new opportunities to sell Not only can you talk business and build relationships that position you to win business from connections on the trade mission, you also meet other suppliers and contacts. Some of my first trade mission contacts are still great resources I can tap into to learn about opportunities and talk about international trade. While I am now on the support side of trade missions, working with entrepreneurs who want to expand into new markets, I still see the same value in the experiences of the many business owners who have taken part in trade missions.
Showing up and creating a base for relationships by participating in interesting conversations is a powerful way to promote your business in the minds of prospective buyers and partners in international markets. The best champions can be other trade mission participants who can introduce and sell the benefits of each other’s businesses. Watching this in action is remarkable, as we often we have a difficult time sharing our own value propositions. An introduction by someone else creates a new story for us to tell with confidence. Listening to someone else describe us can be an excellent way to refine our message and attract potential business opportunities.