Improving credibility at low cost

"Credibility abroad for a company when the country is not seen as credible is a major issue, but there are solutions. If you are a law firm, you need to be registered at least at www.lawyers.com. If you are an architectural firm you need to be active in at least www.akropolis.com. The advantage of acting now is that the dust has not yet settled on services market-places. Right now here is a window for all of your firms. Most of these market places need volume: they will allow you to register for free, they will set up web presences for free, because they need the activity.

I would advise: be active wherever you can and track where your referrals come from. 

"As for getting new customers, you should go to where the customers are going to look. Don't rely on getting them to come to you. Be visible in online directories and electronic marketplaces. It's a wonderful opportunity for developing-country service firms."

-- Dorothy Riddle, President and CEO, Service-Growth Consultants Inc, Vancouver, Canada.