...UKTI would be his "Q." After a summer hiatus that's lasted longer than we thought it would, SwelledHead returns with a love letter to UKTI, an organization dedicated, as are we, to promoting transatlantic business (well their mission is a little bigger than that -- please read on).
It’s no secret that many countries have a chamber of commerce active in the United States, but not every country has an effective business development group attached to their consular mission. The UK is a glowing example of what can be done to assist business development in and with the United States. UKTI is to be congratulated for its effectiveness and any US or UK executive charged with new transatlantic initiatives would be well advised to consult with the relevant UKTI people.
For one of our clients, Vanco, a global telecommunications provider (www.vanco.com), UKTI is providing valuable services in support of an educational seminar. Vanco will host an informational session on doing business in less-developed countries, focusing on its area of expertise, complex data and voice networks for globe-spanning enterprises. In addition to Vanco execs familiar with building networks in China, Africa and other exotic locations, an analyst from Gartner and a CIO from a non-Vanco client will participate in a moderated panel discussion. If you’d like to attend the event, scheduled for October 31, at 8:00 a.m. in NYC, please email me at k.lempit@austinlawrence.com and I’ll forward your request.
The backbone of the event is UKTI. They’re providing a venue with "drawing power," namely the British Consulate, printed invitations with the consular insignia, list development and recruitment support including phone calls outbound and inbound, and event staff on location to make sure the event logistics work smoothly. All this is being provided for £1700 or $3230…about one-third to one-quarter the cost of outsourcing these services to an agency such as Austin Lawrence Group. This is not to say that it is completely "hands off," as our client still must provide additional labor to create the requisite number of "touch points" that make for successful event recruitment, as well as providing a compelling concept and content (where we have counseled them a bit).
UKTI offers many other services for UK-based companies seeking to crack overseas markets (with particular emphasis on the US), or foreign firms seeking to develop their enterprises within the UK. It’s not just for UK firms, although there are services available only to UK-based entities. Check out www.uktradeinvest.gov.uk to see what might be applicable to you. As with any government entity, there are some limits to what they can provide, and you can find yourself lost in the wrong department. But there are great people in this organization and they are more than willing and able to help.
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