Hot Tips for Planning INTERNATIONAL TRADE EVENTS

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Presented by Bronwen E. Madden21st Annual NASBITE International Conference

March 7, 2008

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Types of Events

– Webinar– Video conference– International catalog show– International trade show

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Tip: Skype is a cheap way to connect with five or less parties with video, instant messenger, and phone. You can even get “local” phone numbers – International trade show

– International buyer’s mission– International trade mission– In-bound trade mission

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“local” phone numbers that redirect to your cell number in your home

country.

Before the Event– Identify target markets (develop export plan)– Choose the right events (industry specific)– Review show history

• year established, volume, list of past participants…

– Amount of presence

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– Amount of presence• Buy a booth, walk the show, be represented

– Use organizer’s resources • Booth assistant, hotel discount, equipment rental

– Demonstrate product• Sample, shell, DVD

– Location at show– Seek clients for meetingsI

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Tip: Start with an export-marketing plan and identify markets with high export potential.

Webinar

– Participate via your computer– Low cost and on occasion free– A live feed– Able to instant message questions

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– Able to instant message questions– Educational experience– Little preparation required

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Video Conference

– Meet at local USEAC office– Inexpensive– See faces of marketing specialists abroad– Gain market insights

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– Gain market insights– Access to industry specialists in foreign market

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International Catalog Show– Targets multiple markets in a region– Inexpensive – No travel required– Send product literature ( 15 catalogs per market to APO address three months in advance); Translate if

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APO address three months in advance); Translate if necessary

– Send sample / DVD / business cards– Receive leads and market information– Booth assistant; help with language and prevent theft

– Keep a “master binder” with co. info and literature

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International Trade Show– Marketing tool to introduce products into

foreign markets– Provides face to face time with potential buyers

– Booth: on your own or part of a pavilion?

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– Booth: on your own or part of a pavilion?• Ship in advance; easier to mail than carry; Use ATA Carnet if applicable or APO address

– Demo: products on hand– Used for lead generation more so than on-site sales

– Booth assistant; help with language and prevent theftI

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Trade Shows

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Before the Show– Establish objectives

• Type of partnerships sought—Distrib., JV, end-user

– Choose shows early– Choosing the show Tip: Combine a trade

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– Choosing the show– Countries of interest– Show history– Location at show

• Reserve private meeting space

– Seek clients for meetings– Train staff on trade show selling techniques

• Have two people to allow for breaks/visit other booths

Tip: Combine a trade mission in conjunction

with a trade show to save on travel costs. Use the show to get leads and have the mission to firm

relationships.

International Buyer’s Mission

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– Domestic trade show– Meet global buyers – Cheaper than international show

Tip: This is an excellent way to meet serious

business partners who are qualified at

a low cost.

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– Cheaper than international show– Private meeting space sometimes provided

International Trade Mission

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– International business trip tailored to companies objectives

– Travel alone or with a delegation-usually a delegation; alone is a Gold Key

– Pre-screened appointments with local

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– Pre-screened appointments with local companies

– Logistical assistance and in-country support– Commercial briefings on the local market– Political leaders raise visibility and can influence policy

– Most conducive for results when meeting face-to-face

Trade Mission Briefing Book

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– Itinerary– Delegation list– Delegation contact information– Company profiles

Tip: Schedules tend to change up to the last minute; three-hole

binders make it easier to pull out and insert

information. Speeches should be on one side only as some speakers

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– Biographies– Trade data/ current events– Meeting briefs & speech copies– Protocol (culture)

• U.S. Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs (travel warnings)• Executive Planet or CultureGrams

– Past history– Be ready to work the media!

only as some speakers like to rip out the pages

upon completion.

Tip: Phonetically spell unfamiliar names/words.

Trade Mission Meeting Brief

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– Date / time / location– Contact person (including cell #)– Meeting participants & titles– Objectives / goals

Tip: Purchase McCaffree’s book on Protocol or Holberg’s Forms of Address book

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– Talking points– Dress– Seating chart– Gift

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TM

In-Bound Trade Mission

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– Foreign companies visit the U.S. – Companies prescreened– Company profiles provided– Travel alone or with a delegation

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– Meet one-on-one with potential partners– Political leaders raise visibility– Inexpensive– Conducive for results

Trade Show/Mission BenefitsOffered by FCS

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- Follow-up with leads- Lower costs - Extra support- Translation

Tip: Gifts are considered customary in some cultures and should not be seen as bribes. Be modest (or risk embarrassment by their need to reciprocate) but thoughtful. Gifts that

“connect” your product or tell

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- Translation- Shipping materials- In-country support- Logistical assistance- More visibility

Tip: Ask for a show directory from the previous year to see who might attend and create a “target list” of

who you want to visit.

“connect” your product or tell a memorable story which is personal to your company

and/or history are best. Keep in mind cultural superstitions. Your firm may wish to have a display case for corporate gifts received so individuals do not personally benefit.

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Tip: Business cards can provide a sense of

professionalism and make follow-up easy as you don’t have to decipher

handwriting and scanners can instantly populate

your database.

Tip: Business card titles

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Tip: Business card titles need to demonstrate business decision

making authority; it is not uncommon to have a

second set of cards with a manager title. Additionally, size,

language and information (i.e., degrees,

certification) change from market to market and should be sensitive to

these variances.

Event Organizers & Facilitators

U.S. Government – Dept. of Commerce & Foreign Ag. Service– State and Municipal Trade Assistance Centers

Foreign Governments

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Foreign Governments– Federal level: JETRO, U.K. Trade & Invest– State / Provincial Level

Private Entitles, Not-for-Profit, & NGOs– Hannover Fairs, EJ Krause, Kallman Int., etc. – World Trade Centers– Chambers of CommerceI

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Where to Find Event Info

– http://www.export.gov/tradeevents.html– www.tsnn.gov– http://www.biztradeshows.com/– http://www.expoworld.net/

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– http://www.expoworld.net/– http://www.foreign-trade.com/exhibit.htm– http://www.fas.usda.gov/scripts/agexport/EventQuery.asp

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Recruitment– Start with past event participants, they are most loyal– Contact current clients– Use business directories such as Harris Infosource and PIERS to extract data on exporting companies and target them (best for industry-specific events)

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and target them (best for industry-specific events)– Contact your local USEAC office (and other multipliers) and ask them to market the event to their clients

– Meet on-site with serious potential participants• Personal meetings better introduce/explain the event • You get a better understanding for their product and thus represent them better

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Register Event Participants

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Props– Product literature (translate!)– Industry plackets– Hockey-rink discs– Maps and flags– Supply box with tacks, tape, pens, staples…

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Tip: Use Velcro to secure product samples to the tablecloth on your booth table to prevent show

participants from stealing.

– Supply box with tacks, tape, pens, staples…– Fish bowl for business cards– Promotional items (friendship pins) / giveaways– Videos/DVDs (rent monitor at the show)– Product demonstrations– Electronic info (people “dump” heavy paper)

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Travel Checklistq Travel request submitted and approvedq After travel is approved, book plane

ticket and schedule lodging q Passport, applicable visas and travel

shots need to be administeredq Reserve transportationq Itinerary (including hotel and plane

ticket info) submitted to manager and

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q Laptop q Projectorq Adaptor kitq CD ROM containing all company

information, marketing and contact information (i.e. brochures)

q Trade booth q Company literature

copy for support staffq Notation on personal calendar along

with cell phone numberq Out of office assistant turned on q Telephone forwarded to support staffq Government identification card q State tax exempt form (if applicable)q Pouch for travel receiptsq Business cardsq Blackberry / cell phone q CameraI

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q Company literatureq Product samplesq Follow-up formq State map (display location)q Flag placket w/US, State and local

flagq Company promotional itemsq Friendship pinsq Gifts for foreign dignitaries / hosts

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Trade Show Database

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After the Event– Have a “lessons-learned” meeting to review what worked and what didn’t to better future events

– Create contact database (MS Access database)– Promptly follow-up with leads

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Qualifying Leads

– Specific (focused) business interest; they know what they want.

– Business card– Differentiate

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Tip: Identify what your ideal partner would be like and your goals for the market which will

influence your market • Speak English?• Need financing?• Years in the industry?• Represents complimentary products?• Familiar with U.S. culture?

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influence your market strategy and the type of relationship you seek.

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Center for International Trade DevelopmentEl Camino College Business Training Center

13430 Hawthorne Boulevard, HawthorneCalifornia 90250 USA

Tel: (310) 973-3173 ���� Fax: (310) 973-3132

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Tel: (310) 973-3173 ���� Fax: (310) 973-3132

Website: http://elcamino.citd.org