‘Need For Harder Sell’

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31081, 9 June 1966, Page 1

‘Need For Harder Sell’

Signs existed that New Zealand was starting to adopt a “harder sell” overseas, but to be successful she had to do this much more, said the export liaison officer in Canterbury and Marlborough (Mr D. N. Hull) in Christchurch yesterday. “We are a bit gentlemanly in our commercial dealings compared with the countries we are competing with most,” he said. Mr Hull was summing up after a two-month survey he has made of Canterbury export potential for the Department of Industries and Commerce. In the two months Mr Hull

has spent in Canterbury since February this year he has seen 150 business principals.

Mr Hull said that in the field of Rugby and middle distance running New Zealand had achieved an international status with a will to win. .“If we kept to that sort of spirit in commerce, we would have less difficulty in selling our goods overseas.” he said.

Mr Hull said that his survey work, liaison work and interviews in Christchurch as well as elsewhere in Canterbury had been worth while. We could hope to sell a wide range of Canterbury made goods overseas. “Some people are doing it now but all too few,” he said “The rest should emulate them and get cracking. The department w s ’! give them the heln to do it.” Mr Hull said that the Aushad a great

thing in his favour. Almost every Australian was an advocate for Australian-made goods. The average Australian believed and told the world that Australian-made goods were the best, whether he was right or not. Mr Hull said that a few major Canterbury exporters had found their feet in the world of international commerce. The group needed to become a lot bigger. Many Canterbury exporters and would-be exporters, were handicapped at present by lack of an adequate shipping service. Anything that could be done to increase the shipping frequency would help Canterbury’s export drive. He was impressed by the use of airfreight in export trade. Because of his many interviews in Christchurch he was arranging for trade commissioners Jo do market surveys

in various overseas markets. Mr Hull said. Information would be assembled that would give people a clear picture of the likely demand for their goods.

Export incentives, said Mr Hull, had been of real value. He understood that manufacturers representations for modifications of these incentives had been thoroughly examined by the Government. At least three Canterbury manufacturing companies were exporting more than £lOO,OOO worth of goods a year, said Mr Hull. These companies had encouraged a number of others to try to follow suit. Many Canterbury factories were well-equipped for export. Mr Hull will return to Wellington this week. He hopes to spend a week in Marlborough later this month assisting businessmen to export