11.07.2015 Views

basic-guide-to-exporting_Latest_eg_main_086196

basic-guide-to-exporting_Latest_eg_main_086196

basic-guide-to-exporting_Latest_eg_main_086196

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

Success S<strong>to</strong>ryGrowing Strong withInternational SalesNuStepAmerican-made NuStep recumbent crosstrainers are shipped all over the world.The CompanyNuStep was founded about 20 years ago by DickSams, a biomedical engineer and crea<strong>to</strong>r of one ofthe first heart-lung machines. He sold a businessdeveloped around that device and decided <strong>to</strong>focus with his next company on the prevention ofheart disease. One aspect of prevention is exercise.Sams had an idea: <strong>to</strong> help change people’s livesthrough exercise and movement. NuStep makesmachines for people who have health conditionsthat make exercise challenging.The company sells products in 25 countries andthe international business is now about 15 percen<strong>to</strong>f <strong>to</strong>tal revenue. NuStep has only been <strong>exporting</strong>for 4 years.The ChallengeThe biggest challenge was where <strong>to</strong> findinternational cus<strong>to</strong>mers. So Sams hired aninternational sales manager <strong>to</strong> execute a go-<strong>to</strong>marketstrat<strong>eg</strong>y. He recruited Elena St<strong>eg</strong>emann, anative of Ukraine who speaks several languagesand is comfortable getting on a plane and flying<strong>to</strong> unfamiliar places. She summed up the situationsimply: “How is this little company in Ann Arbor,Michigan, going <strong>to</strong> reach out <strong>to</strong> the rest of theworld? And we had <strong>to</strong> recognize, that being asmall company, we didn’t have offices around theworld. We didn’t have a global team of salespeoplewho were going <strong>to</strong> knock on doors and do this onour behalf.”Early on St<strong>eg</strong>emann made the decision that thecompany would build a team of what she called“sophisticated visionary-type of distribu<strong>to</strong>rcompanies who really got the idea and unders<strong>to</strong>odthe challenge that they were going <strong>to</strong> have increating awareness for our product in their marketbut yet saw the huge opportunity for them.”Another challenge is the product can beconsidered either medical or exercise equipment.If the former, as it is in Europe, there is a differentprocess for qualifying it for sale in those countries;but one only needs <strong>to</strong> do it once for the 28member states. Brazil has a different process,and the steps and rules can be daunting withoutsome expert guidance. Again, St<strong>eg</strong>emann reliedon the U.S. embassy team, who provided what sheneeded <strong>to</strong> know and do.132U.S. Commercial Service • A Basic Guide <strong>to</strong> Exporting

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!