Well, this is all wrong! We have been doing this for years! It is so simple that it amazes me. It is all a matter of knowing how to deal with these companies in Hong Kong, Taiwan, China and South Korea. It is very refreshing dealing with them. I have never been ripped off by any of them!

Even companies that only state in their advertising their minimum quantities, like a container load, will ship small quantities. The trick is calling your request a SAMPLE ORDER! Now, you might not know it, but these companies will accept whatever quantities you request prices for in your Sample Order. Their hope is that you come back and submit a large order. Also, you can get Sample Order shipments over and over.

Some companies are set up to ship small quantities without Sample Order routine. You can tell by their price lists if they show small quantities. Otherwise, you ask them if they will ship a small Sample Order so that you can introduce their products to your customer base. They have no idea how big your company is.

It is important to have appearance of a successful firm. Use letterheads, not hand written correspondence. If you do not have a computer, you better get one quick. Join crowd, or you will not be on same playing field. Email makes all of this work very well. You can actually email these companies real time, when they are in office in Hong Kong, or anywhere. Late night here, is morning there.

This means instant communications, and instant action. You can request a Quotation via email, and they will email you everything you need to proceed. They usually send you what is called a Proforma Invoice, which is just an Invoice in advance. You will be expected to wire funds electronically. This is easily done by your bank.

You can go to their website and see all products and specs. Very often, if you don’t see what you want, they will give you a price on it. You can never tell, always compare prices. Some firms in Orient represent other firms in Orient. You want to buy from Prime Source, manufacturer.

If I were to request a price quote, it may look like this:

Greetings:

PR: A Potent Force For Success

What’s REALLY potent for a business, non-profit or association manager is public relations’ ability to alter individual perception leading to changed behaviors. And then, to persuade those key outside folks to manager’s way of thinking, and help move them to take actions that allow their department, division or subsidiary to succeed.

Potent because public relations does something positive for managers about behaviors of very outside audiences of theirs that MOST affect their operation.

And ESPECIALLY appropriate when such potency helps create kind of external stakeholder behavior change that leads directly to achieving those manager’s managerial objectives.

But how potent is it when business, non-profit and association managers are handed precise public relations blueprint they need designed to get all their team members and organizational colleagues working towards same external stakeholder behaviors? Wouldn’t that insure that their PR thrust stays focused?

Talking about a PR blueprint plan like this one: People act on their own perception of facts before them, which leads to predictable behaviors about which something can be done. When we create, change or reinforce that opinion by reaching, persuading and moving-to-desired-action very people whose behaviors affect organization most, public relations mission is accomplished.

Yes, potent’s a pretty darn good word when results like these start to crop up: a rebound in showroom visits; capital givers or specifying sources looking your way; new proposals for strategic alliances and joint ventures; membership applications on rise; new feedback channels; community service and sponsorship opportunities; enhanced activist group relations; new thoughtleader and special event contacts; improved relations with government agencies and legislative bodies; prospects starting to work with you; customers making repeat purchases; promotional contest overtures, and even stronger relationships with educational, labor, financial and healthcare communities.

It must be a prime concern to you as to who carries out this PR plan for you. Just who is going to do work anyway? Will it be a regular public relations staff? Or people sent to you by a higher authority? Or possibly a PR agency crew? Regardless of where they come from, they must be committed to you as senior project manager, to PR blueprint and its implementation, starting with key audience perception monitoring.

Something to keep your eye on. Simply because a practitioner describes him/herself as a public relations specialist doesn’t mean they’ve bought into whole program. Assure yourself that your team members really believe deeply why it’s SO important to know how your most important outside audiences perceive your operations, products or services. Be certain they buy reality that perceptions almost always lead to behaviors that can help or hurt your unit.