Whether you intend to export for the first time or have exported over a thousand times, the successful and popular go-to-market programs provided by the U.S. Commercial Service will benefit your sales growth and expansion plans, help you become more efficient and effective in your performance, and help you reach your ultimate goal to generate more revenue and profits for your company.

Specifically, I will describe the Gold Key Service, International Partner Search, International Company Profile, Featured U.S. Exporter, and Customized Market Research. 

Every day the Commercial Service helps many companies export their goods and services through these assistance programs. For more than 40 years as both a recipient of this assistance in private industry as well as seeing first-hand hundreds of companies benefit from these services, I am a strong proponent of utilizing successful techniques to connect to lucrative opportunities and increase the bottom line. 

Successful export managers and international marketing managers view these programs as investments rather than costs. For what you get for your money, the investment in any of these services is a bargain by any standard. The following is a brief description of each service. The prices mentioned are current, however, be sure to verify this with your Commercial Service Trade Specialist because they are subject to change. 

Gold Key Service

Fee: Large companies $2,300; small/medium (less than 500 employees) companies $700. 

If you are interested in pre-screened appointments arranged before you go overseas, this service is designed to reduce the time and money you invest in locating and screening prospective trade partners. 

The Commercial Service can help you find potential overseas agents, distributors, sales representatives and business partners. This enables you to spend your time doing what you do best—managing your company. Let the U.S. Commercial Service arrange business meetings with pre-screened contacts representatives, distributors, professional associations, government contacts, and/or licensing or joint venture partners. 

The Gold Key matching services offer:

Customized market and industry briefings with trade specialists.

Timely and relevant market research.

Appointments with prospective trade partners in key industry sectors.

Post-meeting debriefing with trade specialists and assistance in developing appropriate follow-up strategies.

Help with travel, accommodations, interpreter service, and clerical support.

International Partner Search

Fee: Large companies $1,400; small/medium companies $550.

You can find a pre-qualified overseas business partner quickly and easily using the Commercial Service's International Partner Search, which will put trade specialists in over 80 countries to work finding you the most suitable strategic partners. 

You provide your marketing materials and background on your company. The Commercial Service will use their strong network of international contacts to interview potential partners and provide you with a list of up to five pre-qualified partners. 

You save valuable time and money by:

Obtaining high-quality market information on the marketability and sales potential for your products and services.

Receiving complete contact information on key officers at each potential partner that is interested in your company along with information on their size, sales, years in business, number of employees, and a statement from each potential partner on the marketability of your product or service.

Getting all this information in approximately 30 business days or as negotiated with your overseas office.

International Company Profile

Fee: Large company $900; small/medium company $600.

Do you ever need to obtain a reliable credit check on international partners? The Commercial Service's International Company Profile service provides you with financial reports on companies in over 80 countries. Their worldwide network of specialists can investigate the financial strength of a company and provide useful information gleaned from the local press, industry contacts, and other sources. These reports are required by many export financing organizations. 

This service provides:

A detailed credit report on a prospective overseas sales representative or partner in approximately 15 days or by the date negotiated with the overseas office.

A listing of the company's key officers and senior management.

Banking and other financial information about the company.

Market information, including sales and profit figures, and potential liabilities.

The Commercial Service will also provide you with an opinion as to the viability and reliability of the overseas company or individual you have selected as well as an opinion on the relative strength of that company's industry sector in your target market. 

To find out more about these services contact an Export Assistance Center near you. In the event you are a first-time exporter, you are in luck because the Commercial Service will provide the first service you use—any one of the three above—for a fee of $350. 

In addition to services I've mentioned above, there are two additional popular programs that you may seriously want to consider: the Featured U.S. Exporter and the Customized Market Research programs. 

Featured U.S. Exporter (FUSE) 

With this program, you can promote your products and services to millions of international buyers, distributors and representatives by listing your company profile on the local websites of the Commercial Service. Your company profile will be posted online in the local language and will remain on the site for one year. The Commercial Service can help you translate your product description into the local language. This online listing is an effective and inexpensive way to gain international exposure and test international markets. 

This service is available in over 60 countries in 15 different languages. 

FUSE is an annual subscription and listings are published online for one year. Commercial Service pricing is tiered to reflect their primary mission of supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The base participation fee for SMEs is $150 for each set of five markets. 

FUSE listings are sold in sets of five markets (e.g., 5, 10, 15, and 20) with a minimum purchase of $150 required for SMEs. Listings are in English unless otherwise noted. A translation fee of $50 per language applies to listings that require translation into the local language. The Commercial Service does not provide a discount for translations provided by clients as these translations still have to be reviewed and verified by their overseas translation team. 

Customized Market Research 

Do you know the potential market for your product or service in an overseas country? Is your product subject to safety standards? Who are your competitors? Do you need fast, customized market research that answers your international business questions? The Commercial Service can provide answers to these and other specific questions you may have regarding a foreign market for your products or services. They can help you identify and evaluate key dynamics of the market, and to understand the opportunities and challenges it offers. You have the flexibility to design your own set of questions. 

The Customized Market Research program makes use of the Commercial Service's vast network of industry associations, government agencies, importers, distributors, end-users and manufacturers to provide you with information critical to your international success. 

Here is what you can expect from these Customized Research Reports:

Gauge sales potential in an overseas market.

Choose the best new markets for your product or service.

Establish effective selling and distribution strategies in specific markets.

Find the best channels for getting your product to market.

Discover what factors influence potential customers.

Identify your competitors.

Overcome potential market impediments, including quotas, duties, and regulations.

Obtain the pricing of comparable products.

Price is dependent on the level of detail involved, the availability of information, and the time required to conduct the research. Report content and turn-around time are discussed and agreed upon ahead of time. To order a customized market research report, contact your local Commercial Service Office and ask to speak with a trade specialist. 

In today's tough global business environment, exporters large and small, old and new need as much assistance as possible. Utilizing the services and the friendly, knowledgeable and well-connected staff of the Commercial Service may be just the help you are looking for.