Market Promotion

How can I find a buyer, agent, or distributor for my product or service in another country?

The Arizona Department of Commerce’s overseas trade offices, located in Japan, Mexico, Taiwan and the United Kingdom, can conduct preliminary searches on your behalf. Contact one of the Arizona Department of Commerce’s international trade specialists at 602-771-1192.

To develop a pre-qualified list of potential business partners in another country, contact the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Agent/Distributor Service (602-640-2513). Other sources include international chambers of commerce located in the U.S., American chambers of commerce abroad, import and industrial directories available in libraries, trade leads available on the National Trade Data Bank (NTDB), direct mail lists available for purchase, and on-line databases available in libraries. You can contact trade associations in the U.S. or overseas (some may be found in the NTDB industry analysis reports or with U.S. Department of Commerce country desk officers). Finally, consider talking to business colleagues and/or other personal contacts that are from your targeted country or have had business dealings there.

Where can I get information about signing an agent or distributor agreement for representation in another country?

Several Arizona law firms have specialists in international agent/distributor agreements. To contact one of these law firms, call the State Bar of Arizona (602-252-4804).

In U.S. trade publications with an international circulation, including the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Commercial News USA (602-640-2513), a catalog/magazine with a circulation of approximately 110,000 containing only advertisements of U.S. products. Many U.S. embassies have publications in which you may advertise. The International Media Guide lists advertising rates for newspapers and magazines worldwide. The American Graduate School of International Management (Thunderbird) library (602-978-7232) has a reference copy.

Within the National Trade Data Bank (NTDB) industry analysis reports, you will find recommendations for the best trade shows for an industry in a given country. Industry desk officers at the U.S. Department of Commerce can also recommend shows. Many of the U.S. Department of Commerce certified shows are listed in its official magazine, Business America (on the NTDB or www.stat-usa.gov ). The Arizona Department of Commerce also works with Arizona industry groups to exhibit at several major trade shows overseas.

The NTDB is perhaps the single most useful market research publication available from the U.S. government. It contains international information from virtually all federal government agencies that deal with international issues: U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Department of State, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, Export-Import Bank of the United States, Central Intelligence Agency, etc. Types of information include: market research reports on industries in specific countries, statistics on import and export trade, country background information, international business climates, exporting reference books, trade leads, etc. In addition to purchasing the NTDB on CD-ROM (800-STAT-USA), it can be accessed for a subscription fee on the Internet at www.stat-usa.gov or found in local libraries. Country-specific information also may be obtained from the relevant country’s embassy or consulate in the U.S., the U.S. Governments Trade Information Center (1-800-USA-TRAD), and country desk officers at the U.S. Department of Commerce in Washington, D.C.

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