Today I participated in a lecture in Tartu Centre for Creative Industries (Tartu Loomemajanduskeskus) by Lee Ann Haworth “American business culture and the possibility for cooperation with US companies”
Some good points I got and would like to share.
What is US Business Culture defined by:
– Time is money
– Work comes first
– Be direct, positive and assertive
– Know your competitive advantage
– Be responsive
– Follow up
She showed the map of the States and explained, that when going to States with your product try to segment and find your niche and keep in mind that US regions are known for some specific things like the bay area is Silicon Valley, Northe-East is Education, California – Hollywood, etc. So know thy target group.
Americans like the stories of from rags to riches.
Create a STORY of Estonia – America is so big, that the people there don’t know you, so do your best to show where you come from and what is unique.
Trends for 2010
* value (give value to your product – people don’t mind paying a bit more if they get a soft value along with it)
* Eco-friendly
* Handmade/ commissioned pieces
* embedded generosity
Some links:
* bplans.com – business plans
* Where artisans and marketers meet – www.aidtoartisans.org
* Creative Latitude is a worldwide community that unites various creative disciplines for collective promotion, education and ethical business practice.