How to Give Your Business an "International Presence"

[TreyAllDay]

Just thought I'd do a quick thread on a few interesting things I've done over the last year to make my business seem "bigger" than it is. I'm also curious if anyone has done anything similar, and how they boost the image of their business.

When I first got started I was seeking to bring a few multi-million dollar companies to get onto our intranet software, but it was hard for a one-man business (at the time) to get respect from large companies around the world. So here's a few things I did when I first started that earned me respect, without lying or being fraudulent.

1) Asia, Europe, and North American Support Numbers: I was taking 100% of product support calls, but I still have separate numbers for all three continents forwarding to one phone number. It costs me $4.00/month to rent these numbers from twilio. Having these numbers on your website is HUGE for image.

2) 24HR Product Support and Virtual Answering Service - I offer 24 hour live chat and phone assistance on our products which is HUGE for your brand. I've received calls in the middle of the night maybe twice (even though I worried about it happening constantly). When callers call, they get our answering service which costs me maybe $5/month and it will forward them to us WITH on-hold music.

3) Virtual Offices in Multiple Cities: I have since moved the business to an office, which does a lot for your image as well in my opinion. But even after doing this, I took out virtual offices (they basically forward your mail) in two other major cities that clients can send cheques to, this is a convenience for clients but does well for brand.

4) Live Chat: I chose to not add a name, but call the chat rep "SUPPORT AGENT". Again people hardly use live product support or sales chat but it has done wonders for our image.

5) Referring to Departments: When I have an issue with a customer's billing, I respond with my billing@ email. Sales goes out from sales@ email, etc. Just a small one but I think helps.


Anyway - those are my main ones. Which do you use?

PS: I know some of you are going to say I should spend less time on this stuff and more on "Execution". I do agree nobody should spend a large amount of time on this - they are just a few extremely easy, cheap, and efficient ways to boost company image in the early days.

 

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[LittleWolfie]

Great, thread although lying by omission is still lying. Your not telling a lie, just letting them believe one. Though we can leave that distinction to your conscience and lawyers and clergymen. This distinction is where the phrase the "devil is in the details " comes form(The prince of lies, never actually tells a lie)

Your telling a partial truth, rather than the truth and not the truth whole truth (although there's nothing wrong with that, in my opinion)


Great Idea, for those who can be available 24/7 though probably not side hustle material. A lot of people on here seem to use Virtual Assistants and freelancers and let people think their part of the company.

A lot of people on here, seem to use I've also been using print to mail services to try and look more impressive/local

 

[TreyAllDay]

Another thing I forgot to mention:

6) Choosing Metrics IE we started with 20 companies with about 2,000 company user accounts between them, allowing us to promote that we have 2,000 users - as opposed to "20 clients".

 

[TreyAllDay]

Great, thread although lying by omission is still lying. Your not telling a lie, just letting them believe one. Though we can leave that distinction to your conscience and lawyers and clergymen. This distinction is where the phrase the "devil is in the details " comes form(The prince of lies, never actually tells a lie)

Your telling a partial truth, rather than the truth and not the truth whole truth (although there's nothing wrong with that, in my opinion)


Great Idea, for those who can be available 24/7 though probably not side hustle material. A lot of people on here seem to use Virtual Assistants and freelancers and let people think their part of the company.

A lot of people on here, seem to use I've also been using print to mail services to try and look more impressive/local

Yea I would agree there is line you cross. I've heard of people completely making up fake employees and "meet the team" pages. There is a level where you hit fraudulence and you are doing illegal things.

 

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[LittleWolfie]

Yea I would agree there is line you cross,There is a level where you hit fraudulence and you are doing illegal things.

Yes, although telling a lie might not actually be fraud according to new york courts When Lies Are Allowed in a Business Deal

One wonders is fraud can occur, without a lie.

 

[Walter Hay]

I congratulate you on your initiative. When my business was small, I employed commission reps in cities where I also had telephone numbers that all diverted to me. One condition of hiring those reps was that I could publish their address as my business address in that city.

Even if the person doing work for you is not an employee, as I was careful to be sure my reps were not, they are working for you, so referring to them as staff, or as "our man or woman in ..." is not lying.

There is a well established legal principle "Qui facit per alium facit per se" which is a Latin legal term meaning: "He who acts through another does the act himself." Be careful though, because there is a sting in the tail in relation to that law.

The sting can come from the way courts interpret that principle. It is most often found that the acts of an agent within the scope of his authority, are in legal effect, the acts of his principal. By "agent" is meant anyone employed whether casually or permanently to act on your behalf.

Walter
P.S. I am not providing legal advice.