World Tradewinds
November - December 2002 - Issue N. 115
A Publication of the Monterey Bay International Trade Association (MBITA)
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MBITA CORPORATE SPONSORS:
MBITA PARTNERS & AFFILIATES:
Fri, Oct 25th
California Trade with Mexico Luncheon The new Univ. of Ca. MBEST Center Fri, Nov 15th
California Becoming and Staying a Global Business: Access to International Trade Luncheon The Spyglass Restaurant in Shell Beach Fri. Nov 22nd
International Banking and Marketing - Partners in Trade Luncheon Sponsored by MBITA New Corporate Sponsor EastwestBank Thu, Dec 12th 2002
Silicon Valley Round Table Discussion on Global Trade, Education and Trade Promotion Services Luncheon San Jose Entrepreneur Center To register for MBITA luncheons, call 831-469-0148 or email info@mbita.org including the event specifics you are signing up for in the subject line. For more detail on MBITA business events, go to http://www.mbita.org/events/home.php3 MBITA BOARD OF DIRECTORS:
 President Vice President Members: Victor Cordell Marcelo Siero Jim Faith Phil Cisneros Cristina Polesel Nora Jones MBITA Contact Info
725 Front St. Ste 104 If you would like to have an article published on this newsletter please contact the editor by email. This newsletter has been created by MBITA's editor |
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MBITA's UPDATE
"We need to have a 'rubber-meets-the road' kind of conference where a small business really understands all the factors that a web site needs to address to be successful in a global marketplace", states Shay Adams, MBITA Vice President and board member. We are now seeking Sponsors and Presenters for this conference. Please go to http://www.mbita.org/events/gtrade for more details. Robert "Tony" Livoti |
MBITA New Corporate Sponsor: Jones & Tregenza Communications Group "Our consistent application of media placement, public relations and event planning will result in brand recognition, creating an emotional bond to your company's products and services," says Nora Jones, Company President, "Interactive event programs are key to every marketing strategy, and are the best way to build name recognition." As part of Jones & Tregenza's services, clients get professional consulting to discover new ways to generate revenue streams increasing return on investment.
Services include revenue strategies for your web site, new business software tools to help businesses market themselves more easily, media plans that save money, employee retention programs, seminars, trade-shows and educational forums. Customized professional business papers, brochures, invitations and newsletters are key aspects of the company's focus to ensure professional image development. Jones & Tregenza Communications Group will manage your events throughout the year. Creating an annual event planning calendar and developing a written implementation plan. Such help frees companies to concentrate on the work they do best. Contact: MBITA New Member: Rezkey
The online reservation system has the potential to generate more sales for hoteliers by connecting even the smallest hotel properties to the growing number of travelers who are making travel decisions and booking hotel rooms online. RezKey is being adopted by leading sites:
Rezkey customers have adopted RezKey because it enables them to conduct their business efficiently and effectively online, expand their market reach, increase their sales, and fine-tune their marketing campaigns - all in real time. Booking a hotel room in Santa Cruz County just got easier for travelers. The Santa Cruz County Conference and Visitors Council (CVC) released their new, online reservation system in September.
The number of travelers using the CVC web site has more than doubled in the past year, from 206,663 users in 2000-01 to 598,087 users in 2001-02. According to a recent conversion study, 70% of travelers who requested the Traveler's Guide off of the CVC's web site actually visited Santa Cruz County. Nine local hotel properties participated in the testing period for the CVC's online reservation system. By November, the CVC plans to open up its online reservation system to all hotel properties in Santa Cruz County. The power behind the CVC's online reservation system is RezKey. RezKey booking engine and distribution system blends seamlessly into the CVC's web site. Another local company, Santa Cruz Clicks, was responsible for creating the graphical interface to match the look and feel of the CVC's existing site. Rezkey is your key to successful internet travel distribution and procurement. Contact: MBITA New Member: AEIOS, Inc.AEIOS Helps Clients Profit from Their Global Markets
How do you find out what your international customers really want from you? You ask them! AEIOS can provide you with answers to important questions about your global markets.
AEIOS helps you understand what global markets want from you by communicating directly with your international customers online, in their native languages. Interactive Web sites and online surveys conducted by AEIOS give you the opportunity to receive information from, as well as provide information to, your customers and prospects worldwide, over the Internet. AEIOS delivers global marketing research consulting services to enterprises in e-Commerce, global trade, advertising, new media, computer hardware and software, consumer products, agriculture, financial services, health care, international travel, telecommunications, and information technology markets worldwide. Small to medium sized companies that need to expand their domestic and international markets for their products and services can benefit from AEIOS global marketing research services. Types of research services AEIOS performs include: Web site evaluations, usability tests, audience profile studies, advertising awareness and effectiveness tracking, new product and service development, concept testing, consumer attitudes/opinions/perceptions, purchase intentions/behavior, product usage, customer satisfaction/loyalty, market segmentation, competitive image/product positioning, and price sensitivity studies. Christopher Lucas, President of AEIOS, has over ten years of experience designing and conducting custom, quantitative market research studies of domestic and international markets for both small and large enterprises. Chris has managed customer satisfaction studies for Air France, advertising concept tests for Lufthansa Airlines, and international traveler surveys for the Austrian National Tourist Office. He has also directed online research surveys of high-technology business and consumer markets for clients such as Siemens, Charles Schwab, and E*Trade. "These days, most companies are buried under a mountain of data," says Mr. Lucas. "What our clients need, and what they receive from AEIOS, is valuable information directly from their customers and prospects. This insight into global markets helps our clients sell more products and services worldwide. We always strive to ensure that the value of the information our clients receive exceeds their cost to obtain it." "Applying new online, interactive technologies to international marketing research not only helps U.S. companies improve the effectiveness of their global marketing strategies and increase their sales and exports," adds Mr. Lucas, "it also enhances our awareness, understanding, and appreciation of the world's cultural and linguistic diversity-a worthy cause in today's world." Located in Scotts Valley, California, and serving clients worldwide, AEIOS wants to be your source for global marketing research. Look for AEIOS online surveys of MBITA members to address research technology and international trade issues in future World Tradewinds newsletters. Contact: MBITA, in partnership with its new member, AEIOS, now offers online, interactive, multilingual surveys and global marketing research services to MBITA members. Please contact the MBITA office for further details. MBITA New Member: Global Software Resources Inc. (GSR)
GSR offers more than 10 years of experience in Enterprise Business Solutions using the strongest technology innovations hitting the market. GSR has been awarded the prestigious Microsoft Gold Certified Partner status for outstanding services and for developing state of the art .NET solutions. Clients include companies like Applied Materials, Adobe, Exodus, Microsoft, PG&E, Solectron, Wells Fargo Bank and other large institutions. GSR is focused on developing, integrating, and managing Enterprise Wide business solutions. To deliver effective technical solutions, GSR works with its clients to optimize business processes and organizational support. GSR also applies the requisite technical skills to develop a comprehensive system solution. Technical skills include developing user interfaces, middleware, databases, applications, as well as systems integration and the project management skills required for today's UNIX and Microsoft network-centric computing environments. Core competencies are:
Contact: Automate Your Import Documents Process with Smartborder.com
The Central Coast International Trade Association (CCITA) Reaches OutOne Year Later…the Central Coast International Trade Association (CCITA) Is Still Here and Going Strong!!
CCITA's Advisory Board Is Growing! |
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Ms. Jones, founder of Jones & Tregenza Communications Group, recently returned to Monterey from Knoxville, Tenn. where she was General Manager of both a weekly newspaper and magazine publishing company. She has twenty-five years of media and event management experience. Newspaper industry experience included work as classified manager and telemarketing manager for the Monterey County Herald, classified manager and advertising director for the San Mateo Times. Her event experience includes work with the Gilroy Garlic Festival, Monterey County Wine Festival, Fremont Art Festival and exhibit promotions for Knoxville Museum of Art. 
According to a study conducted by Travel Industry of America, the number of travelers using the Internet to get information on destinations or to check prices grew from 59 million in 2000 to 65 million in 2001. 48% of travelers (31 million) who used the Internet to plan their trips in 2001 actually booked or made travel reservations online.
From the CVC's web site, travelers can search for hotel availability, compare lodging choices and rates, and book their rooms with just a few simple clicks. Anyone with an Internet connection can search for and book a room from anywhere in the world, any time, any day. The online reservation system works with hotels' travel supply system, allows complete and secure client control of loading and managing real-time inventory and rates, and provides real-time booking confirmations via email and/or fax.
AEIOS designs and conducts online, interactive, multilingual surveys of high-technology global business and consumer markets via the World Wide Web. AEIOS applies state-of-the-art Internet survey research techniques and methodologies to help you uncover new global market opportunities and increase sales of your products and services worldwide.
"Becoming and Staying a Global Business: Access to International Trade" at the Spyglass Inn in Shell Beach to celebrate CCITA's one year anniversary and present two speakers for a "roll up your sleeves" working lunch. Dan Lavell, President of Del Water Purification Systems of San Luis Obispo will speak on the structures required to have your business becomes an international business. Tony Baird, a business litigation attorney with Phillips and Associates of San Luis Obispo, will be speaking on the legalities of setting up a business for international trade. This luncheon will provide the attendees with "hand-on" material and knowledge that they can take back to their business and get into action!