The Snuggie was a huge hit in England over Christmas. The product, which was conceived and developed by New York-based Allstar Products Group, LLC, has also been a huge hit in Canada and Australia. For those unfamiliar with the product, the Snuggie is essentially a backwards robe that one wears to keep warm.
By leveraging its success in these markets, this latest American export is quickly building momentum in Asian markets–a natural fit, so to speak, considering it’s manufactured in China.
The Snuggie? Global Domination? How—Why?
The runaway success of the Snuggie in global markets was not the result of some clever viral marketing campaign or stroke-of-luck lightening strike. The company’s extraordinary success was the result of a painstakingly crafted and flawlessly executed global domination campaign.
Elegant Simplicity
Lucky for us, the playbook Snuggie used to dominate world markets is shockingly straight forward and easy to follow. Indeed, the genius of the Snuggie’s global game plan was its elegant simplicity.
A Global Domination Campaign has Several Moving Parts
How did a product that was launched in 2008 become a worldwide phenomenon by 2009? It achieved global dominance with careful attention to the legal landscape underpinning its expansion strategy. It knew exactly what U.S. export regulations covered its product. And more crucially, it knew exactly how to comply with the import laws in each of the foreign markets it entered. This was the Snuggie’s masterstroke and what allowed it to crush world markets in record time.
Your product’s tipping point can come early in the launch stage if you institute a global domination campaign from the outset. This entails ironing out the legal details in both domestic and global markets contemporaneously. While the two-pronged attack requires additional legwork to comply with trade laws in selected international markets, the extra work will pay huge dividends when orders start pouring in from all over the globe.
The 3 Step Formula for a Successful Global Product Launch
Going global has never been easier and should be part of every company’s initial launch strategy. Here are some key points to speed your way to global dominance in your industry:
Step 1: Select your Global Domination Targets.
Review the law in every country that you intend to crush and dominate. Look for foreign customers who resemble your domestic clients and customers. They may not be as difficult to find as you expect. The Snuggie pulled this strategy off flawlessly by first penetrating the UK and Australia, whose consumers have similar tastes to those in the U.S.
Step 2: Penetrate to Dominate
The absolute best way to quickly penetrate a foreign market is to contact your country’s consulate or embassy in the foreign market that you’re trying to enter. Government Trade Officials are placed in those foreign countries specifically to assist enterprises like yours export products there. These officials collect market data and have access to directories of potential buyers for specific industries. Follow this step and it will be like having your own international consulting firm at your beck and call.
Step 3: Master the Supply Chain.
This requires professional management of the logistics of delivering your product from A to B at just-in-time speeds as your product rapidly reaches critical mass. Unexpected perils such as currency fluctuations, transportation break-down and catastrophic infrastructure damage can all derail the best laid plans. Be sure to have back-up suppliers to keep your empire growing at breakneck speed.
High Octane Resources to Supercharge Your Global Domination Strategy
To supercharge your global domination plans, do not hesitate to utilize the vast arsenal of resources provided by the federal government—they are unparalleled in their scope, depth and breadth. While there is an infinite amount of “how to go global” literature online, there is no better source of information than the U.S. Government—and it’s free. The resources below are among the very best:
Export.Gov
The most important step in going global is understating the legal requirements and regulations associated with you product. Export.gov offers a vast array of helpful guides and resources to help you get started.
Export.gov’s Export Program’s Guide is a great resource and offers and overview of industry and country specific counseling and trade leads.
U.S. Department of Commerce
Be sure to visit the United States of Commerce’sBuyUSA division to find an export assistance center near you. The professionals staffing the assistance centers will counsel you all the way through the export process.
Business.gov’s Get Started in Exporting guide provides a comprehensive list of resources and services to help small business start up their exporting operation, including information on required licenses.
U.S. Department of State
The U.S. Department of State has a business sector with international market resources such as trade policies and restrictions, country commercial guides, and operational guides to help Americans before doing business overseas.
Export-Import Bank
The Export-Import Bank of the United States has a small business division helping exporters get started. The excellent export guide provides information for businesses that are trying to establish themselves in the export market.
While these resources are not comprehensive, they are the cream of the crop for anyone wanting expert help with their global domination strategy.
What do you think?
-Santiago