SME internationalization through use of social media, living labs and market specific development

Purpose and goal

Main goal: Methods for SME´s regarding marketing and sales using B2B using social medier was achieved. We have taken part in forming an operative network of clusters that together make more applications for projects that supprt SME internationalisation in more parts of Europe. A number of SME´s fpund new markets for there products/services and partners on those markets. At least some of the participationg companies have had their product/service tested on a new market during the project, and got feedback.

Results and expected effects

We have succeeded in what we set out in the project. We underestimated the problem to get room for meetings with the most important people in each company in the calendar. Therefore, many of our activities were late compared to schedule. It is always difficult to see the long-term effects on such a short project, but the fact that we were late makes it extra difficult. The SME´s are, however, very happy, and they all were was interested to go on for another project where we could follow the long-term effects. We also applied for such a project, but unfortunately it was rejected.

Approach and implementation

We were late according to the schedule. Apart from that our plan and the implementation of it worked well. Wise from experience, we should have ´blocked´ times for meetings and workshops with companies long before we knew exactly what we would do in each meeting. A further difficulty was of course that we initially did not know exactly which companies should take part. As we also mentioned it was hard to get progress in collaborations with other clusters before we meet in person in Berlin. From the beginning we focused on ´living labs´, but it proved easier to work with other clusters.