On a daily basis we interact with companies who are either already exporting to International markets or considering doing so. It’s a fascinating discussion topic because each company and their respective product /service have their own specific business needs with their own USPs. The surprising thing in many cases however is that the individual company may not be aware of the outstanding export assistance available from their relevant Trade and Investment body.
On any given week there will be a focused Trade Mission from one point of the Globe to another covering specific sector and/or market opportunities and the benefits of participating are clearly evident.
The company is provided with essentially an “Export Wing-person” to help with itinerary planning, appointment scheduling, travel and logistics etc. All the type of activities which when posed to an individual company can take up too much time to the point where it can be discouraging to arrange these types of business development trips independently.
There can be strong financial incentives for participation in a group type mission also with a combination of economies of scale and potential subsidies or grants making joining a delegation a particularly attractive offer and a much more cost effective one also.
We have seen multiple occasions where participation at a major overseas event may seem out of reach due to costs and lack of connections in a given market however through the utilisation of group attendance the company is given access to these shows in addition to the aforementioned assistance also.
The pulling power and in-house expertise of the export assistance support agency cannot be undervalued. In many cases specific events will have been targeted over consecutive years meaning that there are existing contacts in place to build out business development plans however it is this existing knowledge and support that can be invaluable in providing companies with an increase in their most valuable commodity – TIME.
The company spend more time meeting potential buyers, clients, partners etc and less time thinking – which line do I need to join to get into this exhibition, what’s the WIFI situation, or does anyone know a strong logistic provider who can get me from A-B-C-D today. In my experience a good logistics provider for example can be your best friend on these types of missions and that’s why existing experience from export assistance providers can again be invaluable. It part of their role to help you get both maximum time and exposure in a new market and their experience and resources can allow you to do just that!
OCO Global have invaluable internal expertise which can assist with this type of international export development. We have recently launched our Trade Hub Initiative which combines years of staff expertise of working with companies directly to either launch in new export markets or identify global opportunities for consideration. There are multiple routes to market whether it be conducting initial market research on a given market, or conducting a service to identify and approach a potential partner for your needs, right through to providing insight and assistance on how to set up and invest in a new market should that be the direction you are heading.
Speak to us today.
