Atlantic Canada Exporters:

Our Best Kept Secret

By Anne MacKeigan

Partner, Sandler Training

Have you been thinking about exporting?  Over the last two years, we’ve worked with over 70 exporting companies from northern Newfoundland to Yarmouth.  These are companies with amazing products, innovative services and fantastic people resources. Some might think: ‘what can anyone come up with that the rest of the world hasn’t done already?’  I can tell you from experience, that Atlantic Canada is a hotbed of creativity, innovation and ingenuity. People here seem to have a knack for finding a different way to think of things, a pragmatic approach, and an ingenious way to execute their ideas.  They find niches in the market that no one else has considered and thanks to the internet and the global market, the world is at their door.

What I did find however, is often these entrepreneurs, inventors and engineering geniuses lacked the skills they needed to take their product or service to the world market and begin to sell it. They had two major roadblocks to break through.  First roadblock was the one between their ears.  Playing on an international or even global scale can be intimidating and they needed to change their belief system from ‘we’re in such a small market here’ to ‘wow, the world is a huge market’.  It’s the difference between an attitude of scarcity and an attitude of plenty. Those that can see the world as a level playing field for them, have a better chance of selling their ideas whether in Sydney, Nova Scotia or in New York or in Beijing. 

The second roadblock was a lack of systematic sales approach sales, whether it be through trade shows or through prospecting. They didn’t have a step-by-step process of contacting, crafting and asking compelling questions, and qualifying prospects.  They were unsure about follow up and sometimes lacked the confidence to close.  They needed a set of proven techniques, positive attitudes, and a set of productive behaviors that would produce sales. Putting a selling system in place was often a challenge for entrepreneurs who didn’t think of themselves as salespeople.  Many of these companies had not yet evolved to the size where they could hire full time professional salespeople, so the job fell to the entrepreneur.   But who better to sell the product?  No one has more passion or is more invested in its success than the inventor.  A better mousetrap does not ensure the success when you lack a good selling system.

Seeing these companies move their businesses ahead, grow their sales, establish themselves in new markets is rewarding.  But the biggest reward is to our region, where economic growth occurs when we bring in new and different dollars.  These companies may seem small now, but they are the future employers and gatherers of economic wealth in Atlantic Canada. In every province, incubators and support organizations like inNovaCorp, BioNova and others are helping innovation grow and companies like Sandler are supporting the sales efforts. If you have an idea, might it be time to get some support yourself?