There are many simple but effective ways of getting the answers to the questions posed above:

• Attend overseas trade fairs and product/regional seminars
• Enquire, investigate and assess while visiting the market and country
• Research trade directories
• Use the various Irish Exporters Association information resources; see www.irishexporters.ie for information.
• Use Bord Bia and Bord Iascaigh Mhara information resources
• Attend the Enterprise Ireland market seminars
• Use specialist consultancies or research agencies

Visiting the overseas Market

Visiting the overseas market is extremely important once you have decided which market you plan to export to. Your trips to overseas markets will be extremely important in determining your final entry strategy to the market. They must be well organized with clear objectives. Initial research into a market will probably require a visit lasting several days. Once a product and local agreements are established, shorter visits will be sufficient. Where agents and distributors continually perform well, an annual or twice-yearly visit may be adequate.
These overseas visits will provide you, the exporter, with a wealth of useful planning and evaluation data as well as confirming to the buyers, agents or distributors that you have a firm commitment to the product in the particular market.

Amongst the principal benefits of market visits are:

• Getting to know the customer
• Knowledge of the culture and the infrastructure of the market from personal experience
• Assessment of the efforts being made by agents or distributors to sell the product
• The chance of resolving problems personally
• Periodic assessment of the competition
• The possibility of taking new orders and promoting increased sales or sales of new or modified products