What is the Industry Focused Promotion program (IFP) all about?

The  "Industry Focused Promotion" which is an on-line trade lead generating program consists in showcasing online U.S. companies in a given industry in order to generate trade leads and develop our clientele . It's a mix of Buyusa.com and FUSE but unlike BuyUSA.com, it is industry focused or event related and free for both U.S. companies and foreign importers. Unlike FUSE, one can promote a large number of companies in a given industry at one time. Since it is fully automated, when a foreign firm selects a U.S. prospect, customized emails to all parties are generated keeping both U.S. and foreign clients, OIO TS and USEAC TS in the loop.

Here is an example of the Industry Focused Promotion for AACC '08 (Electronic Version of the U.S. Export Interest Directory):

 http://www.buyusa.gov/ifp/aacc08.html

1. Identification of U.S. Exporters
2. Identification of Foreign Importers/Buyers
3. Facilitation and follow-up
4. Use of a technology supporting a seamless process

The "Industry Focused Promotion" can work optimally when it is linked to a show like an IBP for which it is easy to put the Export Interest Directory online, or a leading overseas show with a large number of U.S. exhibitors. But other formats are also possible, like featuring the members of a U.S. industry association, etc. Partnering with an organization that can give us easy access to these companies and which is supportive of the process is critical. The less time you spend on "recruitment" then the more time you can dedicate to the other phases - promotion and follow-up. Using the Export Interest Directory to start with will reduce the recruitment phase to its minimum.

The success of the "Industry Focused Promotion" project depends on CS capacity to promote (push) this information to be hosted on a TMS (neutral) web page to international prospects. The overseas posts are key as they can, on a volunteer basis, organize the push (preferably by e-mail but also by fax) to local contacts (importers, distributors, agents but also end-users) and work with multipliers that can relay this information (e.g. local trade magazines, local trade associations, local trade show organizers, travel agent, etc...). The benefits for the overseas trade specialists participating to such projects are numerous:

1- It is an incredible opportunity to bring value to U.S. companies by generating trade leads that can in turns convert into new clients (US an local) and success stories.

2- Trade Specialists have the opportunity to promote real companies at the same time they make the promotion of a show. That way, trade specialists that might have been hesitant about promoting IBPs because they were not getting anything out of it, might change their mind as at least they can generate trade leads. In some instances, it can even help them to identify true buyers that that can be turned into an international delegation.

3- For those participating in showtime programs, they have now an opportunity to discuss and comment trade leads in addition to traditional counseling sessions.

4- It can even be a tool to help a local trade show organizer recruit U.S. exhibitors to their show by asking them to do a push to their database of local and international visitors and prospects. The rationale for it is that U.S. companies getting leads showing the interest of their products/services on a given market might be more eager to invest in that market by participating in a trade show. If nothing happens (no U.S. companies recruited), the trade specialist can still benefit from the trade leads generated.

CS' international network is key in the promotion process though it can be assisted by the trade show organizer in the U.S. who might be willing to do his own push, or other partners such as global trade journals or in some instance partners such as FedEX.

Note: The buy-in of the international trade specialists is key, so communicating with them on what the program is about is very important.

The industry team (when possible) along with ODO (the USEACs) have an essential role to play, as they will have the big picture client by client and also because they are in the best position to identify successes from their clients.

To support the above, it is necessary to have an innovative and seamless process that does the following:

1. To list on the TMS all featured companies. The information listed might include for each company: The name of the company, the web site, the company/product/activity description and the objectives.
Click Here to see examples

2. For the international buyer/importer that submits his information, he may receive automatically by e-mail the profile and contact information of the U.S. firms he has selected. New feature -  Please note that the email originates from and is signed by the country trade specialist when information is available in the database. For a country for which the Country Trade Specialist name/email is not available then the email originates and is signed by the project manager.
Click Here to see an example

3. For the U.S. companies that were selected, they may receive automatically by e-mail the profile of the international company that selected them (not showing the other U.S. companies selected). Please note that the email originates and is signed by the project manager.
Click Here to see an example

4. For the industry team managing the projects, they may receive automatically by e-mail the profile of the international company that submitted the form along with the names of U.S. companies selected. Please note that the email originates from and is signed by the project manager.
Click Here to see an example

5. For the Overseas post, they may receive automatically the profile of the international company in their country that submitted the form. Please note that the email originates from and is signed by the project manager.
Click Here to see an example.

6. For the USEACs, they may receive automatically for each of their constituent, the profile of the international company that selected them. Please note that the email originates and is signed by the project manager.
Click Here to see an example

Each of the e-mail category cited above can be customized with a message that explains where it comes from and what they should do with it. This allows all parties to be informed at the same time with the information and data relevant to them in a way that allows us to track and follow-up appropriately.

For any technical questions in relation with The Industry Focused Promotion program in general please contact or copy Christophe.Joly@mail.doc.gov (CS France) and Jason.Sproule@mail.doc.gov (Newport Beach USEAC)

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Date last Edited: 06/25/2008 04:32 PM