basic-guide-to-exporting_Latest_eg_main_086196

Trade MissionsThe U.S. Department of Commerce organizes or supports numerous trade missionseach year. The missions involve travel to foreign countries by U.S. companies andU.S. Department of Commerce employees, sometimes led by a senior official suchas the secretary or under secretary. Participants meet face to face with prescreenedinternational businesspeople in the market they travel to. Trade missions saveU.S. companies time and money by allowing them tomaximize contact with qualified distributors, salesrepresentatives, or partners. U.S. Commercial Servicemissions are industry specific and target two to fourcountries per trip. U.S. Commercial Service specialistsabroad will prescreen contacts, arrange businessappointments, and coordinate logistics in advance.This preparatory effort is followed up by a 1-week tripby representatives of the U.S. company to personallymeet with the new prospects. The “buzz” generated bymissions can help build brands and enhance credibilityin the country market.Foreign Agricultural Service (www.fas.usda.gov)Through a network of counselors, attachés, trade officers, commodity analysts, andmarketing specialists, the Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service(FAS) can help arrange contacts overseas and provide marketing assistance forcompanies that export agricultural commodities.U.S. Agency for International Development (usaid.gov)The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) administers programs thatoffer export opportunities for U.S. suppliers of professional technical assistanceservices and commodities. Opportunities to export commodities are availablethrough the commodity import programs that USAID operates in select USAIDrecipientcountries and through the agency’s direct procurement of commodities.In addition, USAID funds may be available in certain recipient countries to financedevelopmentally sound projects involving U.S. capital goods and services. Forexporters traveling to developing countries in which a USAID program is in place,information is available on funds, projects under consideration, and contacts.U.S. Department of StateFace-to-face meetings,especially whenfacilitated by seniorU.S. governmentofficials, can make ahuge impression withforeign buyers.The U.S. Department of State operates the Business Information Database System(BIDS, bids.state.gov), an online trade lead program which collects businessopportunities across the U.S. embassy system. All embassies have a commercialsection that will provide further information on a given business lead, as well as otherassistance about the market.80U.S. Commercial Service • A Basic Guide to Exporting