It is very different to deal with a business after you have spoken with its representatives and have a sense of the environment in which they work. In addition to nonprofit organizations, some larger firms set up trade missions in hopes of helping small businesses, while bringing in revenue at the same time. Tim Coleman from Massport, located in East Boston, Massachusetts, who is involved in shipping and exporting, also sets up trade missions. We screen them and make sure they are getting into the right market. While organizations that set up trade missions for profit can offer the same services as a nonprofit equivalent, be sure to compare prices before choosing.
Trade missions can also include trips planned and organized by politicians or government agencies.
They establish instant credibility for a small firm because many foreign business people view the sponsorship as evidence that the visiting companies have governmental support. These types of trips usually take a broad approach, meeting with a varied group of businesses and organizations. The politicians tend to take center stage, but many opportunities exist for participating entrepreneurs to build relationships. Such trips are good first-time trade missions and offer exposure to the culture and the processes involved in a trade mission. Due to the emergence of new expanding markets abroad, federal, state and local agencies are working with renewed vigor to develop relationships and trade with countries around the world.