In today’s business climate, many companies are now on ‘corona waiting time’ and not taking any new initiatives. Yet why not use this time to make better preparations in advance of an overseas trip? asks Mike Druttman of KEYZUNA.
Sooner or later the Corona problem will end and life will get back to normal. Japanese companies will again look for Israeli innovators to help them win new markets and increase sales. Let’s look at what this involves.
Defining the search
It can be hard to define what you’re looking for in order to find new business opportunities. However the process of creating that definition will usually lead to a much clearer view of your target. For example, you may say that “We’re looking for cyber skills to enhance our capabilities.” There are over 20 different categories of Cyber in Israel. Identifying which ones are relevant is a critical stage in defining the search.
If you work with a business-matching agency, they should help you to prepare an accurate Search Profile. This will describe your activities, achievements, special skills and what you are looking for in Israel. Note that this document should be completed about two months before you intend to visit Israel.
Making a detailed search
Your business-matching agency will use this Profile to undertake a detailed search in Israeli markets. It will contact many businesses with the view of determining how well they fit your profile. They will send Profiles of each company to you for evaluation. Here again, enough time is required to do a proper job.
Setting up B2B meetings
So now, you have your own Search Profile (checked and approved by your own management) and a number of Partner Profiles (in Japanese) sent by your agency. It’s the time to make a selection about which companies you wish to meet during your trip to Israel. Being able to have B2B meetings will greatly enhance the value of your Israel trip.
In case Corona still prevents international travel at this stage, you can always conduct the ‘first meetings’ with each Israeli company via an advanced video meeting application such as ZOOM.
The whole ‘business-matching’ process will take about three months. The best estimates for an end to the Corona crisis are 3-4 months. So you have used the ‘corona waiting time’ to the best advantage. You have prepared for a much higher-value visit to Israel, when you do come. Surely that makes a lot of sense?
