10 ways the U.S. Commercial Service can help you grow internationally
If you are looking to expand sales outside of the United States (U.S.), the U.S. Commercial Service (CS), a division of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration, supports U.S. companies by offering a wide range of international trade services. With export assistance available in more than 100 offices nationwide, and more than 70 international offices, they provide exporting assistance, help manage trade challenges, connect businesses with foreign buyers and provide support to grow opportunities in new markets.
Whether you are new to exporting or an experienced exporter, there are services that can fit your needs. Here are 10 ways the U.S. Commercial Service can help new and seasoned exporters:
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Conduct an initial market check: Overseas Commercial Service industry specialists can analyze your product/service’s potential in a targeted market through their connections with key industry participants.
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Request an international company profile: Need a background check on a potential foreign partner or customer? The Commercial Service can provide in-depth or basic background check information on a specific foreign company to help determine its suitability as a potential business partner.
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Customized market research: Provides U.S. companies with answers to questions specific to the client’s products or services in a market—including market structure, trends and size, customary distribution, promotion practices, key competitors and agents, distributors, or strategic partners in the market.
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International Partner Search: Provides U.S. companies with a list of up to five partners or distributors that have expressed an interest in the client’s goods or services. The service includes identification and outreach to potential matching firms, sending client’s information to identified matching firms, preparing a profile of interested firms, and providing a report with the profile and contact information for interested firms.
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Gold Key Service: Provides U.S. companies with matchmaking appointments with up to five interested partners in a foreign market. The full service is similar to the International Partner Search.
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Single Company or Location Promotion: Provides a U.S. firm or locality with a promotional event (such as a technical seminar, press conference, luncheon, etc.) to help increase awareness of their products or services in a specific market. Support includes managing event logistics, conducting a targeted invitation campaign, providing logistical and promotional support on-site during the event, and post-event de-briefing to discuss next steps.
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Featured U.S. Exporters: Provides U.S. companies with an opportunity to enhance their international marketing efforts through improved search engine optimization through .gov link-backs to their company’s website. The service entails listing their goods or services overseas on a trusted U.S. government website with a brief description and contact information.
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Trade Show Representation: Provides U.S. companies and economic development organizations with the ability to increase their marketing exposure at an overseas trade show when they are unable to attend in-person. The service entails conducting pre-trade show digital promotions, representing the client at the overseas trade show, and conducting outreach to foreign buyers/distributors in attendance at the trade show.
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Virtual Fair: Provides a group of U.S. entities with an opportunity to promote their products or services to potential partners in a foreign market live through a webinar platform.
- Virtual Introduction: Provides U.S. companies with a virtual introduction via conference call or email to a foreign buyer or partner that has been pre-identified. The U.S. exporter independently identifies the foreign company and requests an introduction. The U.S. Government is not allowed to and does not endorse or vouch for specific U.S. companies or their products or services.
With the help of the U.S. Commercial Service and its sister agencies within the International Trade Administration, you can dive into international opportunities quickly and see results from those efforts in a manageable amount of time. By tackling on international opportunities sooner you can help the U.S. economy, and your local economy, bring expansion and jobs by selling great U.S. products and services to the 96% of the world’s population outside the U.S.
