• contacts – what contacts do you need to make in your new market?

 

Planning your business trip overseas

 

At an early stage in the export process it helps to go and see for yourself which market offers the best opportunities and where to focus your efforts. Having a plan in place really helps to get the most from your trip.

 

Determining where and when to visit

There are no fixed and fast rules about how soon to visit a market, but one thing is clear: you should always visit before entering into any agreements with prospective agents, distributors or other business partners that could influence your future dealings in that market.

 

The choice of market will depend on the work you have already done in researching opportunities with your Food Trade Affairs Advisor – and possibly as a result of direct enquiries you have already received. Don’t take on more than one or two markets to start with. Concentrate your effort to have a much better chance of success

 

Food Trade Affairs will assist you plan your visit and make contact with the relevant parties that can assist you. One of the best investments you can make in a successful trip is ensuring your program is planned and arranged with in-country assistance.

 

Review your in-market strategy:

• In preparing for export you will already have developed a general export strategy. Review this and perhaps add to it further for this particular market.

 

• Review your unique selling proposition, ie. the distinct and appealing selling message that sets your product or service apart from its competitors. You may want to enhance it or add some specifics for this market. Discuss your concept with our Food Trade Affairs Advisor.

 

• Set down on paper exactly what you want to achieve from this visit – and if possible the individual meetings that you are scheduling.

 

• Develop a series of questions you want to ask at each type of meeting.