Working with partners
Many firms, from retailers like Debenhams to financial service providers like RBS, have failed to crack the Romanian market. In 2012, the US Commercial Service wrote – in its introduction to Romania as a commercial destination – that it is “extremely difficult” for foreign exporters to overcome market risks “without an effective and qualified local partner”. Chelgate agrees, and works as such a partner to businesses moving into Romania. In our work for migrating firms – from the US, from Western Europe, and sometimes from elsewhere – we advise and, when appropriate, hand-hold. You can read more about our service here. Below is a quick overview of our thoughts on the experience of moving into Romania.
Effective B2B
One of Chelgate’s roles involves connecting businesses moving into Romania with target customers. For many businesses – B2B businesses – their customers are solely other businesses. These target businesses have specific interests and niches, and advertising is often too clumsy a way of reaching them. Selling from business to business demands tailored public relations. Advertising may be a part of this, but so are a variety of other tactics.
In particular, a good campaign is tailored to the networks within which the target customers move. That includes the trade gazettes they read, the websites they visit, the conferences they attend, and the social media accounts they follow. The client needs to know whether, in their particular Romanian industry, it is best to approach firms at networking events, in their offices, or via a third party – perhaps via a personal connection, for example.
Chelgate provides advice on the basis of our long experience, our knowledge of Romanian business practices and culture or, if we find we don’t have an answer in-house, on the basis of advice given by our network. Chelgate has been in Romania since 2006, but our staff also contribute deep experience from their prior careers in politics, business, administration, and academic study. Our staff profiles can be found here.
Connecting with a mass audience
As well as B2B work, Chelgate’s Romania team has managed campaigns that engage large regional and national mass audiences. For instance, we were taken on by the European Commission to raise the EU’s profile in Romania, and to improve public understanding of its work and purpose. Chelgate has delivered a very broad range of events – from public debates to lectures – that have connected Romania’s population with the Commission’s priorities and programmes.
For businesses and NGOs, we do the same: we connect companies with potential buyers among the body of the population. We allow organisations to communicate messages to large, sometimes disparate audiences – be they students, bankers, consumers, retailers or lawyers.
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