FITT International Trade Competency Framework
DRAFT
Keep the following in mind as you review the document.
Ask yourself, do you need this skill to conduct International Trade? If the answer is no, please tell us.
If it does apply, are the performance and knowledge statements: Accurate? Complete? Realistic? Meaningful? Logical in Structure?
Finally, does anything need to change, or is anything missing?
Please return the reviewed document to Calum MacDonald, cmacdonald@cthrc.ca.
This document is in a formative stage and intended for consultation purposes; it is not complete and may contain inaccuracies. The document is not intended for
general distribution.
REFERENCE NUMBER
5.3
CATEGORY
MARKET EXPANSION PLANNING
SKILL
Develop Plans
SUBSKILL
3. Develop international sales and marketing plan
PURPOSE
The development of a strategic international sales and marketing plan serves as the foundation of the
company’s overall international commercial strategy and guides all sales and marketing activities.
Specific countries or regions may have different requirements, so a company will use different tactics
depending on the specific market.
PERFORMANCE
Competent practitioners must:
P1.
P2.
P3.
P4.
Develop an organizational profile, including:
 name, address, contact information, and principle partners/owners
 business vision, mission statement and beliefs (in line with target market)
 core organizational goals and values
Define international marketing objectives within the parameters of the corporate strategic plan,
e.g. market share vs. profit
Describe product/service offerings, e.g. detail how the product/service is unique, meets a niche
market and/or is superior to the competition
Outline political, economic and social characteristics of target market(s), including:
 political and economic structures that govern the target market(s)
 disposition of government to foreign business ventures
 stability of political, economic and social situations
 economic development of the target market(s), e.g. literacy rates of audience, lifestyles, percapita expenditures on marketing and advertising
 political, economic or social policies and issues that could impact the market entry strategy
 underlying meanings of symbols and gestures within target market(s)
 language requirements within target market(s)
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P5.
P6.
P7.
P8.
P9.
Outline business environment for each potential market, considering:
 impact of tariffs, customs procedures and taxes on the financial viability of the proposed
venture
 stability and convertibility of currency
 exchange regulations (if applicable)
 repatriation of profits
 legal environment (judicial system, opportunities for resolving disputes)
 regulatory environment in both target country and home country
 health, safety, technical and environmental regulations
 packaging and labelling regulations
 physical infrastructure, including communications links, roads, ports and railways,
warehousing and storing facilities, distribution channels and retail outlets
 cultural factors and ways of doing business
Develop contingency plans for dealing with potential challenges related to:
 new regulations for packaging/labelling/claims
 shifts in trends or buyers preferences
 environmental issues
 marketing, advertising and sales regulations
 changes in the economy
 new competition
 negative business image or perceptions
Select sales procedures for cost effectiveness while complying with legal, regulatory and ethical
compliance requirements of target market
Develop a sales activity plan for the target market(s), considering all legal, regulatory, ethical and
cultural requirements unique to the market/customer base
Set sales objectives for target market and individual products and services
KNOWLEDGE
Competent practitioners must know:
K1.
K2.
K3.
Cultural backgrounds, languages and preferences of customers within the target market(s)
Types of distribution channels, e.g., selling through a retailer, wholesale, sales agent; selling
through kiosks, taking orders via catalogue or online; selling solely online via e-commerce
Types of organizational sales structures, e.g., geographic, product-based, customer-based,
brand-based
VARIABLES, RANGE OF CONTEXT
Competent practitioners may need to work with the following variables:
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V1.
Enterprises will need to comply with tariffs or restrictions on the sale or distribution of their
products or services within each target market. Research to identify potential restrictions or
barriers will be required for each potential market.
GLOSSARY
International sales marketing plan – is a written document that describes an organization’s
international sales and marketing efforts for a prescribed period of time. It includes a statement of the
marketing situation, a discussion of target markets on an international scale and a description of the
marketing mix to be implemented to reach the sales and marketing goals
Marketing mix – includes four variables, or 4P’s of marketing (Product, Price, Place and Promotion), that
can be controlled by marketing managers in order to best satisfy customers within the target market. An
organization will attempt to generate a positive response in the target market by blending these four
marketing mix variables in an optimal manner
CITED SOURCES
1.
2.
3.
Canada Business Network. Developing a Marketing Plan.
(http://www.canadabusiness.ca/eng/page/2690/)
FITT/Gilmore, eVantage. FITTSkills: International Marketing, 6th Edition – Chapter 12: The
International Marketing Plan
QuickMBA.com. Marketing Mix. (http://www.quickmba.com/marketing/mix/)
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