Last week we discussed categories of buyers
and their brief profiles. This week, we shall systematically
look for sources of information in each category of
buyers in your target countries. The objective is
to compile a list of likely organizations that might
buy your products.
Preliminary Market Research
Traditionally, this has been accomplished
through trade delegation, participation in trade fairs,
using trade directories etc. With the advent of Internet
- exporters now have a wonderful opportunity to do
preliminary market research in a much more focussed
and inexpensive way.
Once you make a list of likely buyers
in your target countries, next steps are pretty traditional
involving time consuming promotion and follow-up work
like:
- contact every one of the prospects
through e-mail/tel/fax etc
- ascertain their degree of interest in your product,
price
- Through gradual elimination, zero-in to a select
group who show interest in doing business with you
- Develop more intimate relationship, send samples,
travel to the country for personal meeting or invite
them here.
Contribution
of Trade Associations in Overseas Marketing
One primary source of valuable information
for every category of buyers is trade associations.
The associations are formed by businessmen in an industry
segment primarily to lobby with Government regarding
legislative and regulatory matters. In addition, they
also undertake tasks that help their members in training
and skill development, sales, quality control etc.
Almost every association publishes books and journals
- members' directory, business guide, Newsletters
etc. which could be low-cost yet very effective advertisement
medium for your products. Directory of members may
provide list of prospective buyers.
The Internet is an excellent medium to
identify useful Trade Associations in your target
country. I have made a small compilation below - with
the help of any good search engine you may discover
many more. The list shows that trade associations
can be very valuable source for every category of
buyers - retailer, wholesaler, end-user etc.
Wholesalers'
Associations
American
Wholesale Marketers Association
International Wholesale
Furniture Association
Sanitary Supply Wholesalers
Association
New England Wholesalers Association Incorporated
Southern Association of Wholesale Distributors
Wholesale Florist and Florist Supplier Association
Retailers' Associations
Alabama Retail Association
American Specialty Toy Retailing Association
Canadian Retail Hardware Association (hardware
and building materials)
Central Ohio Retail
Grocers Association Inc.
Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America
Illinois Retail Merchants Association
International Mass Retail Association Foundation
Kentucky Retail Federation Incorporated
Michigan Retailers Association
Jewelers of America
National Shoe Retailers Association
National Retail Federation
Industry Specific
Trade Associations
American Spice Trade Association, Inc
Horticultural Trades Association
(UK)
Builders Merchants Federation (UK)
American Seed Trade Association
Embroidery Trade Association
International
Trade Associations
International Pepper Community (IPC) (Brazil) (Spanish)
International Tire
and Rubber Association
World Trade Centers
Association (The World Trade Centers Association is
an organization of over 300 World Trade Centers in
almost 100 countries, connected to expand your global
business).
International Reciprocal
Trade Association - offers information about barter
industry
World Federation of
Trading House Associations - promotes the interests
of international trading house associations
