Successful market development in Spain

Several craftsmen traveled to Spain as part of the "Market Development Mallorca" initiative to address customers there.

This article is part of the special topic on foreign trade: Working without borders

Whether electrical or glazing company, plasterer or stair builder, whether newcomer to international business or already with its own offices in Switzerland, Luxembourg, Russia, and China: exploring a new market together and with a certain degree of continuity repeatedly proves to be a successful combination for successful internationalization . The "Market Development Mallorca" initiative (see box) is a prime example of this. "As a group, you have much greater impact than if everyone were to go it alone. That would be almost impossible to achieve on your own," Heinrich Walther , a master plasterer from Kaarst, realized immediately after his first participation.

Robert Schmitz from Kempen also appreciates the " enormous advantages " of a group trip like the one initiated by the Chambers of Skilled Crafts in Dortmund , Aachen , and Düsseldorf and organized by the German-Spanish Chamber of Commerce and Industry (AHK Spain ): "It's significantly better than individual meetings with potential customers. Everyone benefits from the resulting synergies ." The master glazier has already participated in the trip to Mallorca three times. His verdict: "Going once is pointless. Only constant dripping wears away the stone. The more often we've been there, the easier it has become for us to make contacts, and the more readily we've been taken seriously."

Networking as a special added value

Jörn Brenscheidt , Managing Director of hokon Treppen from Witten, shares this experience : "You simply have to go several times! After all, you first have to prove that we are seriously and sustainably interested in this market." The opportunity for a company to explore a market together and on-site multiple times not only strengthens the trust of potential business partners. Participating companies also particularly value the networking opportunities offered by the program.

Jörn Brenscheidt sees this as a significant advantage of the joint business trip and trade fair participation: "These not only provided us with valuable contacts to potential customers, but, equally important to me, allowed me to meet like-minded companies ." The repeated market exploration opportunities, in particular, foster mutual trust and promote lasting positive effects among the participants. In this way, everyone benefits from the exchange – across different trades and levels of experience in international business.

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Door opener to the market

"When you have a colleague in a new market who is already familiar with it, it's obviously much easier for the other partners in the network . Having such a driving force helps everyone a lot," says Marcel Reinecke , a master electrician from Simmerrath, a multiple participant who now has his own branch in the island's capital, Palma. Heinrich Walther can only agree: "The experience advantage that some participants bring is naturally motivating for us. We as newcomers benefit greatly from that."

For the master plasterer, the joint trade fair appearance and the business trip were a " real door opener " to the Mallorcan market. He is therefore involved in hokon's new showroom in Llucmajor. Other participants are considering joining as well. They know that experts attach the utmost importance to having their own local presence for sustainable success in a new market. Their shared motto: "We're on it!"

Foreign Trade Promotion NRWConstruction & Crafts | The 'Market Development Mallorca' Initiative Launched in 2018, it will be part of the NRW foreign trade promotion program for the fifth time in 2023. The program aims to raise awareness among North Rhine-Westphalian craft businesses about the opportunities in this attractive market for high-quality interior design and energy-efficient renovation and refurbishment of vacation properties and to support them in their initial steps.
The instruments: Each year, participants participated in a business trip and a joint booth at a relevant trade fair – most recently at the 'Mallorca Living & Building' trade fair in 2021. Both events enabled participants to present their high-quality solutions and establish contacts with local developers and property owners.
The participants: Six to eight companies from the North Rhine-Westphalian trade sector, as well as partners such as planning offices and architects, participate.
Organizer: North Rhine-Westphalia.Global Business GmbH
Partner: Chambers of Crafts

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