I'd say overall, being a Premium member has increased our sales revenue by about 40 percent.

Member:Mr. Mamun Haque Company:LIAN CO LTD Territory:[Taiwan] Products:Cosmetics

Lian Co. is a cosmetics company from Taiwan. They specialize in understanding the needs of the clients from around the world, then tailor-making products to suit their client's needs.

Their company is capable of everything from the research and development of new products, to color-selection, formula fine-tuning, production and packaging.

Lian Co. has been with Alibaba.com for more than three years now, promoting their products and trading internationally. We caught up with Mr. Mamun Haque from Lian Co. recently to see how his company was doing, and asked him what he thought about his Alibaba.com membership.

When and how do you first learn of Alibaba?

I first learned about Alibaba.com in 2003, back when we were still pretty new to the international market. We wanted to find a place where we could advertise our products to international buyers. Alibaba.com seemed like exactly the place we were looking for.

What prompted you to join as a premium member?

There are a lot of competitors out there, and of course, we were looking for a way for buyers to choose us over them. Being a Premium member gives buyers the confidence to start negotiations with us, without having to worry about whether or not we are serious about trading or not.

How has that been working out for you?

Since we joined [as a Premium member], we get on average about 10 inquiries a week.

And how many of those have actually turned into real orders?

Not counting the small orders, we have closed about 20 deals so far. I'd say overall, being a Premium member has increased our sales revenue by about 40 percent. A few of them were quite large.

That's quite impressive! How do you manage to pull in so much business?

I find that posting new products online seems to be the most effective method of getting buyers'attention. We post products very often, and keep our details informative, but simple. We also highlight the unique functions of our products so that buyers know exactly what we have to offer that's different from our competitors. I can't say that it works for everyone, but it has been working very well for us so far.

So how often do you post up new products?

I update the products I already have online and post up new products quite regularly. I'd say almost every month. Posting new products makes a big difference. You don't need to have the newest products with the most amazing functions, but buyers like to know everything you have available. It also helps them get an idea of what you're capable of producing.

I remember reading from your website that your company is very good at helping partners 'develop their markets'. How exactly do you do this?

Our relationship with buyers is not just about them picking out products, and us making and shipping the products to them. I often try to take the relationship to a higher level by getting to know what it is exactly that they need. I listen to their problems and their ideas, and in a lot of cases, I can offer to make them completely new products that is everything they wanted but could not find. In many cases, a lot of our partners have even become our friends, because we understand each other so well.

You make it sound so easy! How do you go from a buyer inquiry to being friends?

Well, if the inquiry sounds legitimate, I reply right away, and always right away. Fast responses are very important. The rest is about asking the right questions, and understanding what the buyer's needs are.

Are there any services on Alibaba.com that you particularly like?

I absolutely love TradeManager! This one time, I was staying late at the office finishing up some work, and of course, I still had TradeManager on. A buyer from the US sends me a message, saying she needed a product urgently. We chatted for about an hour about product details, and then I went home. The next morning I checked my email and it turns out she wanted to place an order! Needless to say, I keep TradeManager on as much as possible now.

I still work with that buyer from the US now, and our relationship grows stronger every time we get a chance to work together.

"Being a Premium member gives buyers the confidence to start negotiations with you!"

View this member's Product Showroom

Shimmer Eyeshadow Powder

Duo Mascara

Powder in A Brush

Ultra Shine Lip Gloss

Liquid Eye Shadow