FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1. Where are you based?

The Asia Sales Manager is nominally based in Honolulu, Hawaii USA, which is a great location for Asia business because I can talk to the US mainland in the morning and Asia in the afternoon and evening. This can save a lot of time getting answers for customers in Asia.

That being said, I travel most of the time in Asia visiting my clients’ customers, so it is best to contact me by email or make an appointment to talk by phone. Asia Sales Manager clients have my global mobile number and can reach me easily.

2. What is the pricing for Asia Sales Manager services?

Please see the Services page for details on the various services I provide.

The Asia Sales Manager service (managing your Asian sales/marketing) starts at USD 3,000.00 per month plus 5% commission and any direct travel expenses reimbursed. Of course, it depends on what your company needs are, what the goals are in Asia, and how many hours per month are involved.

Marketing in Asia services are usually project-based and the pricing depends on the number of hours worked. This is similar for Asia Business Development activities.

The Asia Sales Readiness Audit, on average, takes about one month and costs USD 40,000.00 including travel to the home office and Asian sales channel sites.

3. How many clients do you have at any given time?

This varies between regular Asia Sales Manager activities (direct sales and sales management) and project-based Business Development and Marketing work. At any given time, I have five or six clients. Asia Sales Manager clients save a great deal of money on travel expenses because I can often share travel expenses among a few clients when traveling to visit customers or performing other business development work.

4. How did you get started in Asia?

In my first job out of engineering school I was hired by a Japanese company that sent me to live in Seoul to sell the group’s products and services to the Korean (and Asian) semiconductor manufacturing companies. That role expanded quickly into selling to other industries in Asia, including petrochemical, automotive, aerospace, shipbuilding, and many others. That career of selling technical products in Asia hasn’t stopped since, although I have worked for other companies over the years before starting my own company in 2006 in Singapore. 

5. Which industries in Asia are you most familiar with?

I cut my teeth in the Asian semiconductor market and after almost 30 years I still work in the semiconductor manufacturing supply chain often. This includes semiconductor-related markets such as advanced electronics, MEMS, sensors, photonics, nanotechnology, and materials. I have a great deal of experience selling into non-electronics industries in Asia such as automotive, robotics, oil and gas, alternative energy, cleantech (wind, solar), aerospace, construction, filtration, medical devices, biotech, pharmaceutical, and many, many others. I don’t know of an industry in Asia that I haven’t sold products and services to.

6. Which countries in Asia are you most familiar with?

All of them. Literally. During my career, I have been based in Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and China. I have always been responsible for selling throughout Asia when I have been based in one of these markets. Even though I have never been based in Australia, Indonesia, India, Vietnam, or Thailand, I have been in every corner of those countries selling products and services. Within all Asia markets, I have developed a vast network of contacts in companies, universities, and government labs. 

7. What kind of companies do you work for?

Asia Sales Manager clients tend to be small- to medium-sized companies that want to (or need to) sell in Asia but do not have the necessary experience, staff, or resources. Most ASM clients are American or European, although I have worked for many Japanese companies helping them in other parts of Asia. I have worked for several Australian firms, as well as companies from Mexico, South Africa, Israel, Brazil, India, Russia, and others.

I save these companies tens of thousands of dollars in expenses because: 1) I know Asia so well that I can travel very efficiently and cost-effectively; and (2) I have a vast network of contacts in Asia whom I can call to get the clients’ business moving quickly.

8. What is the difference between you and an agent/distributor?

I work for you directly and represent only the best interests of your company. I carry your business card and use your company domain’s email address (if you want me to). I am your Asia Sales Manager.

Agents and distributors are not always perfectly aligned with your goals; in fact, many often carry competing products in their portfolio.

I visit customers in Asia directly and I manage any agents/distributors to keep them working toward your goals.