Market entry – general

Trade missions and events calendar

Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade

The Ministry offers a number of programs and services designed to assist Ontario exporters to expand globally. These include export seminars and workshops, international trade missions and exhibitions. This mobile-friendly web page has a complete listing of upcoming events – searchable by keyword, sector, market region and date.

International sales and marketing course

Forum for International Trade Training (FITT)

An in-depth online training course. Covers marketing plans, implementation and coordination of international marketing activities for products and services, distinctions between domestic and international marketing, and adapting and/or developing products and services for the foreign market. Part of a series of courses leading to the designation “Certified International Trade Professional" (CITP), but the course may be taken separately. ($)

International market entry strategies course

Forum for International Trade Training (FITT)

An in-depth online training course on market entry strategies. Covers barriers to market entry, market entry strategies, and negotiating partnership agreements. Part of a series of courses leading to the designation “Certified International Trade Professional” (CITP), but the course may be taken separately. ($)

Trade services directory

GlobalTrade.net

Directory of 125,000 trade service providers worldwide, including banks, language services, lawyers, taxes, trade compliance and customs, trading companies and agents, etc. Search by service category, country or keyword.

Trade shows and trade leads

Step-by-Step Guide to Successful Trade Show Preparation, Delivery and Follow-Up

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

A series of brief guides providing tips on how to get the most out of trade show participation: Planning and preparation, Marketing and communications, Boothmanship and follow-up, and Post-show reports.

ATA carnet

Canadian Chamber of Commerce

Internationally-recognized customs document for the temporary importation of goods. The carnet is commonly used to bring commercial samples to potential customers or trade fairs, and by service companies to travel with their professional equipment.

TSNN – event search

Trade Show News Network

Database of 25,000 trade shows, with a major emphasis on U.S. shows. Search by 52 industry categories, from agriculture to travel and tourism, or search by location, month or keyword.

EventsEye

EventsEye.com

File of 10,000 trade shows, with good coverage for Europe. Search by name, theme, date or location. “Themes” are more than 150 broad topics, such as Jewelry or Mining Technologies, with about 50 entries under most themes.

J-messe

Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO)

This database has more than 2,000 trade shows with good coverage for Asia. Search by keyword, industry, date or location.

Country travel advice and advisories

Government of Canada

Safety and security conditions, health questions and entry/exit requirements for the country or countries you may be visiting.

Traveller’s checklist

Government of Canada

Covers the essential steps to take before leaving Canada. Includes optional Registration of Canadians Abroad service.

merx U.S. tenders

merx

A comprehensive source for tender information on U.S. federal, state, and local opportunities. ($)

SAM.gov

Search U.S. federal government procurement opportunities over U.S. $25,000.

TED – Tenders Electronic Daily - EU

European Commission

Online version of the “Supplement to the Official Journal of the EU”, updated 5 times a week with about 1,500 public procurement notices from the European Union, the European Economic Area and beyond. Browse, search and sort procurement notices by country, region, business sector and more.

Business opportunities: development and humanitarian aid markets

Global Affairs Canada

Explanation of markets in developing countries and humanitarian relief. Links to development banks and aid agencies.

Responding to unsolicited orders

Government of Canada

A template on the process involved in responding to an unsolicited order from abroad: developing an estimate of what price and terms to ask of the foreign buyer, preparing a quotation as the basis for negotiation, and drawing up the terms of contract with the foreign buyer. Steps covered: internal research, market research, landed cost calculation, feasibility test (diagnostic), negotiation, the contract, and order fulfillment.

Distribution Channels and E-Commerce

Export strategies of small and medium-sized Canadian businesses

Export Development Canada (EDC)

Brief introduction to market entry strategies, including direct exporting, using representatives, partnering with a larger Canadian exporter, follow-the-customer partnerships, and partnering with a foreign company. (Registration required.)

Food Broke - Distributor Information Sheet

Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA)

This brief guide for the food sector covers types of distribution channels, deciding on a distribution channel, how to get your product listed, how to be a successful supplier, and choosing a broker.

Strategies for optimizing international distributors

IBT Partners

Whitepaper covering agents vs. distributors, identifying distributors online and offline, engaging distributors online and offline, supporting your distributor, managing distributor networks, overcoming challenges, and best practice recommendations. (Registration required.)

Trading companies and agents

GlobalTrade.net

International directory includes 15,000 trading companies and agents: distributors, export management companies, trading companies and sales agents. Filter by 15 industry sectors, from chemicals to vehicles/parts.

Model contracts for small firms

UN/WTO International Trade Centre

Leading law firms from 51 countries created models that can – with minimal modifications – be used for contracts in any part of the world. The model contracts cover key trade activities such as sale of goods, distribution, services, joint ventures, etc.

Succeed with e-commerce

Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC)

This guide covers the basics, from getting your company ready for e-commerce to launching your online store, as well as more advanced tips on how to scale up a basic site to a more sophisticated presence. It also discusses how to handle the backend of e-commerce, including inventory management, order fulfillment and shipping. (Registration required.)

Promotion

The Canada brand

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

The Canada Brand is a strategy to gain recognition for Canadian food and agriculture products in key markets, helping to differentiate Canadian agriculture and food products from the competition. A suite of tools has been developed to help Canadian companies and associations: graphics, promotional material and templates, a photo library, and market research.

Intellectual property for exporting businesses

Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO)

A guide to protecting your intellectual property, including trademarks.

Mondo Times

Mondo Code LLC

Database of 33,000 media outlets in over 200 countries. Search for newspapers, magazines/trade journals, and radio and TV stations by country; most results also broken down by city.

ABYZ WebLinks

ABYZ Web Links Inc.

This site mostly lists newspapers, but it also covers broadcast, Internet, magazines and press agencies (BU indicates business focus). Search by country for links to locally-published national and regional sources.

LatinDex - medios

Color Vivo Internet

Database of newspapers, magazines, radio and television stations in Central and South America. Search by media type, or browse by country. (Search in English, descriptions in Spanish.)

Marketing and sales services

GlobalTrade.net

International directory includes 14,000 marketing and sales services. Filter by service: advertising, B2B marketing, business development, business intelligence, direct marketing, directories and marketplaces, event/trade show services, government/NGO procurement services, international trade consulting, market entry, market research, marketing consulting, media/graphic design, packaging and labelling, public relations, trade data and web marketing services.