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How can international industrial marketers more effectively use the potential power of the Internet? This manuscript suggests a model of the changes posited to occur in the international sales process when companies take full advantage of the Internet. Numerous positive and negative implications are discussed for the future Internet-based international industrial sales transaction. Recommendations on how organizations can more effectively utilize this new information communications tool are made. (Reprinted by permission of the publisher.)

International high-tech competition is accelerating. However, international high-tech market opportunities are also increasing. International sales management is one of the keys in developing a competitive edge. This article discusses the necessary features of successful international high-tech sales management. It presents a model and examines its key attributes based on a preliminary survey database. It then makes critical recommendations to improve international high-tech sales management. (Reprinted by permission of the publisher.)

Research was conducted examining eight methods commonly employed by advertising agencies in generating new business. These techniques are personal communication with the top management of the potential client, positive recommendation of previous clients, publicity on recent effective advertising campaigns, unsolicited speculative proposal, answering calls for new-business presentations, trade advertising, direct mail, and sales calls by the agency's new-business development personnel. Data for the study were obtained from questionnaires returned by 909 agencies and 639 clients. Findings showed that positive recommendation of satisfied clients was considered the most effective in winning new business by the majority of agencies and clients, while the unsolicited speculative proposal was ranked the lowest in effectiveness.

To improve their international competitiveness, industrial marketers must develop more proactive marketing strategies. Such strategies must include services. Industrial marketers must develop their understanding of and sensitivity to customers' needs. To achieve this, they must understand that services need to be classified as presale and postsale, and decide which type of service is more important under what circumstances. Organizing and classifying services along the lines suggested in this article will give companies a competitive edge at almost no cost. A model is presented to demonstrate these ideas. (Reprinted by permission of the publisher.)

Marketing of high technology products requires a study of the unique characteristics of computers and computer products that impact marketing strategies. These unique characteristics include: (1) careful planning by computer customers before purchasing, (2) computers as major investments, (3) the high level of research and development expenditures by high technology firms, (4) technological change being fundamental to computers, and (5) no derived demand. Computer entry strategies are: consumer-industrial, simultaneous entry, consumer only, industrial only, switchover and symbiotic. Key components of a computer marketing strategy are a research and development edge, service, and support.