Best in Show: Leveraging Trade Events to Access International Markets

Is exporting part of your company’s growth strategy? 

Perhaps you have decided to diversify your customer base by expanding to new international markets, or you may have even been approached directly by a potential international customer seeking to apply your technology, product or service in their country. Either way, the good news is that technology has made it easier than ever to be a part of the global market. It provides the means to more effectively produce, market and sell your product to potential partners and customers around the world.

New and seasoned exporters face some key questions when looking to enter or expand internationally. For starters, what are the right markets for my products? Who are my company’s potential customers or end users, and how can we reach them? Who are my competitors, and are there other elements – such as standards, regulations, tariffs – that must be considered when assessing my company’s market potential?

While information about, and access to international markets have never been more available at our fingertips than it is today, one tried and true international selling strategy remains a critical factor to many exporters’ success – attending or exhibiting at trade events. Trade shows provide a venue to connect with thousands of prospective buyers and partners from around the world and maximize your company’s visibility within the industry, all in one location. For example, some products are much easier to sell when potential overseas partners are able to see and learn about technologies in person. Direct engagement with a knowledgeable salesperson is often the tipping point in a customer’s purchasing decision. Many international buyers travel to trade shows with the explicit purpose of making immediate purchases to address their pressing procurement needs.

Exporting success requires planning and research, just as domestic sales require a well-developed marketing and sales strategy. One of the best ways to research international markets is to attend or exhibit at an industry-specific trade show overseas or connect with the many international buyers who attend major U.S.-based trade events. Most shows offer educational seminars, conference sessions and the opportunity to meet with key industry leaders. Additionally, the exhibition floor is an unparalleled classroom in which you can gather market intelligence by visiting other vendors’ booths; connect with potential partners, agents or distributors; and learn about competitors’ products and pricing.

Trade shows are an amazing venue to make sales and gather research, but they are much more than that. The networking that occurs at shows is often the key that sets U.S. exporters up for ultimate success. Trade show participants can hold conversations with those in the industry that can help propel them to that next market or lay the foundation of a relationship that will deliver a steady stream of future export revenues. When at a trade show, you are quite literally surrounded by the key players in your industry.

The U.S. Commercial Service, part of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration, can help your company leverage trade shows to create and grow your company’s international business. We recently undertook a strategic re-envisioning of our approach to trade shows, resulting in the creation of a new Trade Event Partnership Program (TEPP). The TEPP enables the U.S. Commercial Service to partner with the organizers of trade shows, U.S. Pavilions, expos and business conferences to better support the needs of participating U.S. exhibitors and attendees.

The U.S. Commercial Service supports U.S. exporters at numerous trade events each year, both here in the United States and at major overseas shows. We send industry specialists and Commercial Diplomats from U.S. Embassies and Consulates around the world to provide U.S. companies with actionable market intelligence and match them with qualified international buyers before, during, and after the show. In many cases, our trade specialists bring delegations of international buyers to meet directly with U.S. exhibitors on the show floor. These programs are designed to facilitate viable export opportunities for U.S. firms like yours.

Trade shows can be an invaluable component of your international sales growth plan. The key is choosing the right event(s) and understanding how to maximize your participation in the event to springboard into exporting success. To view a list of upcoming events we are supporting, and to identify potential shows to expand your international business, please visit www.export.gov/events. Closer to home, our International Trade Specialists in Pittsburgh are here to meet with you to discuss effective trade show strategies, find your next export market, and expand your current international business. To connect with us today, you can visit our website at www.export.gov/pennsylvania/pittsburgh or call us at (412) 644-2800. We look forward to the opportunity to help you leverage trade events to grow your sales, gather market intelligence, and meet the right international partners to foster your international business development.

Ryan Russell is a Senior International Trade Specialist and Global Environmental Technologies Team Leader with the U.S. Commercial Service’s Pittsburgh office. He can be reached at ryan.russell@trade.gov or (412) 644-2817.