The International Sales Handbook

The International Sales Handbook by John Lynch is a practical handbook by a man with forty years experience of selling to every continent except Antarctica. It tells would-be exporters: This is what you do; this is how you do it; this is why you do it that way; and this is what can go wrong if you don’t.

In this book John Lynch distils everything he has learned in an international sales career lasting more than 40 years on every continent except Antarctica. This is not a How To Sell book. There are lots of those; some are really good and some are no help at all. The International Sales Handbook doesn’t tell you how to recognise a buying signal or handle objections because if you can’t do those things you shouldn’t be attempting to sell outside your own country anyway. What you get here is the last word on: What you should do; why you should do it that way; and what can happen if you don’t. It’s a dangerous world out there, but one in which the knowledgeable can make money. The International Sales Handbook tells you how to survive and how to prosper.

You can buy the paperback here or order it from your local book store (ISBN: 978-1-910194-05-8); the Kindle version is here.

Contents:
Chapter 1: International Sales What is it?
What do you need to do it: languages, documents, food, contacts, codes, time
Chapter 2: Things to be aware of before you sign up:
You’re on your own, do things their way not yours
Your market, your offering, regulations, submittals, price or quality?, pre-inspection, authentication, selling direct, packaging
You have to go there, get it right first time
Politics, who knows whom, don’t believe what you read, dangerous places, alcohol, enjoyment
Chapter 3: Corruption
Bribery, dealing with procurement staff, influencing decisions, big deals, entertaining, following legislation
Chapter 4: Research
Local knowledge, vested interests, Government information, websites, exhibitions, trade missions, dubious advice
Chapter 5: Incoterms and Terms of Payment
Incoterms, currency, quotations
Terms of payment, Cash with Order and Sight Letters of Credit, Shipping and Expiry dates
Cash Against Documents, Open Credit, Credit Insurers
Shipping documents, Bills of Lading, Invoices, Certificate of Origin, Packing lists
Chapter 6: Finding Local Representation
Customers and agents, taking your time, appointing and supporting a local representative
Chapter 7: Continents and Countries: Specific Issues
Africa
The Middle East
North America
South America
Europe
Scandinavia and the Nordic Countries
Eastern Europe
Turkey
Australia and New Zealand
South-east Asia
Chapter 8: Getting there and staying there
Airlines, hotels, insurance
Chapter 9: What can go wrong?
Scams, communication failure, incorrect packaging and/or documentation, failure to get paid, kidnap