The US market is big. But the size and pace of market growth outside the US is so dramatic that all businesses, from startups to public companies, are taking notice, and wanting to go global.

Accessing these new markets is not trivial. But by understanding the landscape and taking the right approach, it’s easier than ever before.

China is the biggest opportunity, and yet so few people understand the market. Internet giants like Groupon and Facebook take the region very seriously, because they see the upside. But most midsize and growth-stage companies wait too long make a market entry into Asia.

Hopefully some of this information can be helpful to you as you make your own way, and make your argument internally – to your executives, your team, your clients, and your partners. Here’s the current landscape in China, and how you can succeed there.

Millionaires and Luxury

Did you know that China, India, Brazil, and other rapidly developing countries are now home to the world’s top consumers? Beginning in 2007, emerging economies overtook U.S. consumption for the first time, equaling 32% of total world consumption compared to 28% in the U.S. Ignorance can indeed be bliss.

China is the elephant in the room. It now has over 950,000 millionaires, with an average age of just 39, 15 years younger than their Western counterparts. Most people are astounded by this fact.

The exponential growth in personal income within these countries has driven this shift in global purchasing power. Merrill Lynch reported that in 2010, the number of wealthy people in the Asia-Pacific region exceeded that of Europe for the first time, with much of this growth being driven by China and India.

Going global in Asia, and China specifically can be intimidating because of language, custom, and government. But the rewards are there for the intrepid, and clever.

China has a reputation in the US for mass-manufactured goods, and commoditized electronics. But that stereotype no longer holds true.

With a 20% increase in awareness of luxury brands in 2011, Chinese are also getting a taste for the finer things in life. China’s wealthy are creating a sales boom in business jets, accounting for 25% of Airbus’ total sales for 2010.

The size of the global middle class there is growing at an even greater rate. It’s expected to more than double to 3.8 billion by 2020 and to reach 4.9 billion by 2030. The vast majority of this growth —85% — is expected to come from Asia.

What’s not to like? If you’re going to do business outside of the US, you might as well strike out where the upside is worth the investment.

Why you can pull it off: if you are a luxury good maker, whether that’s consumer goods, software, or anything in between, you can ride the high demand of those 950,000 millionaires. If you’re looking to make an entry to China, focus on the high end of the market, and the high end of your product portfolio.

Size Matters (And China Is Still Growing)

Asia now has nearly a billion Internet users, too — almost half of the world’s total, and more users than Europe and North America combined. China, emblematic of this trend, is first in Internet users by country, with 485 million users.

That’s more than the combined populations of the U.S. and Japan, who happen to be second and fourth on the list. But while more than 75% of Americans and Japanese are already connected to the Internet, only 36% of Chinese are online.

That’s over 800 million Chinese still waiting to get connected.

And it means that your investment in China will pay off even more over time. On top of what you can accomplish today, the market is still nascent.

Why you can pull it off: today, you might only get a small little foothold in China – it absolutely is difficult. But stick with it, because there are 800 million people who are about to come online in China, and that small toehold will become a foothold, and that foothold will become a serious and lucrative presence. Stake your claim now, and start building long-term relationships with partners, suppliers, and local marketing agencies.

The Language Itself Is Skyrocketing

The English language is destined to lose its stranglehold on the Web, that much is known, and obvious. Over the past ten years, growth of non-English speakers on the Internet has lapped that of English speakers.

But, most people think that Spanish language support is the logical next step after English, due mostly to the fact of to prevalence of Spanish in North America, and the familiarity with the language many of us already have.

As it turns out, the number of Chinese speakers using the Internet has increased 1200% in the last decade. That number alone makes up nearly a third of all people online.

Spanish isn’t faring poorly, mind you – the number of Spanish speakers online has increased 700% in the same span. But that’s half the increase as compared to Chinese.

Again, the unfamiliar is, despite everything else, the biggest opportunity.

Why you can pull it off: translation and localization have made great strides in the past 3 years. It used to be that you had to either hire a local person FT to get high quality work, or take your chances with a low-fidelity solution like Google Translate. Today, you can have your cake and eat it too with human, high-quality translation but executed at scale. Crowdsourcing and the Programmable Web (read: API’s) have moved us considerably forward, and a lot more is possible today, even if you’re on a budget.

Mobile Is The Great Equalizer

We’re very sophisticated in the US and the EU in building mobile applications – our UI/UX, our leveraging of external data, and our cultural savvy have created a lot of highly innovative companies with large users bases, in short periods of time.

And in many cases today, we offer mobile apps before we ever think about building a Web app.

Take that and multiply the mentality and the ultimate effect many times over, and then you’ve got China. In China, mobile is king.

Increased access via mobile devices is helping more and more people get connected. In 2010, there were over 800 million mobile Internet users, and by 2013, mobile access is expected to overtake desktop access.

Growth of mobile Internet use is expected to be especially strong in Asia. The number of users in the region connecting to the Internet via their mobile devices is expected to reach over 1.4 billion by 2015.

Robert Laing is the CEO of myGengo, the going global company that offers human translation at scale. Before founding myGengo, Robert led Web teams on projects for clients such as Last.fm, Unilever, Nissan, Deloitte and KPMG. Robert has lived and done business in the UK, Australia, Belgium and Hong Kong. Follow him on Twitter here.

Image courtesy of Flickr user flickrsven.

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At a time when millions of people are grappling with unemployment, many technology companies are actually desperate to hire as many new employees as they can. With tech industry investments frothing up once again, folks with skills such as software and web development are in high demand nowadays — especially in Silicon Valley. I talk daily with company founders who tell me they’re keen to hire as many good engineers as they possibly can.

In a stiff hiring environment like this, once-uncommon perks like free lunch, snacks, massages and foosball tables are practically required. How can a startup, or even a larger tech firm, attract top engineering talent? Here are a few ways that companies are trying to set themselves apart:

• Matchmaker, matchmaker: Anyone who applies for an engineering position at online dating site Zoosk between August 3 and September 30 and gets hired will be put into the running to win a date with either Samantha or Steve, two actors who starred in recent Zoosk TV commercials. Zoosk says it will cover all of the costs of the date, including a round-trip flight to Los Angeles, a chauffeured limousine and dinner. Sure, it’s gimmicky, and it plays into the stereotype of the dateless programmer — but it does sound like fun.

• All vices welcome: Remember the days when hosting an open bar was enough to get a roomful of tech industry talent? Nowadays, event organizers have upped the ante significantly. Take the super luxe party Silicon Valley event planner 50Kings is throwing the night before the Techcrunch Disrupt conference opens in September. From the invite: “We’re taking over the home of a prominent member of the Paypal Mafia and turning it into our very own private casino. Real tables, pro dealers, cocktail waitresses, strict security and high-stakes play. Serious tech players are flying in from Seattle, LA, Las Vegas and we even have an RSVP from an NBA All-Star. The party is on us, but there is a significant minimum table commitment.” Work hard, play hard, indeed.

• Entrepreneurship 101: It seems counter-intuitive, but several startups have taken to providing their employees with classes on starting their own companies. The New York Times has reported that real estate website Redfin gives regular classes on entrepreneurship at its headquarters in Seattle. Similarly Jack Dorsey, Twitter’s co-founder and the current CEO of mobile credit card processing startup Square, gives his employees regular talks on topics such as how to raise venture capital. The thinking is, savvy engineers are likely to get the itch to start their own companies. Giving them the tools to learn how to do so in house may entice them to keep working as employees for as long as possible before they strike out on their own. And in this environment, whatever keeps engineers on your team is a good thing.

Of course, nothing lures in potential employees quite like cold hard cash. Financial incentives such as high salaries, solid stock option packages and lucrative bonuses are a given — and they’re getting bigger by the day. This infographic from Focus.com provides a great snapshot of today’s salary situation:

Feature image courtesy of Flickr user Tess Aquarium.

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When it comes to motorcycles, no other identify carries the mystique, prestige or respect seeing that that of H-D. Harley riders are even more as compared to motorcycle enthusiasts with the penchant for a identify brand; they are instead members of an elite fraternity of riders known throughout the globe. Grab some Harley Davidson Decals to stick on your stuff to find the feel of it. For this elite group, owning a Harley is just aspect from the complete H-D picture. The second and sometimes nearly equal aspect from the equation is image. Whether or not the motorcycle of decision is a Sportster, Softail, or Electra-Glide, there is certainly a specific image that identifies the rider a member from the H-D community.

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There’s small doubt in everyone’s mind that 2010 will be financially tough; perhaps not as much as 2009, but challenging nonetheless. With this becoming the case, each major expense will most likely be delayed if possible. Downward price pressure will continue to dominate the market, that will have a wider effect about the economy. In spite of this, there are locations of company that cannot be brushed below the carpet. Inside communications is an example of them.2010 is a year that can make a distinction to everyone for that following decade. It would be folly to permit the existing economic turbulence to set the climate for that following 10 many years. About the revenue front, we are likely to see more advertising efforts becoming put into retention rather than acquisition – it’s a lot more price effective and has higher company effect. But in addition , it signifies that companies must concentrate their consideration on equipping their staff with the correct attitudes and behaviours to provide on the manufacturer promises that have, and are, being created. Employees are each company’s greatest enablers, without having whom any brand promises will fall flat.

The big spenders – car manufacturers, airlines, retailers and financial services providers – will most likely carry on to spend cautiously on their public relations, advertising and marketing budgets. They may also market attractive discounts and packages which will lure clients to them.Whilst allocating budgets and spend areas is always hard, there’s one area that can’t be skimped on; and in truth, ought to most likely see more efforts set it – that’s employee engagement. Many companies say staff members are their best asset, and however cut budgets from inside communications first simply because it is observed as a good to have. And perhaps this really is an unfortunate stereotype which has entrenched itself over the many years. After all, how can you call staff members your most essential asset, and then inform them the very next day they can’t have coffee at operate any longer due to spending budget.

Companies need to get out of this vicious cycle and recognise that internal connection is a lot more than investing money on the newsletter and intranet. It’s about the activities surrounding the communication that form meaningful employee engagement that can have actual impact on a company. There are endless global case research of how successful and strategic internal connection has verified a correlation between employee attitudes and profits.In addition to the educational value of employee engagement, it is also a easy reality of living a manufacturer in the inside out. If one of your manufacturer guarantees towards the outside globe is client excellence, you require to remember that your workers are in fact your customers, an example of your stakeholder groups, and they should encounter on the inside what you want delivered to your external stakeholders. Housekeeping truly does start in your own home!

Forex Spectrum Links

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Forex Spectrum

There’s small doubt in everyone’s mind that 2010 will be financially tough; perhaps not as much as 2009, but challenging nonetheless. With this becoming the case, each major expense will most likely be delayed if possible. Downward price pressure will continue to dominate the market, that will have a wider effect about the economy. In spite of this, there are locations of company that cannot be brushed below the carpet. Inside communications is an example of them.2010 is a year that can make a distinction to everyone for that following decade. It would be folly to permit the existing economic turbulence to set the climate for that following 10 many years. About the revenue front, we are likely to see more advertising efforts becoming put into retention rather than acquisition – it’s a lot more price effective and has higher company effect. But in addition , it signifies that companies must concentrate their consideration on equipping their staff with the correct attitudes and behaviours to provide on the manufacturer promises that have, and are, being created. Employees are each company’s greatest enablers, without having whom any brand promises will fall flat.

The big spenders – car manufacturers, airlines, retailers and financial services providers – will most likely carry on to spend cautiously on their public relations, advertising and marketing budgets. They may also market attractive discounts and packages which will lure clients to them.Whilst allocating budgets and spend areas is always hard, there’s one area that can’t be skimped on; and in truth, ought to most likely see more efforts set it – that’s employee engagement. Many companies say staff members are their best asset, and however cut budgets from inside communications first simply because it is observed as a good to have. And perhaps this really is an unfortunate stereotype which has entrenched itself over the many years. After all, how can you call staff members your most essential asset, and then inform them the very next day they can’t have coffee at operate any longer due to spending budget.

Companies need to get out of this vicious cycle and recognise that internal connection is a lot more than investing money on the newsletter and intranet. It’s about the activities surrounding the communication that form meaningful employee engagement that can have actual impact on a company. There are endless global case research of how successful and strategic internal connection has verified a correlation between employee attitudes and profits.In addition to the educational value of employee engagement, it is also a easy reality of living a manufacturer in the inside out. If one of your manufacturer guarantees towards the outside globe is client excellence, you require to remember that your workers are in fact your customers, an example of your stakeholder groups, and they should encounter on the inside what you want delivered to your external stakeholders. Housekeeping truly does start in your own home!

Forex Spectrum Links

Forex Spectrum , Forex Spectrum , Forex Spectrum , Forex Spectrum , Forex Spectrum

Forex Spectrum

There’s small doubt in everyone’s mind that 2010 will be financially tough; perhaps not as much as 2009, but challenging nonetheless. With this becoming the case, each major expense will most likely be delayed if possible. Downward price pressure will continue to dominate the market, that will have a wider effect about the economy. In spite of this, there are locations of company that cannot be brushed below the carpet. Inside communications is an example of them.2010 is a year that can make a distinction to everyone for that following decade. It would be folly to permit the existing economic turbulence to set the climate for that following 10 many years. About the revenue front, we are likely to see more advertising efforts becoming put into retention rather than acquisition – it’s a lot more price effective and has higher company effect. But in addition , it signifies that companies must concentrate their consideration on equipping their staff with the correct attitudes and behaviours to provide on the manufacturer promises that have, and are, being created. Employees are each company’s greatest enablers, without having whom any brand promises will fall flat.

The big spenders – car manufacturers, airlines, retailers and financial services providers – will most likely carry on to spend cautiously on their public relations, advertising and marketing budgets. They may also market attractive discounts and packages which will lure clients to them.Whilst allocating budgets and spend areas is always hard, there’s one area that can’t be skimped on; and in truth, ought to most likely see more efforts set it – that’s employee engagement. Many companies say staff members are their best asset, and however cut budgets from inside communications first simply because it is observed as a good to have. And perhaps this really is an unfortunate stereotype which has entrenched itself over the many years. After all, how can you call staff members your most essential asset, and then inform them the very next day they can’t have coffee at operate any longer due to spending budget.

Companies need to get out of this vicious cycle and recognise that internal connection is a lot more than investing money on the newsletter and intranet. It’s about the activities surrounding the communication that form meaningful employee engagement that can have actual impact on a company. There are endless global case research of how successful and strategic internal connection has verified a correlation between employee attitudes and profits.In addition to the educational value of employee engagement, it is also a easy reality of living a manufacturer in the inside out. If one of your manufacturer guarantees towards the outside globe is client excellence, you require to remember that your workers are in fact your customers, an example of your stakeholder groups, and they should encounter on the inside what you want delivered to your external stakeholders. Housekeeping truly does start in your own home!

Forex Spectrum Links

Forex Spectrum , Forex Spectrum , Forex Spectrum , Forex Spectrum , Forex Spectrum

Forex Spectrum