This is an old adage that came up at an export seminar last week from the MD of Strategem. When working in an international environment, it is still undoubtedly true, especially when your competition may be a local company in the target country.
For the company who are buying and actually placing orders, they often like to see the whites of your eyes. The implication here is that your MD needs to know how to sell and to negotiate.
In today’s markets, to help it along, we have all sorts of good communication material to inform and support before and after the visit. Skype, web conferencing, website written in the culture and the language of each target market, exhibitions, e mail, PR etc. all of which can provide another hit of your brand in the eyes and the minds of your customers. However, nothing succeeds more than a visit.