| Should small and medium sized businesses be | | | | are shocked by the price in the end for two |
| outsourcing? Absolutely, experts say, and not only | | | | reasons, some practical, one cultural. |
| for increasing revenue now. You should begin | | | | First of all, you want to buy your booklets in |
| outsourcing some aspect of your manufacturing | | | | China or another foreign country because the |
| today to begin entering into the global economy. | | | | cost will indeed be lower but you have to get that |
| One way to put your business on a trajectory | | | | material shipped to America. You're looking at the |
| toward greater growth in America, and in many | | | | total landed cost, that includes the shipping costs |
| cases, abroad, is to start working with foreign | | | | (higher now because of fuel) and logistics. And |
| companies now. You'll learn how the process | | | | how will you complete the transfer of money? |
| works and how to deal with other cultures when | | | | Make sure all of this information is known to you |
| buying goods from abroad. One great tip, print | | | | up front. |
| your booklets in China or another country. | | | | You also want to make sure that you do not |
| SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS WHEN DEALING | | | | infringe upon any other company's intellectual |
| WITH FOREIGN COMPANIES | | | | property rights. The greatest advantages of doing |
| When buying booklets overseas there are a | | | | business in China are that they have cheap labor |
| variety of considerations. First of all, make sure | | | | and great creativity. The disadvantage is that |
| that the company with which you are dealing has | | | | they do not honor intellectual property rights in |
| good foreign language skills. Deal only with | | | | the way we do here. Make sure your booklet |
| companies that are willing to show you samples | | | | design does not include any protected logos or |
| of their English language printed material in | | | | work and you will be fine. |
| advance and be sure to let them know that you | | | | Finally, many Chinese printers are beginning to |
| will not pay for grammatically incorrect booklets. | | | | understand that Americans expect to pay a price |
| The only way to insure that you have a printer | | | | agreed upon before the manufacturing and |
| that has good skills is to see that they've done | | | | shipping takes place. Nonetheless, know that |
| work in English before. The great news is that so | | | | culturally the opposite is true. |
| many Chinese and other foreign printers work | | | | Chinese manufacturers typically expect that an |
| with American and other English speaking | | | | agreed upon price is a starting point - they will |
| businesses that they're really up to speed on | | | | haggle and bargain throughout the transaction at |
| doing excellent work. | | | | various points unless you make it clear that the |
| Secondly, rising fuel costs have got to be | | | | first agreed upon price is exactly what you will |
| factored into your overall price. Many companies | | | | pay at the end of the process. |
| are considering importing goods from closer | | | | In this increasingly global market, small and |
| countries like Mexico, so if the overall price is too | | | | medium sized businesses need to begin |
| high look into closer foreign printers but again, you | | | | outsourcing as soon as possible if they want to |
| must make sure they have experience printing | | | | stay competitive. Begin looking up Chinese and |
| booklets of your kind - instructional, informational, | | | | other foreign printers on the internet today and |
| or some combination thereof, in English. | | | | make sure you factor in all of these |
| TOTAL LANDED COST: THE QUESTIONS YOU | | | | considerations. Have your booklets printed abroad |
| NEED ANSWERED AS YOU CALCULATE THE | | | | to save money now, and insure your company |
| COST | | | | grows with the times. |
| Many small and medium sized business owners | | | | |