In the end of day, it is all about the sales and how to scale it internationally. In order to find the correct answer one needs to be prepared to ask the right question. Sales forces and management teams are constantly right in the middle  of  the daily battle in hitting the numbers in the most profitable and productive way.  The required readiness analysis and investigation for internationalization forensics may be a mountain to climb. If so you are ready for a “Supertemp”.

“Ain´t No Mountain High Enough” (*)

Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell got it already back in the sixties. The take away is that you need an experienced team to support you in your efforts to make it happen. For Marvin and Tammi the team was Nickolas Asford and Valerie Simpson. For internationalization the team could consist of external Supertemps who will take you over
the mountain.

In order to secure sustainable business growth and expansion extended competencies and skills set are required.  Developing the company thru experience based International Business Development Funnel equals sustainability.

In the current economic situation there is a clear need for certain type of specialized Subject Matter Experts
required to secure the pre-requisites for sustainable growth in external markets for the Finnish SMEs.

Key issue  to address will be to understand how to scale the business and manage the amount of things to be done.

Companies looking to grow in external markets require structures, processes, programs, tools and best practices
to climb the high mountain.

Basics done – what then?

Let us assume that a company has already all the “basics” done including Strategy (Growth & Internationalization), Business Idea,  Business Plan, Revenue and Earnings model, Offering, Blue Ocean  Strategy – just to name a few.

Once the “basics are done” – it all will come down to professionalism in international sales, marketing, finance and legal expertise This is where most of the companies fail too fast and too often.

Finding the right questions will bring the right answers. Right business related questions may easily be something like;

• How do we secure the right approach for New International Business Development?
• How do we position ourselves within the value network we are aiming at?
• How can we manage and scale the volume of things?
• How do we differentiate our competitive advantages in order to avoid landing into red ocean competition?
• How can we move upwards in the value chain and become a strategic partner instead of a supplier?
• How can we manage all the above and more over all the time zones were are aiming at to enter into?
• How can we achieve all of the above and more without increasing our fixed costs as “the cost is the enemy?”

“Who You Gonna Call?”

This time the answer is not The Ghostbusters, but a Supertemp. The Finnish private sector is full of brilliant and experienced Subject Matter Experts for variety of business critical fields. So far the issue has been that the supply has not truly met the demand. The supply has been quite fragmented and customers have been more than puzzled having at least thirteen consultants in a dozen offering their services one by one in a microscopic “info nuggets”.

All this has to and will change. Finland needs a well-structured, customer centric and result driven program to make a true paradigm shift happen. “Supertemps” are here to stay. The next step is to encourage companies to capitalize on the supply.

(*) “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” is an R&B/soul song written by Nickolas Ashford & Valerie Simpson in 1966 for the Tamla Motown label. The composition was first successful as a 1967 hit single recorded by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, becoming a hit again in 1970 when recorded by former Supremes frontwoman Diana Ross. The song became Ross’ first solo number-one hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and was nominated for a Grammy Award.

Information source: Wikipedia