There are ample opportunities for Saudi businessmen to invest in Pakistan and the government will extend all possible help to overseas investors, Abdul Salik Khan, Consul General of Pakistan, has said. Speaking at a recent workshop on “Strategic Marketing,” jointly organized by the Engineers Welfare Forum and the Ambela Business & Technology Center in Jeddah, the Consul General urged his compatriots and the people of Saudi Arabia to come forward to invest in Pakistan not only in terms of business but also in its technology, which would benefit the country as well as its people. The Consul General said his country and people are passing through the toughest times in Pakistan's history and stressed that constant hard work and a sincere commitment was needed to bring the country back to the path of development and progress. Asif J. Mir, a renowned Pakistani consultant currently visiting the Kingdom, spoke of a visionary marketing concept. “That is the key to global business,” he said. Delivering his keynote address at the workshop, he said: “The marketing concept has totally changed during this century; it has become a backbone of today's business.” To start a business in a professional manner, he said, the first thing is to have vision, then one must plan and manage the customer's needs, since a buyer now expects “customization” of products or services according to his requirements. In an hour-long presentation on strategic marketing, Mir said that “brand management” is another important aspect of business since the customer's trust results in a higher return on sales. “In our country, most companies do not have a vision; they enter into business abruptly and are unable to maintain or enhance business due to a lack of planning and professional management,” he said. Masroor Elahi, general secretary of the Engineers Welfare Forum, later accepted Mir's offer of free consultancy to run a training institute for professional development. He also announced the opening of an institute in Jeddah soon.
