been in existence since February 2006 and contains important posts you do not want to miss - be sure you check out the archived posts listed by Month/Year on the lower right side navigation area and bookmark so you may reference later.
OK, to the Question for this post:
Do you think the climate for US exporting is worse/better / substantively any different than when you wrote that blog answer Jan 2009? - Here is a link to that post: Import Export Business And The Economy
The question was sent as a follow up to an email that asked: "Your best guess on how this could affect / not Exports from the US?" - Specter of trade war looms as G-20 nations gather
My Answer To The Follow Up Question that is the subject of this post:
Every exporting business is different. Each deals with different products, each exports to different parts of the world. Each exporting situation has been affected differently.
1. I believe it is easier today to establish yourself as an export agent or broker or to get manufacturers to deal with you than it was two years ago because US manufacturing, what's left of it, is desperate, whereas before they were fat, dumb and happy and now they are competing with India, China, Brazil, Vietnam, you name it.
2. There is a car exporter who has advertised on our site for about 3 years now. I do not recall the exact numbers but when he first started advertising the Euro was about 1.60 to the dollar and he was exporting 20-40 vehicles a month (i believe that was the number) at a markup of $1000 per vehicle or a pro-rated basis if they purchased 5 or more down to $500 a vehicle.
In February of 2009 he called me to renew his ad and asked me if I had any idea how many cars he exported the previous month - I said 5 or 10 thinking it would not be that bad and he responded ZERO/NADA/ZIP.
The market in Europe had dried up not only because of the dollar improving somewhat but the fact Europe's economy was (and is) in a shambles.
In the interim, he began getting inquiries from China. Guess what? His business with China is booming. They want both new and used "luxury" cars and because he has been an established exporter, with exposure in the marketplace, they came to him. I have not really asked him about his Europe business but I know if it has come back at all it is a fraction of what it was.
Adapting. Exposure. Doing something and not allowing the government to freeze you in place waiting for them to save you. They won't, they screwed it up and business is what will bring it back.
3. In all the years I have worked with various vitamin manufacturers (about 12-13 now) the very best "long-term" customer for any of them came from a lead I generated from our website about 15 months ago during one of the worst parts of the past 24 months in the current economy. I mention in my blog post about adapting in dealing with 'how to pay' - this customer is in Thailand and they use 5 different credit cards to pay the manufacturer - whatever works.
4. I just received an email today from another company we work with for sourcing manufacturing in China. One of the leads we sent them, I cannot disclose their name but you would definitely know it as they are a old, long time brand name in a particular industry, has sent a sample to sourcing company's office in Beijing and for review of their engineers for pricing and they are very seriously working with the company on pricing the units out.
TRADE moves on and will find a way to adapt and there is always indirect exporting, meaning you do not need to export from the USA, you can export for a manufacturer in another country.
I think there was another post I did but I cannot remember the date in which I cited the number of LARGE brand name businesses that were started during the depth of the 1930's depression which are still in business today. International trade is either in your blood or it isn't and all I can say is move forward, adjust and continue to move forward, that is all there is to it.
Have a good evening.
Ron
Do you think the climate for US exporting is worse/better / substantively any different than when you wrote that blog answer Jan 2009? - Here is a link to that post: Import Export Business And The Economy
The question was sent as a follow up to an email that asked: "Your best guess on how this could affect / not Exports from the US?" - Specter of trade war looms as G-20 nations gather
My Answer To The Follow Up Question that is the subject of this post:
Every exporting business is different. Each deals with different products, each exports to different parts of the world. Each exporting situation has been affected differently.
1. I believe it is easier today to establish yourself as an export agent or broker or to get manufacturers to deal with you than it was two years ago because US manufacturing, what's left of it, is desperate, whereas before they were fat, dumb and happy and now they are competing with India, China, Brazil, Vietnam, you name it.
2. There is a car exporter who has advertised on our site for about 3 years now. I do not recall the exact numbers but when he first started advertising the Euro was about 1.60 to the dollar and he was exporting 20-40 vehicles a month (i believe that was the number) at a markup of $1000 per vehicle or a pro-rated basis if they purchased 5 or more down to $500 a vehicle.
In February of 2009 he called me to renew his ad and asked me if I had any idea how many cars he exported the previous month - I said 5 or 10 thinking it would not be that bad and he responded ZERO/NADA/ZIP.
The market in Europe had dried up not only because of the dollar improving somewhat but the fact Europe's economy was (and is) in a shambles.
In the interim, he began getting inquiries from China. Guess what? His business with China is booming. They want both new and used "luxury" cars and because he has been an established exporter, with exposure in the marketplace, they came to him. I have not really asked him about his Europe business but I know if it has come back at all it is a fraction of what it was.
Adapting. Exposure. Doing something and not allowing the government to freeze you in place waiting for them to save you. They won't, they screwed it up and business is what will bring it back.
3. In all the years I have worked with various vitamin manufacturers (about 12-13 now) the very best "long-term" customer for any of them came from a lead I generated from our website about 15 months ago during one of the worst parts of the past 24 months in the current economy. I mention in my blog post about adapting in dealing with 'how to pay' - this customer is in Thailand and they use 5 different credit cards to pay the manufacturer - whatever works.
4. I just received an email today from another company we work with for sourcing manufacturing in China. One of the leads we sent them, I cannot disclose their name but you would definitely know it as they are a old, long time brand name in a particular industry, has sent a sample to sourcing company's office in Beijing and for review of their engineers for pricing and they are very seriously working with the company on pricing the units out.
TRADE moves on and will find a way to adapt and there is always indirect exporting, meaning you do not need to export from the USA, you can export for a manufacturer in another country.
I think there was another post I did but I cannot remember the date in which I cited the number of LARGE brand name businesses that were started during the depth of the 1930's depression which are still in business today. International trade is either in your blood or it isn't and all I can say is move forward, adjust and continue to move forward, that is all there is to it.
Have a good evening.
Ron
Import Export Business Do's And Don'ts
I have to post this while my thoughts are still fresh on the subject - the do's and don'ts of this post apply not only to the Import Export Business, but ANY business.
1. LISTEN TO YOURSELF ON A VOICEMAIL MESSAGE - DO IT TODAY!
Now I readily admit I have a hearing problem that has taken about 90% of my hearing from my left ear so I often have to play voice messages back 2 or 3 times to get all the information someone is relating, however, when I have my wife stand there and listen 2 or 3 times and she too (who has no hearing loss!) cannot understand what the person is asking or especially what their telephone number is, then the caller is clearly at fault of not speaking clearly and concisely.
Most voice message systems allow you to speak 2-3 minutes, so right NOW, go leave yourself a message of up to one minute and do so in the small tone of voice, rhythm like you normally do, don't think about it, just do it. Then have someone that you normally do not speak with listen to your message.
If that person cannot understand what you are asking, stating or the phone number you have recorded, you need to begin practicing speaking more clearly, concisely and making your point as to why you are calling or you will not do well in ANY business!
If you are at work and you do not want everyone to know what your business is, go outside during your break or lunch and make your calls or wait until you get home. Trying to talk low so no one else hears you simply does not allow you to leave a coherent and understandable message.
1. LISTEN TO YOURSELF ON A VOICEMAIL MESSAGE - DO IT TODAY!
Now I readily admit I have a hearing problem that has taken about 90% of my hearing from my left ear so I often have to play voice messages back 2 or 3 times to get all the information someone is relating, however, when I have my wife stand there and listen 2 or 3 times and she too (who has no hearing loss!) cannot understand what the person is asking or especially what their telephone number is, then the caller is clearly at fault of not speaking clearly and concisely.
Most voice message systems allow you to speak 2-3 minutes, so right NOW, go leave yourself a message of up to one minute and do so in the small tone of voice, rhythm like you normally do, don't think about it, just do it. Then have someone that you normally do not speak with listen to your message.
If that person cannot understand what you are asking, stating or the phone number you have recorded, you need to begin practicing speaking more clearly, concisely and making your point as to why you are calling or you will not do well in ANY business!
If you are at work and you do not want everyone to know what your business is, go outside during your break or lunch and make your calls or wait until you get home. Trying to talk low so no one else hears you simply does not allow you to leave a coherent and understandable message.
I practiced for several hours the first time I was going to record an outgoing voice message on a voicemail system I set up back in the late 1980's. I wrote down exactly what I wanted to say and had to record over it several times before I got it right and then I asked others to listen to it and provide me with feedback. NEVER ASSUME you are understood by anyone other than your circle or friends and family who have adapted to your voice, rhythm, tone etc..
2. DO NOT LEAVE VAGUE MESSAGES
If you want someone to take time out of their schedule to call you back, TELL THEM WHO YOU ARE, WHAT OR WHY YOU ARE CALLING and BE VERY SPECIFIC.
There are countless fraudsters out there who leave vague messages trying to get the mark to call them back for their nefarious reasons, there are also telephone numbers that the fraudsters can ask you to call that will rack up $29.00 or more a minute charges by you simply calling them.
More importantly, if you leave a poorly worded message that is difficult to understand without any specifics, why should the person receiving that message call you back?
Some people would say everyone deserves a response -SORRY, not in today's Internet world where people can be calling from anywhere in the world and when you have your product or service information posted clearly on your website and if they cannot understand what you have posted there or are too lazy to read it, then quite frankly, they are not worth my nickle or dime calling back because they aren't going to understand an explanation from me either!
3. STOP HIDING BEHIND A BLOCKED OR UNKNOWN PHONE NUMBER
I use caller ID quite a bit due to my hearing problems. If someone does not speak clearly enough for either my wife or I to understand the phone number they have left but their message "sounds" like it might be important enough to return, I then go to my caller ID to get their number.
If you hide who you are behind caller id blocking or however they make it show up unknown, then you simply are not worth another second of someone's time in trying to get back with you.
As my last post stated GET REAL, you are either in business or you are playing games by hiding your identity.
Most of the time UNKNOWNS or BLOCKED ID's are calls from sales people and the volume of these calls has reached such a high level that I now DO NOT pick up when a call comes in from an Unknown or blocked id caller, I wait to see if they begin to leave a message and "if" they do and "if" it is a legitimate caller, I will pick up, otherwise I simply let the answering machine deal with them which in 90% of the cases they never leave a message.
4. SEND AN EMAIL OR FORM SUBMISSION INSTEAD
If you are calling a business that has a website with their telephone number posted, that is OK, BUT, if you cannot communicate your message clearly on their voice message system, they probably will not call you back.
So, use their email or form submission system on their site and send them a detailed message - THAT IS WHAT IT IS THERE FOR.
If you cannot send a coherent, understandable message then you seriously need to improve your written communications as well.
EMAIL or a website's Form submission IS FREE to use so why not use it. Many people will check their email far more often then their voice messages and if your message is CLEAR, CONCISE and UNDERSTANDABLE AND is something the business receiving it can help you with, THEY WILL CALL OR EMAIL YOU BACK.
EMAIL allows for FAR fewer mistakes since it provides and ongoing WRITTEN record of what each party is asking and the other answering.
I am a strong advocate for CALLING a supplier or potential buyer to establish communications but when I do, I leave a clear, concise message if they do not answer and repeat my phone number at least two times speaking slowly and also tell them what times are the best to call me back so we do not play phone tag.
GET REAL about your business by GETTING REAL about your COMMUNICATIONS, whether they are voice messages or emails (sorry, I don't text so I won't even begin to address that one - simply doesn't make sense to me to text someone what I could talk to them about over the phone in much less time than it takes to type all those little letters and symbols into your tiny phone keyboard).
I hope you find the posts on this blog helpful in your business endeavors.
Ron Coble
International Business Services
Get Real About Your Import Export Business
Getting real about your Import Export business in todays Internet
age involves some expenses, any real business does, fortunately,
with all the competition out there, the expenses are very small in
comparison to starting most other types of businesses.
Getting Real about your business means first and foremost, taking
action once you have made the decision to get off of your ass and
get started. YES, it takes your action, not some "mentor" or
high-priced personal guide - YOU are the key to YOUR success and
YOUR action is necessary to succeed once you have studied and
understand the processes.
But you have heard or read that before if you have been on this
blog for any length of time.
So let's talk about a super, small, baby step action you can take,
if you are serious about GETTING REAL about your business.
In the past 10 years, we have received well over ONE MILLION
dollars in fraudulent orders. Some were easy to spot, others have
become more difficult, but in that time we have not lost one
cent to fraudsters and have learned some very valuable lessons
on what to look for, one of which I will now pass along to you.
In almost 90% of the fraudulent orders received, the fraudster
used a free email address such as Yahoo or Hotmail.
So, literally, any order that we now receive from anyone with a
Yahoo or Hotmail account IMMEDIATELY gets the FULL scam screening
procedures, most of which are outlined on our company page at
ImportExportHelp.com under the "due diligence" resources.
In the past 10 years, I have spoken with and corresponded with
thousands of other business people around the world and Yahoo
and Hotmail email addresses have grown into an instant delete
or filtered to spam due to the high incidence of them being used
by spammers, scammers and the business wannabees who are NOT
really serious about success and are nothing but a waste of TIME
for these business people (remember TIME IS MONEY).
Email is a terrible way to try and make initial contact with
any business person to begin with...marketing organizations that
track this kind of thing state upwards of 70% or more of all
emails NEVER reach the intended party and those that do are
often deleted without viewing if they have FREE email addresses.
Yahoo and Hotmail email addresses are an immediate flag to most
businesses that the sender is not a serious contender and will
many time, if not more often than not, be ignored and deleted.
Yes, I have and still do recommend the use of Gmail.com email
addresses up to a point. I believe that they too will ultimately
reach the level of filtering that yahoo and hotmail addresses
receive in the not too distant future. Unfortunately, I am
seeing an incredible level of spam and scam emails in my
numerous gmail accounts, even those I have never made public.
Another BIG reason for recommending you get away from Yahoo and
Hotmail is the filtering issues. They control the level of what gets
through to your inbox and what gets filtered, gmail is not near as
restrictive as Yahoo and Hotmail, but again, I expect that to change
in the not to distant future.
So what are you to do?
You can either set up an entire website that normally provides you
with a huge amount of email addresses that you create or in some
cases Unlimited numbers.
The building of a website does not need to be the very first thing
you need to do but when you are ready, the service I recommend to
beginning website builders that has MORE help and assistance than
any other I have found yet may be reviewed at:
Web Hosting - DIY Step-by-Step Website Building Service
*** Be sure to download ALL of the FREE training materials the
above web hosting/building services provides, including their
great videos - they have the VERY BEST resources available
of any similar service my 17 years of Internet research has found.
Once you have invested in your future by obtaining the appropriate
training course to the type of International Trade business you are
going to "GET REAL" about, your first step to project a more
professional image should be to have a "REAL" Email address and
not be using a FREE one.
Not only does having your own domain name email project a much
BETTER Internet persona but even more importantly, YOU control the
level of filtering and YOU get to see all emails that are filtered BEFORE
they are deleted.
Additionally, many business people have their email programs set up to
filter emails coming from Yahoo and Hotmail addresses either to their
BULK or SP*.AM folder or have them automatically deleted!
You can have your own domain name email accounts up to 10
accounts for a price of less than $20 to a max of $40 per year depending
upon the number of email addresses you feel you need and you can
always upgrade to the higher level is the lower is not enough.
This is should be the FIRST and is the simplest thing you can do to
build your reputation and show you are serious about being in business
and it only takes a few minutes to do - here is the service where I have
a domain specific email address set up - go check them out:
Get A Real (LOW COST) Email Address Service
Quite frankly, if you invest in training and will not invest in
upgrading your Internet personality, you need to GET REAL about your
Import Export business or get out of the way of those who are
serious about their success.
In reality, whether you are starting an international trade
business OR any business, you need a REAL email address - STOP
jeopardizing your success by being to cheap to invest a few
dollars a year to build your online reputation.
age involves some expenses, any real business does, fortunately,
with all the competition out there, the expenses are very small in
comparison to starting most other types of businesses.
Getting Real about your business means first and foremost, taking
action once you have made the decision to get off of your ass and
get started. YES, it takes your action, not some "mentor" or
high-priced personal guide - YOU are the key to YOUR success and
YOUR action is necessary to succeed once you have studied and
understand the processes.
But you have heard or read that before if you have been on this
blog for any length of time.
So let's talk about a super, small, baby step action you can take,
if you are serious about GETTING REAL about your business.
In the past 10 years, we have received well over ONE MILLION
dollars in fraudulent orders. Some were easy to spot, others have
become more difficult, but in that time we have not lost one
cent to fraudsters and have learned some very valuable lessons
on what to look for, one of which I will now pass along to you.
In almost 90% of the fraudulent orders received, the fraudster
used a free email address such as Yahoo or Hotmail.
So, literally, any order that we now receive from anyone with a
Yahoo or Hotmail account IMMEDIATELY gets the FULL scam screening
procedures, most of which are outlined on our company page at
ImportExportHelp.com under the "due diligence" resources.
In the past 10 years, I have spoken with and corresponded with
thousands of other business people around the world and Yahoo
and Hotmail email addresses have grown into an instant delete
or filtered to spam due to the high incidence of them being used
by spammers, scammers and the business wannabees who are NOT
really serious about success and are nothing but a waste of TIME
for these business people (remember TIME IS MONEY).
Email is a terrible way to try and make initial contact with
any business person to begin with...marketing organizations that
track this kind of thing state upwards of 70% or more of all
emails NEVER reach the intended party and those that do are
often deleted without viewing if they have FREE email addresses.
Yahoo and Hotmail email addresses are an immediate flag to most
businesses that the sender is not a serious contender and will
many time, if not more often than not, be ignored and deleted.
Yes, I have and still do recommend the use of Gmail.com email
addresses up to a point. I believe that they too will ultimately
reach the level of filtering that yahoo and hotmail addresses
receive in the not too distant future. Unfortunately, I am
seeing an incredible level of spam and scam emails in my
numerous gmail accounts, even those I have never made public.
Another BIG reason for recommending you get away from Yahoo and
Hotmail is the filtering issues. They control the level of what gets
through to your inbox and what gets filtered, gmail is not near as
restrictive as Yahoo and Hotmail, but again, I expect that to change
in the not to distant future.
So what are you to do?
You can either set up an entire website that normally provides you
with a huge amount of email addresses that you create or in some
cases Unlimited numbers.
The building of a website does not need to be the very first thing
you need to do but when you are ready, the service I recommend to
beginning website builders that has MORE help and assistance than
any other I have found yet may be reviewed at:
Web Hosting - DIY Step-by-Step Website Building Service
*** Be sure to download ALL of the FREE training materials the
above web hosting/building services provides, including their
great videos - they have the VERY BEST resources available
of any similar service my 17 years of Internet research has found.
Once you have invested in your future by obtaining the appropriate
training course to the type of International Trade business you are
going to "GET REAL" about, your first step to project a more
professional image should be to have a "REAL" Email address and
not be using a FREE one.
Not only does having your own domain name email project a much
BETTER Internet persona but even more importantly, YOU control the
level of filtering and YOU get to see all emails that are filtered BEFORE
they are deleted.
Additionally, many business people have their email programs set up to
filter emails coming from Yahoo and Hotmail addresses either to their
BULK or SP*.AM folder or have them automatically deleted!
You can have your own domain name email accounts up to 10
accounts for a price of less than $20 to a max of $40 per year depending
upon the number of email addresses you feel you need and you can
always upgrade to the higher level is the lower is not enough.
This is should be the FIRST and is the simplest thing you can do to
build your reputation and show you are serious about being in business
and it only takes a few minutes to do - here is the service where I have
a domain specific email address set up - go check them out:
Get A Real (LOW COST) Email Address Service
Quite frankly, if you invest in training and will not invest in
upgrading your Internet personality, you need to GET REAL about your
Import Export business or get out of the way of those who are
serious about their success.
In reality, whether you are starting an international trade
business OR any business, you need a REAL email address - STOP
jeopardizing your success by being to cheap to invest a few
dollars a year to build your online reputation.
REMEMBER, NO ONE CARES MORE ABOUT YOU, YOUR FAMILY OR
YOUR SUCCESS THAN YOU DO (OR SHOULD)!
And if you are too lazy to take the SMALL action necessary to set up a
REAL email address, then you should forget about being in business
for yourself because you are simply TOO LAZY to GET REAL about being
in business for yourself.
Hope you find these posts helpful - your comments are always welcome.
Ron Coble
International Business Marketing Services
More Import Export Business Lessons
Another Import Export Business lesson in the form of an a Question and Answer Post:
QUESTION:
I run a small wine export company in New Zealand and I am looking into exporting wine to Mali in Africa at the moment.
Contact is made, terms agreed on and now my customer says that I would need to open an non-residential account with his bank to enable him to transfer funds into my account in New Zealand. This sounds wrong to me and I have never been asked to do such a thing in the past. According to my customer this is an anti fraud measure introduced by the Malian government.
Could you please advise me whether or not this is true. Your help would be very much appreciated.
ANSWER:
I would suggest that you do a search in google for Mali + Fraud and/or Mali + scam - Mali appears to be yet another African cesspool of fraudulent activity.
My first suggestion is - Find a buyer not in a 3rd world country
One of the key factors that fraudsters play on their marks is the desperation of or greed for the completion of a sale or to get money.
How many things could go wrong with this?? You deposit funds to open an account, your client "supposedly" puts their funds into your account. If the bank is a legit one, how do you know your buyer does not have a friend working in the bank? How do you get your funds back?? The Mali bank is under NO obligations like your NZ banks have to their customers.
How many different ways does this have to sound like a scam before you simply deem it NOT worth the trouble?
Please do yourself a favor and read some of the listings google will give you on the suggested searches above - these people have honed the art of scam.
Is the sale really worth all the hassle if it is legit? Talk to a freight forwarder in NZ that deals with Mali and see if they have heard of this 'new' requirement. But bottom line, is it all worth it?? Cant' you find a buyer
elsewhere in a non- 3rd world country.
Have you done due diligence on your buyer, or the so-called bank you would need to deal with??
See the list of resources we recommend -
http://www.importexporthelp.com/company.htm#DUE-DILIGENCE
My advice goes back to my first suggestion - WALK AWAY.
Ron Coble
QUESTION:
I run a small wine export company in New Zealand and I am looking into exporting wine to Mali in Africa at the moment.
Contact is made, terms agreed on and now my customer says that I would need to open an non-residential account with his bank to enable him to transfer funds into my account in New Zealand. This sounds wrong to me and I have never been asked to do such a thing in the past. According to my customer this is an anti fraud measure introduced by the Malian government.
Could you please advise me whether or not this is true. Your help would be very much appreciated.
ANSWER:
I would suggest that you do a search in google for Mali + Fraud and/or Mali + scam - Mali appears to be yet another African cesspool of fraudulent activity.
My first suggestion is - Find a buyer not in a 3rd world country
One of the key factors that fraudsters play on their marks is the desperation of or greed for the completion of a sale or to get money.
How many things could go wrong with this?? You deposit funds to open an account, your client "supposedly" puts their funds into your account. If the bank is a legit one, how do you know your buyer does not have a friend working in the bank? How do you get your funds back?? The Mali bank is under NO obligations like your NZ banks have to their customers.
How many different ways does this have to sound like a scam before you simply deem it NOT worth the trouble?
Please do yourself a favor and read some of the listings google will give you on the suggested searches above - these people have honed the art of scam.
Is the sale really worth all the hassle if it is legit? Talk to a freight forwarder in NZ that deals with Mali and see if they have heard of this 'new' requirement. But bottom line, is it all worth it?? Cant' you find a buyer
elsewhere in a non- 3rd world country.
Have you done due diligence on your buyer, or the so-called bank you would need to deal with??
See the list of resources we recommend -
http://www.importexporthelp.com/company.htm#DUE-DILIGENCE
My advice goes back to my first suggestion - WALK AWAY.
Ron Coble
Open Letter To Import Export Business Entrepreneurs
This blog contains some of the MOST VALUABLE REAL WORLD experience regarding International Trade and Ecommerce that you will find anywhere and best of all, it is FREE.
You have been directed to this post as a means of helping you make the most informed decision possible about your interest in starting an Export and/or Import business.
Quite frankly, if you will not spend hours and maybe days reading through the posts in this blog, especially ALL of the Questions and Answer posts, you really are not ready to be in business for yourself, especially international trade.
And, if bluntness offends you, you should leave now.
Over the past 4 1/2 years most or at least many of the questions I have received by email or by phone over the past 22 years in this business. My answers to those questions are posted here because it became apparent that many (or most) of these questions were the same, only from different people.
In recent months some changes have come about in our business, website and my health. Assessing these changes, I have decided to put more emphasis on the RETIRED side of the term I normally use of "SEMI-RETIRED" when describing my level of doing business.
In doing so, I also decided that if a person called or emailed questions that I would first refer them to this blog to read everything that has been posted here since most of those questions were answered in the archived posts.
Then if they are unable to find the answer to their specific question, they may come back and ask it, BUT TOO BE VERY BLUNT here, I do not intend to provide you a summary of the import or export course by phone or email when details of the course have been outlined "very" extensively on our web pages.
Also, I am NOT here to provide free coaching, mentoring or consulting - that is why we offer the course and the main courses have a ONE YEAR EMAIL consulting services for any questions that may not be answered within the course.
Before writing this post I tried to think of an analogy for the reason most people never succeed in "any" type of business and I think one came to me.
Let's say you decided to build an addition onto your house and you purchased all of the necessary plans, materials and tools to do so.
If all those plans, materials and tools are still sitting there or the addition is only 1/2 finished after one year, are the plans, tools or materials the reason it was not finished? OR, heaven forbid, would the fault be with the fact the person who had every intention of finishing this addition in 3 months, then 6 months, then 9 and 12, simply was not motivated enough to start or finish it?
If you follow my advice and read the posts within this blog, you may do so by using the links to the archives that are located on the right sidebar area linked to by Month and Year.
Ultimately, if you decide to get the international trade course offered on our website or do not, you will hopefully benefit from the REAL WORLD experience I have put into my answers to the many questions received over the past 22 years.
I will continue to post on this blog as there are still more questions and answers in my files, but again, I am entering a more RETIRED mode of my semi-retired mode of operation.
Thank you for taking the time to read this post and I hope you will find the rest of the blog helpful.
UPDATE (24 October 2010): I realized that the Month/Year Arhive links were not showing up on this page, so just go to the MAIN page of the blog either by clicking here --> http://importexportbusiness.blogspot.com or by clicking on the header title of Import Export Business at the top of the page - the Arhived Posts are then found on the right side by Month and Year.
Regards,
Ron Coble
Owner - Coble International Marketing Services
http://www.importexporthelp.com
You have been directed to this post as a means of helping you make the most informed decision possible about your interest in starting an Export and/or Import business.
Quite frankly, if you will not spend hours and maybe days reading through the posts in this blog, especially ALL of the Questions and Answer posts, you really are not ready to be in business for yourself, especially international trade.
And, if bluntness offends you, you should leave now.
Over the past 4 1/2 years most or at least many of the questions I have received by email or by phone over the past 22 years in this business. My answers to those questions are posted here because it became apparent that many (or most) of these questions were the same, only from different people.
In recent months some changes have come about in our business, website and my health. Assessing these changes, I have decided to put more emphasis on the RETIRED side of the term I normally use of "SEMI-RETIRED" when describing my level of doing business.
In doing so, I also decided that if a person called or emailed questions that I would first refer them to this blog to read everything that has been posted here since most of those questions were answered in the archived posts.
Then if they are unable to find the answer to their specific question, they may come back and ask it, BUT TOO BE VERY BLUNT here, I do not intend to provide you a summary of the import or export course by phone or email when details of the course have been outlined "very" extensively on our web pages.
Also, I am NOT here to provide free coaching, mentoring or consulting - that is why we offer the course and the main courses have a ONE YEAR EMAIL consulting services for any questions that may not be answered within the course.
Before writing this post I tried to think of an analogy for the reason most people never succeed in "any" type of business and I think one came to me.
Let's say you decided to build an addition onto your house and you purchased all of the necessary plans, materials and tools to do so.
If all those plans, materials and tools are still sitting there or the addition is only 1/2 finished after one year, are the plans, tools or materials the reason it was not finished? OR, heaven forbid, would the fault be with the fact the person who had every intention of finishing this addition in 3 months, then 6 months, then 9 and 12, simply was not motivated enough to start or finish it?
If you follow my advice and read the posts within this blog, you may do so by using the links to the archives that are located on the right sidebar area linked to by Month and Year.
Ultimately, if you decide to get the international trade course offered on our website or do not, you will hopefully benefit from the REAL WORLD experience I have put into my answers to the many questions received over the past 22 years.
I will continue to post on this blog as there are still more questions and answers in my files, but again, I am entering a more RETIRED mode of my semi-retired mode of operation.
Thank you for taking the time to read this post and I hope you will find the rest of the blog helpful.
UPDATE (24 October 2010): I realized that the Month/Year Arhive links were not showing up on this page, so just go to the MAIN page of the blog either by clicking here --> http://importexportbusiness.blogspot.com or by clicking on the header title of Import Export Business at the top of the page - the Arhived Posts are then found on the right side by Month and Year.
Regards,
Ron Coble
Owner - Coble International Marketing Services
http://www.importexporthelp.com
Another Import Export Business Question And Answer
QUESTION:
Hello Ron,
Thanks for the speedy response. I was referring to both actually.
I am seriously considering ordering the "Export Master Package". I am more interested in brokering the deal between buyer and seller. However, my major concern was would I be able to do it from Japan ( I will be leaving in a month). Are there any special obstacle I should be concerned with, like telephone bills, foreign address(Japan), bank accounts? Thanks in advance.
Regards,
Marty
ANSWER:
Marty,
I am of the belief that if you really want to do something in life, you will find a way of getting around the perceived obstacles.
There may be better answers out there than I have for your questions and I do not
know what your situation is, are you in the military, do you still have relatives here in the states.
Basically, for foreign phone you can get a vonage or skype account. In my bonus
materials I reveal a service that I use for my fax messages that only costs $24.95
a year after the first year of $34.95 (a 10 set up fee). Faxes come in, are translated to a PDF document and are emailed to me, I can view on screen, if needed, I can print out, if not, I can file or delete - no waste of paper or $450 a year phone line.
Foreign address - if you have a relative willing to handle your mail and forward
what is necessary (mail is used so little now) with the internet and email and fax.
Bank accounts, if you are a US citizen, I doubt you are giving up your citizenship??
Open of two bank accounts for your business before you leave, look for NO Fee
accounts - have one as your main business account with checking and the other
a small or no balance required checking account for receiving wire transfers.
Where there is a WILL there is a WAY.
I would suggest ordering the exporter master package asap as it will take 3-5 days
to ship to you - our publisher is shut down until Monday, 15 June, will begin shipping again on Tuesday 16 June - they only ship on Tuesdays and Fridays - if you wait until you are in Japan, there is an additional $25 fee for shipping.
Hope the above has answered your questions and dispelled some of the
perceived obstacles.
Irregardless of what you decide, I wish you the best.
Kindest regards,
Ron Coble
Coble International - International Marketing Services
http://www.ImportExportHelp.com
Phone: 717-292-5763
Hello Ron,
Thanks for the speedy response. I was referring to both actually.
I am seriously considering ordering the "Export Master Package". I am more interested in brokering the deal between buyer and seller. However, my major concern was would I be able to do it from Japan ( I will be leaving in a month). Are there any special obstacle I should be concerned with, like telephone bills, foreign address(Japan), bank accounts? Thanks in advance.
Regards,
Marty
ANSWER:
Marty,
I am of the belief that if you really want to do something in life, you will find a way of getting around the perceived obstacles.
There may be better answers out there than I have for your questions and I do not
know what your situation is, are you in the military, do you still have relatives here in the states.
Basically, for foreign phone you can get a vonage or skype account. In my bonus
materials I reveal a service that I use for my fax messages that only costs $24.95
a year after the first year of $34.95 (a 10 set up fee). Faxes come in, are translated to a PDF document and are emailed to me, I can view on screen, if needed, I can print out, if not, I can file or delete - no waste of paper or $450 a year phone line.
Foreign address - if you have a relative willing to handle your mail and forward
what is necessary (mail is used so little now) with the internet and email and fax.
Bank accounts, if you are a US citizen, I doubt you are giving up your citizenship??
Open of two bank accounts for your business before you leave, look for NO Fee
accounts - have one as your main business account with checking and the other
a small or no balance required checking account for receiving wire transfers.
Where there is a WILL there is a WAY.
I would suggest ordering the exporter master package asap as it will take 3-5 days
to ship to you - our publisher is shut down until Monday, 15 June, will begin shipping again on Tuesday 16 June - they only ship on Tuesdays and Fridays - if you wait until you are in Japan, there is an additional $25 fee for shipping.
Hope the above has answered your questions and dispelled some of the
perceived obstacles.
Irregardless of what you decide, I wish you the best.
Kindest regards,
Ron Coble
Coble International - International Marketing Services
http://www.ImportExportHelp.com
Phone: 717-292-5763
Import Export Courses Now Available Via Online Delivery
We will soon have the information and new LOWER PRICES and
FASTER DELIVERY info posted to their respective web pages, but for now,
we are posting the announcement of the NEW ONLINE DELIVERY of the
Import and Export business courses here in our blog.
Basically, all the course files that were placed on CD roms, packaged in a fancy
looking box and then shipped sometimes taking 2-3 weeks due to the customs
clearance delays in your country are now being made available online via a
password accessible dedicated member website.
You will need a broadband connection to download the files, so please
keep that in mind as you make a decision.
Now, in addition to the much faster delivery, the prices will be changed shortly to
reflect the basic shipping costs being taken off the price.
Here is the link to the combined Import Export Toolkit course (components are
outlined on the web page) -
http://www.importexporthelp.com/trdspx1.htm
*** Note the stated price is $424 and $25 would have been added for overseas shipment - NOW (and this may change to a higher price) you can get ALL the
materials via direct member site download for only $409.00US.
If you were only interested in either the exporting or importing courses, here are their direct links and new online delivery prices:
Importing Course - Price on page is $160 and $25 would have been required to
ship - new online delivery price is only $154 -
http://www.importexporthelp.com/trdspi1.htm
Last, just the Exporting Course - Price stated on webpage is $316 plus $25 to
ship overseas - NOW online delivery price is only $301.00 -
http://www.importexporthelp.com/trdspm1.htm
Now even if you are in India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, United Kingdom, Australia or
wherever you are in the world, you do not need to be held hostage to the mercies
of your customs bureau for delivering your course. Within 1 Business Day of
placing your order, you will receive your Password and UserID to use
to get ALL the course materials directly downloaded to your computer.
Ron Coble
Coble International - International Marketing Services
FASTER DELIVERY info posted to their respective web pages, but for now,
we are posting the announcement of the NEW ONLINE DELIVERY of the
Import and Export business courses here in our blog.
Basically, all the course files that were placed on CD roms, packaged in a fancy
looking box and then shipped sometimes taking 2-3 weeks due to the customs
clearance delays in your country are now being made available online via a
password accessible dedicated member website.
You will need a broadband connection to download the files, so please
keep that in mind as you make a decision.
Now, in addition to the much faster delivery, the prices will be changed shortly to
reflect the basic shipping costs being taken off the price.
Here is the link to the combined Import Export Toolkit course (components are
outlined on the web page) -
http://www.importexporthelp.com/trdspx1.htm
*** Note the stated price is $424 and $25 would have been added for overseas shipment - NOW (and this may change to a higher price) you can get ALL the
materials via direct member site download for only $409.00US.
If you were only interested in either the exporting or importing courses, here are their direct links and new online delivery prices:
Importing Course - Price on page is $160 and $25 would have been required to
ship - new online delivery price is only $154 -
http://www.importexporthelp.com/trdspi1.htm
Last, just the Exporting Course - Price stated on webpage is $316 plus $25 to
ship overseas - NOW online delivery price is only $301.00 -
http://www.importexporthelp.com/trdspm1.htm
Now even if you are in India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, United Kingdom, Australia or
wherever you are in the world, you do not need to be held hostage to the mercies
of your customs bureau for delivering your course. Within 1 Business Day of
placing your order, you will receive your Password and UserID to use
to get ALL the course materials directly downloaded to your computer.
Ron Coble
Coble International - International Marketing Services
Motivation To Succeed In The Import Export Business
Most of this post is attributed to my old business friend and associate,
Jim Straw, who has over 50 years of success in various businesses and
is considered one of the top marketing gurus who continues to operate
his business while well into his 80's.
This came to me as part of an email and I thought it appropriate to
post here since motivation or "coaching" is a key factor in the decision
of which Import Export Business training course people select.
Jim's post begins here.....
Here lately, I've been reading a lot about *How to Motivate Your Sales
Team* in the multitude of ezines I receive.
As always, the ideas ranged from the ridiculous to the sublime.
To be quite frank with you, I have never tried to "motivate" any of
my sales people (dealers, associates, affiliates, whatever). I always figured
that those individuals who were "real" would take the bull by the horns
and make the sales to make the money, because ...
In the words of Andrew Carnegie:
"There is no use whatever trying to help people who do not
help themselves. You cannot push anyone up a ladder unless
he be willing to climb himself."
Beyond that, as Frank Tibolt said:
"We should be taught not to wait for inspiration to start a
thing. Action always generates inspiration. Inspiration seldom
generates action."
Rather than wasting my time trying to "motivate" people, I have always
spent my time supporting the efforts of those who were doing something.
So ... please don't wait for me to start
"motivating" you. -- It won't happen. -- But ...
As always, I am here to answer any questions.
Don't be bashful. -- Anytime you have any kind of question, just ASK!
I may not tell you what you want to hear ... like the b.s. artists do
... but, I will tell you the facts of the matter as I know them to be from
my over 50 years hands-on experience in the business community. -- That's
what I'm here for. -- Your success is just as important to me as it is
to you because, when YOU succeed, I succeed, too.
Feel free to pick my brain.
And, remember what Charles Steinmetz said:
"No man really becomes a fool until he stops asking questions."
I ain't from the government, but I am here to help you.
.....end of Jim Straw's email.
My (Ron Coble's) further comments.......
Although our Importing course and Exporting course and the combo
Import Export Toolkit course offer email consulting for ONE FULL YEAR
that allows you to ask any question you want in that time, many people
opt to pay THOUSANDS of dollars more for the promise of being able
to TALK to someone by phone.
Whether it is an inherent need to have someone "coaching" them or
"motivating" them, they are spending thousands of dollars and untold
hours of precious time on a promise that I have yet to have anyone
tell me helps them reach ANY success in this business.
As Jim mentions in his email text above, the Email consulting that is
offered with our courses will provide you with answers....although they
may not be the answers you are seeking.
For instance, if you submit a question that we know is covered in the
body of the course, then you will receive an answer referencing that
portion so "YOU" may read that section and learn and make your
own decisions accordingly.
Other answers you may not like are when you are so enthusiastic about
a deal offered to you but the answer comes back to stay away from it.
We are not deal killers but if you ask about something that we have
prior knowledge of, that is the answer you will get, we are not going to
tailor our answers to meet your hoped for expectations. Reality is
what it is and sometimes it sucks!
Additionally, you cannot expect someone else to learn ALL the aspects
of a particular deal you are trying to put together so much so that you
are really seeking a confirmation of your decision to move forward or
not. There is NO profit incentive for us to get involved in your deals and
quite frankly we have NO interest in becoming silent partners with
everyone who purchases our "HOW TO" course.
I covered this in a previous post about making "DECISIONS". Making
decisions is what separates the successes from the failures and having
some minimum wage or commission paid rep on the other end of the
phone giving their totally unqualified "OPINION" is a sure recipe for
FAILURE.
It was interesting that I received Jim Straw's email today because I had
been thinking about how MOST people are simply not cut out to get
involved in international trade. They view the business as a "get rich
quick" scheme or "how do I make money" opportunity and it simply is
not suited for that type of mentality, although most purveyors of import
export training would have you believe otherwise.
Hope this post will enlighten those who really have an interest in getting
started in the Import and/or Export business and also help save those
who are in need of constant motivation or who are looking at import
export as a "money making opportunity" from spending their hard earned
money on some useless program that promises to hold their hand while
skipping down the yellow brick road to riches.
Jim Straw, who has over 50 years of success in various businesses and
is considered one of the top marketing gurus who continues to operate
his business while well into his 80's.
This came to me as part of an email and I thought it appropriate to
post here since motivation or "coaching" is a key factor in the decision
of which Import Export Business training course people select.
Jim's post begins here.....
Here lately, I've been reading a lot about *How to Motivate Your Sales
Team* in the multitude of ezines I receive.
As always, the ideas ranged from the ridiculous to the sublime.
To be quite frank with you, I have never tried to "motivate" any of
my sales people (dealers, associates, affiliates, whatever). I always figured
that those individuals who were "real" would take the bull by the horns
and make the sales to make the money, because ...
In the words of Andrew Carnegie:
"There is no use whatever trying to help people who do not
help themselves. You cannot push anyone up a ladder unless
he be willing to climb himself."
Beyond that, as Frank Tibolt said:
"We should be taught not to wait for inspiration to start a
thing. Action always generates inspiration. Inspiration seldom
generates action."
Rather than wasting my time trying to "motivate" people, I have always
spent my time supporting the efforts of those who were doing something.
So ... please don't wait for me to start
"motivating" you. -- It won't happen. -- But ...
As always, I am here to answer any questions.
Don't be bashful. -- Anytime you have any kind of question, just ASK!
I may not tell you what you want to hear ... like the b.s. artists do
... but, I will tell you the facts of the matter as I know them to be from
my over 50 years hands-on experience in the business community. -- That's
what I'm here for. -- Your success is just as important to me as it is
to you because, when YOU succeed, I succeed, too.
Feel free to pick my brain.
And, remember what Charles Steinmetz said:
"No man really becomes a fool until he stops asking questions."
I ain't from the government, but I am here to help you.
.....end of Jim Straw's email.
My (Ron Coble's) further comments.......
Although our Importing course and Exporting course and the combo
Import Export Toolkit course offer email consulting for ONE FULL YEAR
that allows you to ask any question you want in that time, many people
opt to pay THOUSANDS of dollars more for the promise of being able
to TALK to someone by phone.
Whether it is an inherent need to have someone "coaching" them or
"motivating" them, they are spending thousands of dollars and untold
hours of precious time on a promise that I have yet to have anyone
tell me helps them reach ANY success in this business.
As Jim mentions in his email text above, the Email consulting that is
offered with our courses will provide you with answers....although they
may not be the answers you are seeking.
For instance, if you submit a question that we know is covered in the
body of the course, then you will receive an answer referencing that
portion so "YOU" may read that section and learn and make your
own decisions accordingly.
Other answers you may not like are when you are so enthusiastic about
a deal offered to you but the answer comes back to stay away from it.
We are not deal killers but if you ask about something that we have
prior knowledge of, that is the answer you will get, we are not going to
tailor our answers to meet your hoped for expectations. Reality is
what it is and sometimes it sucks!
Additionally, you cannot expect someone else to learn ALL the aspects
of a particular deal you are trying to put together so much so that you
are really seeking a confirmation of your decision to move forward or
not. There is NO profit incentive for us to get involved in your deals and
quite frankly we have NO interest in becoming silent partners with
everyone who purchases our "HOW TO" course.
I covered this in a previous post about making "DECISIONS". Making
decisions is what separates the successes from the failures and having
some minimum wage or commission paid rep on the other end of the
phone giving their totally unqualified "OPINION" is a sure recipe for
FAILURE.
It was interesting that I received Jim Straw's email today because I had
been thinking about how MOST people are simply not cut out to get
involved in international trade. They view the business as a "get rich
quick" scheme or "how do I make money" opportunity and it simply is
not suited for that type of mentality, although most purveyors of import
export training would have you believe otherwise.
Hope this post will enlighten those who really have an interest in getting
started in the Import and/or Export business and also help save those
who are in need of constant motivation or who are looking at import
export as a "money making opportunity" from spending their hard earned
money on some useless program that promises to hold their hand while
skipping down the yellow brick road to riches.
New Import Export Business Question And Answer
Question: I'm aware that no specific qualificatons are required for an importing/exporting business, but wont certain companies that i maybe want to buy products from request for some kind of reference number or regestration number?
Answer: Based on the phone number you provided, I know you are not resident to
the USA.
There are so many different governmental organizations in the world that
NO ONE source can give you an answer for all of them. YOU will have to
research this in your country to find out if it is required.
In the USA, "some" manufacturers may request your sales tax ID number,
but here again, not all 50 states have a sales tax (yet). I keep hearing from
a Canadian business we deal with about them being a "numbered" corporation.
Some day, when I have time to be curious, I will ask them about it, but
quite frankly as long as they keep sending us our commission checks, I
really do not care, except out of curiosity.
Each country, province, state, county district may have their own requirements,
you have to do that type of research yourself as that is all part of going into
this business or any business.
Kindest regards,
Ron Coble
Coble International - International Marketing Services
http://www.ImportExportHelp.com
Answer: Based on the phone number you provided, I know you are not resident to
the USA.
There are so many different governmental organizations in the world that
NO ONE source can give you an answer for all of them. YOU will have to
research this in your country to find out if it is required.
In the USA, "some" manufacturers may request your sales tax ID number,
but here again, not all 50 states have a sales tax (yet). I keep hearing from
a Canadian business we deal with about them being a "numbered" corporation.
Some day, when I have time to be curious, I will ask them about it, but
quite frankly as long as they keep sending us our commission checks, I
really do not care, except out of curiosity.
Each country, province, state, county district may have their own requirements,
you have to do that type of research yourself as that is all part of going into
this business or any business.
Kindest regards,
Ron Coble
Coble International - International Marketing Services
http://www.ImportExportHelp.com
Import Export Business - 2010 New Year Message
Happy New Year!
For those of you who follow this blog, you probably have noted quite a time lapse since my last post. My Father passed away during this lapse and I simply have not been in the right state of mind to make any new posts, nor have I had the time.
As we begin a new calendar year and with the passing of my father, I have become somewhat reflective on my life and business. As we move through this year, I hope that my efforts here on this blog will be seen by all who visit as my little way of helping those who wish to enter or expand their interests in international trade to do so.
The import export business is not a get rich quick scheme - there is NO such thing. Importing and/or exporting are real businesses that require REAL knowledge, REAL work (more mental than physical, but still WORK) and a REAL TIME commitment.
The unfortunate fact for many people who look at the import export business as a get rich scheme is that it ends up having the exact opposite effect. Instead of helping you 'get rich' it ends up costing you a lot wasted time and in many instances a LOT of money only to find out you really have not gained the knowledge you need to succeed and that it is a business that requires a real time commitment which you have now wasted.
Over the years (now almost 22) that I have worked in the international trade business and provided import export business resources and training materials, I have been contacted by hundreds, if not thousands, of people who had they not believed the "HYPE" and performed a little "DUE DILIGENCE" on the individuals or businesses with whom they entrusted their hard earned money, they would still have their money and not feel they had been scammed or ripped off.
The SAD fact is, most people tend to fall victim to the HYPE of believing that by simply throwing enough money into a hyped up so-called training program (sometimes thousands of dollars), that it has to be good, right, or how else could they get away with charging so much? Or, they get entrapped into believing that because someone has a few pictures posted on their web site shaking hands with high ranking government officials (easy to get if you give enough campaign contributions!) or using religion to promote themselves as being trustworthy, then they must really be going to help you succeed.
Worst yet, I feel especially sorry for those good people who spend $8000 or more on so-called training programs that promise to have "coaches" available to help hold your hand as you skip down the yellow brick road to the promised riches.
These "so-called coaches" are nothing more than minimum wage employees or people who sign on to work from their home who know "absolutely NOTHING" about international trade other than what they are reading to you from the same printed materials that you have been provided as part of their program.
Our business could be offering ANY of the types of training programs described above and quite frankly we would be earning a lot more than the self-study courses we currently provide, however, I like to sleep at night and simply cannot bring myself to allow anyone to purchase something I do not believe in.
In the past few years, I have spoken with at least 6 or more people who had spent their hard earned $8,000 or more on some of these so-called training programs and simply DID NOT GET WHAT THEY PAID THIER MONEY FOR.
As a means of countering some of the scams and hype that are out there and "HOPEFULLY" helping people make a more INFORMED DECISION about their prospects in international trade I have attempted, over the past 4 years, to post as much free information on this blog as time allows.
A vast majority of the posts on this blog are "ACTUAL" questions I have received over the past 22 years of working in this business and my answers to those questions.
I try not to sugar-coat anything because NO COURSE, NO TRAINING PROGAM, NOR ANY COACH can guarantee you success in this or any business. And, quite frankly, I hope this post and the other FREE information in this blog would help steer you away from this business altogether if you were considering wasting your time and hard-earned money on one of the training programs described above.
After talking with thousands of people over the past 22 years, one of the conclusions I have reached is that most people are not ready to be business owners. Most people are trained from the time they are children to follow some leader, whether a teacher, coach, professor or BOSS who will make the decisions for them and tell them what to do so they receive a paycheck at the allotted time.
Making decisions, once YOU have learned how the processes work, is the real KEY to your success. NO ONE ELSE BUT YOU will have as much vested (i.e., profit) interest in whatever it is you are trying to decide about YOUR BUSINESS other than YOU!
Even though our training course is the best one I have found in my 22 years, neither it, nor we, can guarantee your success. There are simply TOO MANY VARIABLES including but not limited to:
For those of you who follow this blog, you probably have noted quite a time lapse since my last post. My Father passed away during this lapse and I simply have not been in the right state of mind to make any new posts, nor have I had the time.
As we begin a new calendar year and with the passing of my father, I have become somewhat reflective on my life and business. As we move through this year, I hope that my efforts here on this blog will be seen by all who visit as my little way of helping those who wish to enter or expand their interests in international trade to do so.
The import export business is not a get rich quick scheme - there is NO such thing. Importing and/or exporting are real businesses that require REAL knowledge, REAL work (more mental than physical, but still WORK) and a REAL TIME commitment.
The unfortunate fact for many people who look at the import export business as a get rich scheme is that it ends up having the exact opposite effect. Instead of helping you 'get rich' it ends up costing you a lot wasted time and in many instances a LOT of money only to find out you really have not gained the knowledge you need to succeed and that it is a business that requires a real time commitment which you have now wasted.
Over the years (now almost 22) that I have worked in the international trade business and provided import export business resources and training materials, I have been contacted by hundreds, if not thousands, of people who had they not believed the "HYPE" and performed a little "DUE DILIGENCE" on the individuals or businesses with whom they entrusted their hard earned money, they would still have their money and not feel they had been scammed or ripped off.
The SAD fact is, most people tend to fall victim to the HYPE of believing that by simply throwing enough money into a hyped up so-called training program (sometimes thousands of dollars), that it has to be good, right, or how else could they get away with charging so much? Or, they get entrapped into believing that because someone has a few pictures posted on their web site shaking hands with high ranking government officials (easy to get if you give enough campaign contributions!) or using religion to promote themselves as being trustworthy, then they must really be going to help you succeed.
Worst yet, I feel especially sorry for those good people who spend $8000 or more on so-called training programs that promise to have "coaches" available to help hold your hand as you skip down the yellow brick road to the promised riches.
These "so-called coaches" are nothing more than minimum wage employees or people who sign on to work from their home who know "absolutely NOTHING" about international trade other than what they are reading to you from the same printed materials that you have been provided as part of their program.
Our business could be offering ANY of the types of training programs described above and quite frankly we would be earning a lot more than the self-study courses we currently provide, however, I like to sleep at night and simply cannot bring myself to allow anyone to purchase something I do not believe in.
In the past few years, I have spoken with at least 6 or more people who had spent their hard earned $8,000 or more on some of these so-called training programs and simply DID NOT GET WHAT THEY PAID THIER MONEY FOR.
I am semi-retired now and I had to tell her that I simply did not have time to offer this type of one-on-one support and informed her, quite frankly, that if she had read our blog and taken our course she would have either been successful by now or at least she would still have $8,000 of her $8,500 she spent learning this business was simply not her cup of tea.One lady I especially recall offered to pay me a consulting fee to help her. After learning that she had paid the $8K plus to the other company, I asked her why she did not push them to get the support they advertised or get her money back. She told me that she had tried, multiple times, but she was unable to get either the support or her money back.
As a means of countering some of the scams and hype that are out there and "HOPEFULLY" helping people make a more INFORMED DECISION about their prospects in international trade I have attempted, over the past 4 years, to post as much free information on this blog as time allows.
A vast majority of the posts on this blog are "ACTUAL" questions I have received over the past 22 years of working in this business and my answers to those questions.
I try not to sugar-coat anything because NO COURSE, NO TRAINING PROGAM, NOR ANY COACH can guarantee you success in this or any business. And, quite frankly, I hope this post and the other FREE information in this blog would help steer you away from this business altogether if you were considering wasting your time and hard-earned money on one of the training programs described above.
After talking with thousands of people over the past 22 years, one of the conclusions I have reached is that most people are not ready to be business owners. Most people are trained from the time they are children to follow some leader, whether a teacher, coach, professor or BOSS who will make the decisions for them and tell them what to do so they receive a paycheck at the allotted time.
Making decisions, once YOU have learned how the processes work, is the real KEY to your success. NO ONE ELSE BUT YOU will have as much vested (i.e., profit) interest in whatever it is you are trying to decide about YOUR BUSINESS other than YOU!
If you have been provided with the RIGHT training, YOU will know who the subject matter experts are that you may need to talk with from the government or private business organization. EACH DEAL is going to be different, NO COACH or ME for that matter is a subject matter expert in ALL types of products that YOU may decide to export or import.
PLEASE read the above paragraph two or three times so you fully understand what has been stated!
Personally, I wish EVERYONE who purchases one of our International Business courses would succeed in the business to whatever level you desire and to which your abilities will take you, however, the TRUTH of the matter is, the VAST majority of people will not succeed.Even though our training course is the best one I have found in my 22 years, neither it, nor we, can guarantee your success. There are simply TOO MANY VARIABLES including but not limited to:
- How well you can communicate by phone or written correspondence (can I understand you over the phone or can you compose a professional letter, fax or email)?
- How much time you have to devote to learning the business processes?
- How much time do you have available to working your business?
- How much patience you have in seeing your business through until you have your first success?
- How good are you at making REAL LIFE DECISIONS?
- What products will you choose to export or import (there are 10's of thousands and each may or may not have a viable market)?
With the above VARIABLES AND TRUTHS in mind, it HOPEFULLY is becoming quite evident to you that throwing thousands of dollars at a "coaching" program or following the lead of someone who carries their religion on their cuff as a means of separating you from your hard earned money, simply WILL NOT guarantee you success.
The SIMPLE TRUTH of the matter is, there are NO guarantees with this business or any business for your success, but by having a "SOLID" foundation of knowledge of how the business processes work and must be handled, you have a much better chance for success.
About 17 years ago I hitched our wagon (as we say here in central Pennsylvania) to ONE publisher of import export business courses because after reviewing just about everything else out there, and wasting a LOT OF VALUABLE TIME AND MONEY (sound familiar?) their courses were the BEST and MOST COMPLETE training.
In those subsequent years I have both purchased or received free review copies of competing training programs because they would like to get access to the 53,000+ visitors who visit our web site each month.
In 17+ years we have NOT found any other courses that provide as much VITAL international business information that you need to succeed in this business - period!
The VERY BEST method of getting this vital information into someone's hands has been a combination of printed books and CD roms up until about 2 years ago when our publisher took our advice and digitized everything and placed it onto CD Roms which both helped save paper and shipping costs and allowed you to carry your course with you, even when traveling.
The course materials we have chosen to offer for the past 17+ years provide you with the MOST COMPREHENSIVE and EASY to UNDERSTAND that I have found in 22 years in this business.
These course materials are not only TRAINING they are also a REFERENCE LIBRARY that you may access 24/7 on your computer. And, because the course instructions are updated about every two years, most of the questions that were asked via the ONE YEAR EMAIL CONSULTING SERVICE part of the program have been incorporated into those updates resulting and fewer after purchase questions after each update.
This is probably one of the longest posts in the Import Export business blog and I am taking the time to "TRY" to address MOST of the questions people have when they are considering entry into this business. By posting I hope to be able to refer you here and you will be able to FIND the ANSWERS to the MOST commonly asked questions.
Here are some more questions that most people ask when they call about getting started in International Trade are:
Question: How much money can I make?
Answer: Quite frankly, and quite HONESTLY, I do not know.
There are thousands of international trade businesses in this world and tens of thousands in the world - ALL are dealing with different products, many with multiple products and ALL with different levels of expertise, different levels of self-confidence, different levels of communication skills, so how can I, or anyone, give you and estimate as to how much money can be made?
A realistic and truthful answer is, you can make as little as NOTHING or as much as YOU are able to make by applying the knowledge you gain in combination with the abilities you bring to the table, the products YOU select to work with and ALL the variables that go into each and every business that operates on the face of the Earth.
Question: Can I call you to ask questions?
Answer: NO, there is an EMAIL CONSULTING SERVICE included with our courses that allows you to email a question that is not answered in the course materials to our publisher AND you can also CC (carbon copy) us a copy of your email question. Then, when our publisher replies, we will review their answer and if there is ANYTHING that I personally can ADD to their reply, I will be happy to do so.
But, let me elaborate because this is one of the BIGGEST downfalls of people who try to enter this business.
Many people believe, if they pay enough money or are promised a caring, fellow religious person is on the other end of the telephone, that their 'personal coach' possesses some VAST KNOWLEDGE of the International Trade business that spans every type of product and every type of situation that might occur and that faceless person cares enough about "YOUR" business decision to give you the right and definitive answer you need to proceed.
The fallacy of the "coaching staff person" with other training programs is your belief that the coach you are able to talk with on any given day (rotating work from home or minimum wage staffers) have the answer to your individual question.
A question, that if the training materials been updated constantly, should have been covered in the training materials in the first place or should have instructed you where you can get a "REAL" SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT answer and not waste your VALUABLE TIME giving you their 'UNEXPERIENCED" rendition of answer gathered from the same training guide they have provided you, more often than not.
Do I or our course publisher have all the answers? NO and quite frankly, no one does.
But, if this post has helped you UNDERSTAND the TRUTH about international trade business (not opportunity, BUSINESS) and you decide to NOT buy our course or any import export business course, then I say GOOD because that means you really may not have been ready for this business and it may have also saved you up to $8,000 or more and a lot of wasted time.
If, however, after reading this post, you are still interested in pursuing what you may be able to accomplish in international trade, then I sincerely HOPE this post will have convinced you of the NEED to take little more time to perform DUE DILIGENCE on all course providers, INCLUDING US using the FREE due diligence resources posted on our company page.
The courses described on our website are, in my humble opinion, the BEST resources to help you help yourself to learn this business, like I did.
Getting close to the end of this post, I like to relate how amusing I find it when people call me for answers to questions about getting started. They seek my advice and counsel to answer questions that are covered in our courses. They want the BEST advice from an experienced international business person but when I inform them the answers are covered in the course materials, they are either unsure of their own abilities to read and comprehend them or they really do not value the actual information they called or emailed me in the first place? Puzzling and both amusing at the same time.
This concludes my 2010 New Year's Day post, I hope you have found REAL VALUE in taking a few minutes to read it and in closing, I hope you and your families have a Happy New Year and may it be a prosperous and healthy one!
Import Export Business Answers
Question about Exporting to Jamaica.
message: I have a family member that is living in Jamaica. We are trying to find out the laws of me buying stuff here in the US and shipping them to Jamaica where she can sell out of a store. I just need help finding out if i need a license and if so what type. Are you able to help me with this question? Please let me know.
Answer:
You are asking a question that could have many potential
answers.
Most of the time, there are no licenses required to ship
something from country to country unless it is considered
hazardous like chemicals, weapons, etc..
If you are talking about large, container size shipments, then
you should talk with a freight forwarder to assist you. If you are
talking about boxes that can be shipped via the post office, you
can talk to someone at a reasonably sized post office.
If it is small enough to ship via the post office, it will most likely
be the cheaper way to both ship and get through customs. See
many times there are no restrictions or fees other than shipping
from the country a product ships from but there are fees (customs,
duties, etc) that are due by the buyer upon receipt.
You may also find some information posted at the US Postal web site at www.USPS.com - there is usually a customs form
you have to complete at the Post office showing what is in th e
package and the estimated value (this is how the receiving
country ends up taxing or charging customs).
As an example, we used to sell an automotive product on our
web site and in Canada, they charged about $25 on a $150 valued
item which was about 16 to 17% of the items value.
Fresh food items often require special handling due to bugs,
spoilage, etc..
Hope this will help get you pointed in the right direction.
Ron Coble
International Business Services
message: I have a family member that is living in Jamaica. We are trying to find out the laws of me buying stuff here in the US and shipping them to Jamaica where she can sell out of a store. I just need help finding out if i need a license and if so what type. Are you able to help me with this question? Please let me know.
Answer:
You are asking a question that could have many potential
answers.
Most of the time, there are no licenses required to ship
something from country to country unless it is considered
hazardous like chemicals, weapons, etc..
If you are talking about large, container size shipments, then
you should talk with a freight forwarder to assist you. If you are
talking about boxes that can be shipped via the post office, you
can talk to someone at a reasonably sized post office.
If it is small enough to ship via the post office, it will most likely
be the cheaper way to both ship and get through customs. See
many times there are no restrictions or fees other than shipping
from the country a product ships from but there are fees (customs,
duties, etc) that are due by the buyer upon receipt.
You may also find some information posted at the US Postal web site at www.USPS.com - there is usually a customs form
you have to complete at the Post office showing what is in th e
package and the estimated value (this is how the receiving
country ends up taxing or charging customs).
As an example, we used to sell an automotive product on our
web site and in Canada, they charged about $25 on a $150 valued
item which was about 16 to 17% of the items value.
Fresh food items often require special handling due to bugs,
spoilage, etc..
Hope this will help get you pointed in the right direction.
Ron Coble
International Business Services
International Business Information
Import Export Business Question:
I am interested in the import/export business. I only what to be an agent, at this time. I would like to know if I locate the buyer, where do I get help to close the deal and make a fee for my efforts.
I have been to export/import site's I have a lot of this information from export.gov and us export.gov
This information is helpful but you can have all the information in the world if you don't know the steps to process.. it's no good. I have plenty of contacts; I have done my home work. I was told that the freight and banking information is important and the freight companies part, helps with the paper work.. send me information. I have a lot of the information already, that's where I started!
I am looking for your help to refine the process. as I am more detailed oriented.
What is our first step? etc... I have a list of manufactures etc... I want to do a deal. as an agent 1st then move up the latter. So what ever product I can move as an agent, without the licensing part, (at this time) I'm in. I have a list of buyers also. but we need to know the preliminaries; evaluate opportunities, product , shipping, country, pricing, etc..
Import Export Business Answer:
I understand exactly where you are at - I was there 20 years ago - I
only wish the Import Export Toolkit self study course we offer had
been available then as we make it available now - see details here:
Starting An Import Export Business
The course provides you with the step by step you are seeking - yes,
some of it may be redundant to what you already know, but if you are
seeking step by step, then the toolkit is your best resource.
This person never followed our advice in getting a comprehensive self-study course and about two weeks later emailed us again with the following request:
Follow Up Question:
i have a diamond deal i would like so help on
Our Answer:
Sorry cannot help you on this one except to say, BE VERY CAREFUL.
Most diamond sales are locked up through the big diamond buying companies and
this is very much a closed market just as Oil, Urea, Sugar, Precious Metals, etc..
These type of deals are generally foisted on those who have little or no knowledge of
the import export business but who have a lot of interest in getting rich quickly and easily - sorry, there just is no such thing in this industry or any for that fact.
FOLLOW UP COMMENTS:
The above exchanges illustrate what I call "Blinded By The Hype". This person does not view the import export business as a business, but views it as his lottery ticket where he can make a quick score and sit back drinking margaritas on a beach somewhere for the rest of his life.
Literally, he would be better off buying lottery tickets because he is not serious about going into business and at least when he buys a lottery ticket, he really does have a chance of winning something as opposed to losing everything he owns and maybe more if he follows the yellow brick hype path that he apparently is doing.
Comments, criticisms, suggestions are always welcomed!
Ron Coble
Coble International Marketing Services
http://www.importexporthelp.com/
I am interested in the import/export business. I only what to be an agent, at this time. I would like to know if I locate the buyer, where do I get help to close the deal and make a fee for my efforts.
I have been to export/import site's I have a lot of this information from export.gov and us export.gov
This information is helpful but you can have all the information in the world if you don't know the steps to process.. it's no good. I have plenty of contacts; I have done my home work. I was told that the freight and banking information is important and the freight companies part, helps with the paper work.. send me information. I have a lot of the information already, that's where I started!
I am looking for your help to refine the process. as I am more detailed oriented.
What is our first step? etc... I have a list of manufactures etc... I want to do a deal. as an agent 1st then move up the latter. So what ever product I can move as an agent, without the licensing part, (at this time) I'm in. I have a list of buyers also. but we need to know the preliminaries; evaluate opportunities, product , shipping, country, pricing, etc..
Import Export Business Answer:
I understand exactly where you are at - I was there 20 years ago - I
only wish the Import Export Toolkit self study course we offer had
been available then as we make it available now - see details here:
Starting An Import Export Business
The course provides you with the step by step you are seeking - yes,
some of it may be redundant to what you already know, but if you are
seeking step by step, then the toolkit is your best resource.
This person never followed our advice in getting a comprehensive self-study course and about two weeks later emailed us again with the following request:
Follow Up Question:
i have a diamond deal i would like so help on
Our Answer:
Sorry cannot help you on this one except to say, BE VERY CAREFUL.
Most diamond sales are locked up through the big diamond buying companies and
this is very much a closed market just as Oil, Urea, Sugar, Precious Metals, etc..
These type of deals are generally foisted on those who have little or no knowledge of
the import export business but who have a lot of interest in getting rich quickly and easily - sorry, there just is no such thing in this industry or any for that fact.
FOLLOW UP COMMENTS:
The above exchanges illustrate what I call "Blinded By The Hype". This person does not view the import export business as a business, but views it as his lottery ticket where he can make a quick score and sit back drinking margaritas on a beach somewhere for the rest of his life.
Literally, he would be better off buying lottery tickets because he is not serious about going into business and at least when he buys a lottery ticket, he really does have a chance of winning something as opposed to losing everything he owns and maybe more if he follows the yellow brick hype path that he apparently is doing.
Comments, criticisms, suggestions are always welcomed!
Ron Coble
Coble International Marketing Services
http://www.importexporthelp.com/
100th Post - Import Export Business - Is It Really For You?
Why an international trade business offers import export training courses?
This is the 100th post to this blog - I am baring my soul (so to speak) as to why an international business offers import export training courses - I hope this post will help you make the final decision as to whether import export is for you or isn't and why it is important to make INFORMED decisions, both before, during and after starting your business.
In the learning phase of my own business in the late 1980's, I did not have the HUGE advantage that the Internet offers you. I had to make innumerable visits to the library which was about a 20 mile round trip.
I spent hundreds of hours there researching, reading, copying. I spent hundreds of dollars on training materials that were extremely outdated (that was the 80's and the materials were written in the 60's and 70's). I wasted thousands of dollars on postage sending inquiries to trade leads that were so outdated it was almost enough to make you want to quit.
I visited with international bankers, department of commerce personnel, actual live importers and exporters to gather as much information as I possibly could.
Because of all the expenses of trying to learn this business piece meal, an idea came upon me one day that some people might be interested enough to pay for reports that compiled all this research into a current newsletter and thus the information part of my business was born.
The newsletter drew the attention of a publisher in Washington DC (at the time) who published a newspaper filled with trade leads each month. I agreed to sell his newspaper along with our newsletter after I tested the leads.
The first lead was for Organic Fruit Juice. Although the lead was about 2 months old I called the buyer and he advised me that only one other person had contacted him. He was definitely still interested and asked for quotes.
Off to the library, I researched and found 6 companies that produced it. I contacted 5 and was rejected - they were not interested. The sixth and last was. I had to pay a local machine shop a dollar a page to send and receive each page of a fax (this was 1988 remember).
I faxed an agreement to the producer after we agreed to terms by phone, they signed and faxed the agreement back and I then put the two parties together. Only two sales ever resulted from that deal but I was paid approximately $1,000 for about 3 hours of work/research.
This does not mean you will make that much on your first deal or that little, it is presently purely to document our first export deal.
Our business evolved and about 1993 we were contacted by a publisher of an import and export business course. After having such a bad experience with those I had purchased, I wanted to review it before agreeing to sell it (this was ll by mail order at the time).
I was thoroughly impressed with both the course and with the publisher. Since 1993 we have been offered the chance to market just about every other export/import course there is on the market and after reviewing them, nothing comes remotely close to the vast amount of information presented in such a manner that it is easily understood.
Because of our experience in the industry, our publisher has implemented many of the suggestions that we provided. Many of the questions and answers that were received during these 16 years have been included in the updates made to the course materials which averages about every 2 years.
Quite frankly, the revenue from the sale of these courses only represents about 5% of our total annual revenue and if it were to end tomorrow, it would hurt but it could easily be replaced with other revenue streams.
So why do we continue to offer the courses? Several reasons:
This is the 100th post to this blog - I am baring my soul (so to speak) as to why an international business offers import export training courses - I hope this post will help you make the final decision as to whether import export is for you or isn't and why it is important to make INFORMED decisions, both before, during and after starting your business.
In the learning phase of my own business in the late 1980's, I did not have the HUGE advantage that the Internet offers you. I had to make innumerable visits to the library which was about a 20 mile round trip.
I spent hundreds of hours there researching, reading, copying. I spent hundreds of dollars on training materials that were extremely outdated (that was the 80's and the materials were written in the 60's and 70's). I wasted thousands of dollars on postage sending inquiries to trade leads that were so outdated it was almost enough to make you want to quit.
I visited with international bankers, department of commerce personnel, actual live importers and exporters to gather as much information as I possibly could.
Because of all the expenses of trying to learn this business piece meal, an idea came upon me one day that some people might be interested enough to pay for reports that compiled all this research into a current newsletter and thus the information part of my business was born.
The newsletter drew the attention of a publisher in Washington DC (at the time) who published a newspaper filled with trade leads each month. I agreed to sell his newspaper along with our newsletter after I tested the leads.
The first lead was for Organic Fruit Juice. Although the lead was about 2 months old I called the buyer and he advised me that only one other person had contacted him. He was definitely still interested and asked for quotes.
Off to the library, I researched and found 6 companies that produced it. I contacted 5 and was rejected - they were not interested. The sixth and last was. I had to pay a local machine shop a dollar a page to send and receive each page of a fax (this was 1988 remember).
I faxed an agreement to the producer after we agreed to terms by phone, they signed and faxed the agreement back and I then put the two parties together. Only two sales ever resulted from that deal but I was paid approximately $1,000 for about 3 hours of work/research.
This does not mean you will make that much on your first deal or that little, it is presently purely to document our first export deal.
Our business evolved and about 1993 we were contacted by a publisher of an import and export business course. After having such a bad experience with those I had purchased, I wanted to review it before agreeing to sell it (this was ll by mail order at the time).
I was thoroughly impressed with both the course and with the publisher. Since 1993 we have been offered the chance to market just about every other export/import course there is on the market and after reviewing them, nothing comes remotely close to the vast amount of information presented in such a manner that it is easily understood.
Because of our experience in the industry, our publisher has implemented many of the suggestions that we provided. Many of the questions and answers that were received during these 16 years have been included in the updates made to the course materials which averages about every 2 years.
Quite frankly, the revenue from the sale of these courses only represents about 5% of our total annual revenue and if it were to end tomorrow, it would hurt but it could easily be replaced with other revenue streams.
So why do we continue to offer the courses? Several reasons:
- There are many people out there who are like I was 21 years ago - people who have a sincere interest in the international trade business but do not know how to go about getting it in a manner that is easy to understand and not go broke or spend hundreds of hours like I did.
- There has been a proliferation of offerings that are out there with the advent of the Internet - some ranging from as little as $10 to others ranging $8,000 or more and I know in my heart that the courses we offer are the BEST based on my personal review and 21 years experience.
- Many of the people described above will end up calling or emailing me and rather than taking trying to explain the same processes over and over and over, they have a comprehensive course that is not only training but a resource library for the entire term of their business.
- There has to be training available that is not too complicated like many courses are that will discourage you before you ever take the first step and a course that is not so outlandish in price that you have to take a 2nd mortgage (if you can get one) for the promises of some boiler room operator/trainer who has absolutely no real life experience in this business and in my 21+ years of experience I have yet to find any course that is better - if I did, it would be posted to our web site tomorrow.
The Import Export Business is just that - A business! It is NOT an OPPORTUNITY that will magically transform you into a super worldwide success. This is a REAL business that without the serious application of WORK by YOU will not provide you with anything by and of itself!
This business is NOT for everyone (bet the boiler room operators whose weekly commission check depend solely upon selling you their $8000 plus 'program' will never tell you that)!
Here is a list of people who will have a problem succeeding in this business:
- Those who cannot write a sentence or paragraph in basic English (sorry but English is the main language of international trade).
- Those who will not pick up the phone and call someone and be able to speak English well enough that the other party can understand them - if the truth offends you, then I have save you from a lot of wasted money and time.
- Those who need a coach or camp counselor who they can call and cry on their shoulders when they cannot get a buyer or seller to talk with them - when in reality the camp counselor/coaches by the $8000+ programs are nothing more than boiler room operators with the same printed material in front of them as you have in front of you - this is all part of business - the buyer or sellers in the world are not waiting for you with baited breath so you can tell them about the "certificate" you now possess as if that really means anything in this industry.
- Those who are unable to make a decision for themselves even after they have been provided with all the details and processes that are necessary for them to make an informed decision - they are not ready to be in business for themselves, they need a job where they have a boss who will tell them what to do for 8 hours.
- Those who think an exorbitant price somehow translates into something being better - they think well if it costs that much, it must be good, right?
- Those who are too lazy to perform due diligence (read our company page for instructions) - if you are going to invest $8,000+ in the belief a company is what they say they are, spend a couple of hundred and fly out to their location, see their "warehouses" (I find it amusing that some people expend more time checking us out for an investment in a course that is less than 5% of the $8K+ program)
- Those who, even after they perform 'in-depth' due diligence, still foolishly throw their $8K+ at a dream that is sold to them by a commissioned salesman/woman with absolutely no experience in the industry.
I wish everyone who purchases a course from us would be an incredible success, but the sad fact is probably less than 5% ever follow through and take the first step of action necessary to achieve any success.
If you think the $8K+ programs offer you a better chance, give me a call during normal business hours at 717-292-5763 - if I am in the office I will gladly tell you how to do a very simple google search to find the thousands of now inactive web sites that others who have taken the $8K+ path have followed. I just did this search today and quite frankly I was amazed at how many there are but before you call me - DO YOUR OWN DUE DILIGENCE and if you are really cut out to be in business for yourself, you will not need to bother calling me because you will have already made the right decision.
The courses we offer will provide you with everything, step-by-step instructions on how to succeed in both importing and exporting - the success factor is what looks you in the mirror each morning.
If any of the above has offended you, well let's say in this area of Pennsylvania, we have an old saying the goes "if the shoe fits, wear it!" If it took this as a slap up along the side of you head and you are offended and you forget about this business all together, then I have accomplished my goal as you simply are not ready for this business.
If however, you are the type of person who says, great, finally someone who tells it like it is, no bull shit, someone who not only talks the talk but who has walked the walk, well then you are ready for our course and for being in business for yourself (as long as you can handle the oral and written communications).
Bottom line, we offer the courses we do because our experience tells us that they are the best - we could earn 10 times what we do if we opted to sell the $8K+ program (and believe me they would love to get exposure to our 53,000 monthly visitors) but quite frankly, I would rather lose that 5% of income and not replace it with anything if their program was the only choice available. That would free up more time for me to spend with our rapidly growing grand child.
That is it for my 100th post to this blog - I hope you have found it to be both helpful and enlightening, comments, criticisms are "always" welcome (you do have to register with blogger.com to comment, however).
Thanks for visiting and taking the time to read what I hope is one of, if not the most, thought provoking post since we began this blog.
Ron Coble
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