Hey guys,


I have been running a sourcing company form here in Shanghai with a friend for the past few years and we have decided to try to garner some American customers (I am Canadian, he is Taiwanese).  Does anyone know how best to advertise ourselves / promote our capabilities?  We are an OEM company and do not have any specialized products.  Basically, we just create the products requested from us by the customer.  Our current customers are in the Asia Pacific region and we have been quite successful in this area, mainly because of our prices, promptness and ability to provide samples (and our English/Chinese capabilities).  But the American market has proven to be a challenge to penetrate.  Any veterans care to guide?  Please add my MSN if you use it - thanks 


Thanks in advance,


Ryan

Quoting from [EnglishRyan]:


Hey guys,



I have been running a sourcing company form here in Shanghai with a friend for the past few years and we have decided to try to garner some American customers (I am Canadian, he is Taiwanese).  Does anyone know how best to advertise ourselves / promote our capabilities?  We are an OEM company and do not have any specialized products.  Basically, we just create the products requested from us by the customer.  Our current customers are in the Asia Pacific region and we have been quite successful in this area, mainly because of our prices, promptness and ability to provide samples (and our English/Chinese capabilities).  But the American market has proven to be a challenge to penetrate.  Any veterans care to guide?  Please add my MSN if you use it - thanks  ryanthiggins@hotmail.com



Thanks in advance,



Ryan

For a start, you should have a business strategy and a operation plan.  I am also in the same outsourcing business.  Being fluent and proficient in the English and Chinese language is just the tip of the iceberg, you need to identify which product line you would like to specialise in.  The other thing to take note is are you and your partner experienced in factory management?  That is

Quoting from [nickedome]:

Quoting from [EnglishRyan]:



Hey guys,




I have been running a sourcing company form here in Shanghai with a friend for the past few years and we have decided to try to garner some American customers (I am Canadian, he is Taiwanese). Does anyone know how best to advertise ourselves / promote our capabilities? We are an OEM company and do not have any specialized products. Basically, we just create the products requested from us by the customer. Our current customers are in the Asia Pacific region and we have been quite successful in this area, mainly because of our prices, promptness and ability to provide samples (and our English/Chinese capabilities). But the American market has proven to be a challenge to penetrate. Any veterans care to guide? Please add my MSN if you use it - thanks ryanthiggins@hotmail.com




Thanks in advance,




Ryan

For a start, you should have a business strategy and a operation plan. I am also in the same outsourcing business. Being fluent and proficient in the English and Chinese language is just the tip of the iceberg, you need to identify which product line you would like to specialise in. The other thing to take note is are you and your partner experienced in factory management? That is

Thanks for the reply.  We've had some success in the past operating as 'scouts' here in China.  Basically, companies come to us with requests for any item they need and we track it down and source it for them.


I am not sure I quite understand the second part of your reply 'experienced in factory management'.  We have connections to a number of factories here and are able to get very good deals as a result of the rapport we've built with them.


It looks like your reply was cut short ('That is...').  I hope I haven't missed something.


Thanks!


Ryan

If you have the resources, there is nothing like taking a trip to the US and hooking up


with prospective clients there.



You could start by contacting the US Consulate's Trade Promotion division for leads on importers. You could also ask the Hong Kong Trade Development Council for for a list of importers interested in a specific range of items (that are compatible with yours) and take it from there. Maybe request meetings with them if you are planning a trip or just


communicate with them via email / telephone etc ?

One of the best ways to garner exposure would be to do trade shows in your area (eg:


Hong Kong or China) and indeed the US if at all possible.



Unless you are already strong in a particular range of products, it will be tough to break


in. If you are looking to advertise your services as a middle-man or sourcing office, it's


never easy. Many buyers are too set in their ways to consider someone new. However,


nothing is impossible if you set your mind to it.

Most sizeable US buyers will need to "see" you somewhere before they can even


consider doing business with you - eg: a booth at a trade show, or a product ad in a magazine, etc.

From what I know, most US buyers either have their own sourcing offices in the Far East


or work with an established agent in HK or China. Yes, plenty work direct with factories


but these are generally the big boys.

Hope this helps.

Sam

 

Quoting from [Giant Trader]:

If you have the resources, there is nothing like taking a trip to the US and hooking up



with prospective clients there.




You could start by contacting the US Consulate's Trade Promotion division for leads on importers. You could also ask the Hong Kong Trade Development Council for for a list of importers interested in a specific range of items (that are compatible with yours) and take it from there. Maybe request meetings with them if you are planning a trip or just



communicate with them via email / telephone etc ?

One of the best ways to garner exposure would be to do trade shows in your area (eg:



Hong Kong or China) and indeed the US if at all possible.




Unless you are already strong in a particular range of products, it will be tough to break



in. If you are looking to advertise your services as a middle-man or sourcing office, it's



never easy. Many buyers are too set in their ways to consider someone new. However,



nothing is impossible if you set your mind to it.

Most sizeable US buyers will need to "see" you somewhere before they can even



consider doing business with you - eg: a booth at a trade show, or a product ad in a magazine, etc.

From what I know, most US buyers either have their own sourcing offices in the Far East



or work with an established agent in HK or China. Yes, plenty work direct with factories



but these are generally the big boys.

Hope this helps.

Sam

 

 You are correct. I am working in a trade company.we are assisting our US customer as a agent to search some products that they need.they have not only our company,but also so many other agents and facotries in china.so nowadays, doing every thing is full of competetion for us .

Quoting from [EnglishRyan]:


Hey guys,



I have been running a sourcing company form here in Shanghai with a friend for the past few years and we have decided to try to garner some American customers (I am Canadian, he is Taiwanese).  Does anyone know how best to advertise ourselves / promote our capabilities?  We are an OEM company and do not have any specialized products.  Basically, we just create the products requested from us by the customer.  Our current customers are in the Asia Pacific region and we have been quite successful in this area, mainly because of our prices, promptness and ability to provide samples (and our English/Chinese capabilities).  But the American market has proven to be a challenge to penetrate.  Any veterans care to guide?  Please add my MSN if you use it - thanks 



Thanks in advance,



Ryan

hi,Ryan,

    i think i can suggest a very good channel to help open and expand America market.

  http://www.tradesns.com/business_info.php, there is sveral millions bill of lading into America, you can search valuable info about your products, and analyze your products status on America market,and find the right buyer for you and your products with the monitor reports which produce from the search result.

 good luck to you

 

Quoting from [joinanadu2008]:

Quoting from [EnglishRyan]:



Hey guys,




I have been running a sourcing company form here in Shanghai with a friend for the past few years and we have decided to try to garner some American customers (I am Canadian, he is Taiwanese).  Does anyone know how best to advertise ourselves / promote our capabilities?  We are an OEM company and do not have any specialized products.  Basically, we just create the products requested from us by the customer.  Our current customers are in the Asia Pacific region and we have been quite successful in this area, mainly because of our prices, promptness and ability to provide samples (and our English/Chinese capabilities).  But the American market has proven to be a challenge to penetrate.  Any veterans care to guide?  Please add my MSN if you use it - thanks 




Thanks in advance,




Ryan

hi,Ryan,

    i think i can suggest a very good channel to help open and expand America market.

  http://www.tradesns.com/business_info.php, there is sveral millions bill of lading into America, you can search valuable info about your products, and analyze your products status on America market,and find the right buyer for you and your products with the monitor reports which produce from the search result.

 good luck to you

 

In that case, you are better off contacting people like PIERS Shipping Intelligence

(www.piers.com) -who, for a certain fee - will be able to provide you B/L data, etc

of importers in the US who import items compatible with yours / or in your range of

products.

 

 

Quoting from [U Gyanrutiger]:

Quoting from [Giant Trader]:

If you have the resources, there is nothing like taking a trip to the US and hooking up



with prospective clients there.




You could start by contacting the US Consulate's Trade Promotion division for leads on importers. You could also ask the Hong Kong Trade Development Council for for a list of importers interested in a specific range of items (that are compatible with yours) and take it from there. Maybe request meetings with them if you are planning a trip or just



communicate with them via email / telephone etc ?

One of the best ways to garner exposure would be to do trade shows in your area (eg:



Hong Kong or China) and indeed the US if at all possible.




Unless you are already strong in a particular range of products, it will be tough to break



in. If you are looking to advertise your services as a middle-man or sourcing office, it's



never easy. Many buyers are too set in their ways to consider someone new. However,



nothing is impossible if you set your mind to it.

Most sizeable US buyers will need to "see" you somewhere before they can even



consider doing business with you - eg: a booth at a trade show, or a product ad in a magazine, etc.

From what I know, most US buyers either have their own sourcing offices in the Far East



or work with an established agent in HK or China. Yes, plenty work direct with factories



but these are generally the big boys.

Hope this helps.

Sam

 

 You are correct. I am working in a trade company.we are assisting our US customer as a agent to search some products that they need.they have not only our company,but also so many other agents and facotries in china.so nowadays, doing every thing is full of competetion for us .

Quoting from [EnglishRyan]:

Hey guys,



I have been running a sourcing company form here in Shanghai with a friend for the past few years and we have decided to try to garner some American customers (I am Canadian, he is Taiwanese).  Does anyone know how best to advertise ourselves / promote our capabilities?  We are an OEM company and do not have any specialized products.  Basically, we just create the products requested from us by the customer.  Our current customers are in the Asia Pacific region and we have been quite successful in this area, mainly because of our prices, promptness and ability to provide samples (and our English/Chinese capabilities).  But the American market has proven to be a challenge to penetrate.  Any veterans care to guide?  Please add my MSN if you use it - thanks 



Thanks in advance,



Ryan

Quoting from [Giant Trader]:

If you have the resources, there is nothing like taking a trip to the US and hooking up



with prospective clients there.




You could start by contacting the US Consulate's Trade Promotion division for leads on importers. You could also ask the Hong Kong Trade Development Council for for a list of importers interested in a specific range of items (that are compatible with yours) and take it from there. Maybe request meetings with them if you are planning a trip or just



communicate with them via email / telephone etc ?

One of the best ways to garner exposure would be to do trade shows in your area (eg:



Hong Kong or China) and indeed the US if at all possible.




Unless you are already strong in a particular range of products, it will be tough to break



in. If you are looking to advertise your services as a middle-man or sourcing office, it's



never easy. Many buyers are too set in their ways to consider someone new. However,



nothing is impossible if you set your mind to it.

Most sizeable US buyers will need to "see" you somewhere before they can even



consider doing business with you - eg: a booth at a trade show, or a product ad in a magazine, etc.

From what I know, most US buyers either have their own sourcing offices in the Far East



or work with an established agent in HK or China. Yes, plenty work direct with factories



but these are generally the big boys.

Hope this helps.

Sam

Thanks for the reply, Sam.  Your thoughts are very helpful.  Unfortunately, we don't really specialize in any area.  We just kind of float here and garner whatever business we can, so I think it's high time for some restructuring to try a develop one of our stronger areas.


To the other guys that responded too - thanks for your advice, I will check out those links now and get back to you


Ryan

Hello there,

What kind of products and prices do you have that you want to ship to USA?

KC

 

Quoting from [EnglishRyan]:


Hey guys,



I have been running a sourcing company form here in Shanghai with a friend for the past few years and we have decided to try to garner some American customers (I am Canadian, he is Taiwanese).  Does anyone know how best to advertise ourselves / promote our capabilities?  We are an OEM company and do not have any specialized products.  Basically, we just create the products requested from us by the customer.  Our current customers are in the Asia Pacific region and we have been quite successful in this area, mainly because of our prices, promptness and ability to provide samples (and our English/Chinese capabilities).  But the American market has proven to be a challenge to penetrate.  Any veterans care to guide?  Please add my MSN if you use it - thanks 



Thanks in advance,



Ryan