Many successful exporters first started selling internationally by responding to an inquiry from a foreign firm. Thousands of U.S. firms receive such requests annually, but most firms do not become successful exporters. Most but not all, foreign letters of inquiry are in English. Colleges and universities are also an excellent source for translation.
Most large cities have commercial translators who are hired on a fee-basis.
Typically, a foreign firm will request product specifications, information, and price. Some inquiries will come directly from the end user, while other inquiries will come from distributors and agents who wish to sell the product in their market. A few foreign firms may already be familiar with the product and wish to immediately place an order. Regardless of the form such inquiries take, a firm should establish a policy to deal with them. Secondly, printing standards differ outside the U.S. so do not consider the quality of the stationery as an indication of the wealth of the company.