Learn about the components and benefits of U.S. Department of Commerce Trade Missions, and how your company can get involved and grow your business through exports.

1. What are Trade Missions?
And are they right for your company?

2. So,
What is a Trade Mission?
The U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) defines trade missions as
overseas programs for U.S. firms that wish to explore and pursue
export opportunities by meeting directly with potential clients in their
markets.
But here are the trade mission features that make these DOC-
led programs stand out from searching for potential foreign partners
on your own.

3. PREPARATION
Interested U.S. companies receive an
assessment of the mission stops’ market
potential specific to their needs by in-country
specialists with extensive network of contacts in
company’s industry. If it is identified that there is
no market potential, the specialist will not
recommend the company participate in the
mission. If there is potential in several stops, the
level of opportunity can be gauged to help the
company make a decision which stops to
choose.
INSIGHT
Once the company is confident that there is
receptive environment in the mission’s target
markets and commits to joining the mission, they
will receive market guidance from the organizers:
pre-travel briefing and preliminary, followed by
final, report of the meetings scheduled for them
when they arrive in country.
FEATURES

4. FEATURES
CONFIDENCE
When sitting across the table from or visiting
the site of a potential partner as part of the
“one-on-one business matchmaking
appointments with pre-screened potential
buyers, agents, distributors, or joint venture
partners” portion of the mission, both parties
are secure in the legitimacy of each other’s
business and can focus on building a strong
lasting business relationship.
NETWORKING
Mission participants will attend market
briefings, site visits and networking receptions.
Since Trade Missions gain the attention of
local/national government representatives,
business leaders, and media in international
markets, the U.S. companies can make the
right connections in a casual setting.

5. What about all the other
Trade Missions?
Can local government organizations or business associations
work with U.S. Department of Commerce to provide the same
quality of service and leverage the global network spanning over
70+ countries?
Absolutely. Now we are talking about Certified Trade Missions.

6. You might
insert your
favourite
quotes here.
CERTIFIED TRADE
MISSIONS TYPICALLY
INCLUDE
U.S. Department of Commerce
Certified Trade Missions (CTMs)
are overseas events planned, organized,
recruited, and led by private and public-
sector export-oriented groups outside of the
U.S. Department of Commerce. CTMs are
hosted by the U.S. Department of
Commerce’s overseas Commercial Service
offices. CTMs bring representatives of U.S.
companies into contact with potential
agents, distributors, joint venture partners,
licensees, local businesses, and government
contacts.
U.S. Commercial Service posts in the
targeted markets provide guidance to the
sponsoring organization (the organizer) and
the participating companies. As you can see,
the features are consistent, but each
organizing organization is able to customize
their program to fit their needs and the
needs of the businesses they are taking on
their mission.
One-on-one business
appointments
Market briefings
Networking receptions
Selective sessions on local
business practices, site visits, or
seminars
Media coverage

7. BENEFITS
The U.S. Commercial Service organizes the program and identifies the best
partners for your business, you save time and money and can focus on preparing
the best pitch for the Business to Business appointments, pre-scheduled for you.
Networking doesn’t stop with B2B meetings. Missions incorporate networking
opportunities, where you connect with local business, government and other
trade-focused organizations as well as your fellow mission participants who might
have insights you need in this or other markets.
Face to face interaction and investing your time in getting to know the people,
culture and economic environment of their market is a powerful signal to your
potential partners of your commitment to pursue business in their country.

8. Trade missions like this allow for US
Manufacturers like us to develop
international contacts and leads while
building good working alliances.
– Sun Surveillance,
Spartanburg SC

9. You might
insert your
favourite
quotes here.
What are You Waiting For?
Now can be the time for you to unlock
the global sales opportunities by going
on a trade mission. Trade Winds Mexico (2011)
generated hundreds of
thousands of dollars in new
client purchases for our
company. Not even a year in
the making, Grovara LLC
was speed-lined to the front
of the exporting industrial
pack – The US Government
helped make our business
what it is today.
Visit EXPORT.GOV to find more
information on upcoming DOC-led
and Certified Trade Missions.
Featured 2019 Trade Mission
Trade Winds Indio-Pacific
India | Sri Lanka | Bangladesh
May 6-13, 2019
export.gov/tradewinds
Elizabeth Satriale is part of the U.S. Commercial
Service’s Integrated Strategic Communications
team, which is focused on showcasing America’s
Export Experts and bringing to light useful and
publicly available export insights.
– Grovara LLC