Hillam Technology Partners has over 20 years experience representing
European and Asian companies in the United States
Our principals have experience doing business on every continent except Antarctica, maintaining a network in many technology-related fields, allowing our principals to advise on business development projects both within and without the US.We provide support in all aspects of Sales, Marketing and Business Development.
US Market Entry for Technology Companies
Expansion into new markets can be expensive and risky. HTP helps European and Asian technology companies to enter into the United States market with minimum risk and maximum results. HTP employs a proven and comprehensive methodology, the U.S. Entry Assessment, to answer these critical questions:
» What is the market opportunity?
» Can you compete and win?
» What is the most effective way with the least risk?
» What will be the cost?
HTP can provide a temporary business development infrastructure to get sales and channel relationships off the ground, and to build product awareness. As the business grows, HTP can assist with incorporation, recruitment of staff, and development of a US subsidiary operation.
The US and Canadian markets are large, less homogenous than you might think, and extremely competitive. As an overseas technology business seeking to establish a presence in North America, you have several options:
Each of these options has advantages and drawbacks.
» Send sales representatives from headquarters
» Appoint an agent, reseller or distributor
» Find a joint-venture partner
» Set up a North American office
With 20 years’ experience of working in North America on behalf of European and Asian companies, HTP understands the pros and cons of these different channel strategies, and can offer a low-risk alternative: use HTP to investigate the market opportunity and either find appropriate channel partners, or establish an interim market presence on your behalf until the level of market penetration has either validated or discounted further direct investments.
International Channel Development for US and European Companies
If you are a US-based business that is seeking new markets overseas, HTP can help. We can help you develop distributor and reseller agreements, identify, qualify and select potential parters, negotiate terms, and develop marketing and sales support programs to make these partners successful.
With experience of operating on every continent but Antarctica, and global contacts in many technology-related fields, HTP principals can advise US & European companies on international business development with the same set of services as it offers for North American market entry.
Cross-cultural awareness is a critical success factor in international business development. Many US companies are unaware, for example, that what they see as principled and straightforward pricing is seen in many cultures as a rigid unwillingness to show flexibility for the sake of relationship-building. Or that a failure to meet delivery or quality commitments to an Asian client can result in a damaging loss of face that will require a personal visit to repair. Or that quoting a price “FOB our factory” is an incorrect use of the (now obsolete) INCOTERM.
Hillam Technology Partners can help companies that are new to exporting to navigate these international waters. The rewards of international business development can be huge – but the pitfalls are many, and the time taken to build sales volume is inevitably longer than expected.
Effective Sales Process Improvement Methods
Having a good product and a clear value proposition are 'necessary but not sufficient' conditions for success. Even when sales processes and channel partnerships are well-established, performance may lag for a variety of reasons. HTP's diagnostic can identify areas for potential improvement, and HTP consultants can provide sales training, advice on lead qualification and pipeline management, and recommendations for outbound marketing and channel management.
We can provide your company with effective sales process improvement methods.
If you have a product that meets a clear market need; you have marketing collateral that communicates your value proposition well; you have a marketing communication plan that delivers your messages to your target audience; and you have a lead management system that delivers qualified leads to your sales team, BUT sales results are disappointing – we can help.
Effective sales operations are driven by the business strategy, and formed by the interaction of organizational structure, capabilities, and sales processes.
Our Sales Process Diagnostic is designed to:
- Segment the existing and potential customer base by the opportunity scope and nature, and then the degree and type of account management required to service these customers & prospects.
- Identify the ‘Account Management Yield’, defined as achieved gross margin, less cost of account management for each account.
- Assess account management effectiveness, based on the sales funnel and sales cycle time.
- Evaluate whether compensation plans are aligned with organizational goals.
- Evaluate whether technology and other organizational infrastructure supports sales goals (e.g. CRM, etc).
- Assess sales forecasting methods and accuracy
- If data volumes are sufficient, identify common cause versus special cause variation in sales results.
- Make recommendations for process improvements.