Why this matters
Sales can help a business grow, pay its workers, and create new jobs. A new market may also help when sales at home slow down. Clear facts help a small firm choose where to spend its time and money.
How a city link can help
A chamber, school, or city partner may know local shops, firms, and trade groups. They can help ask the right questions and seek a trusted first meeting. A city link gives us a place to start. Each business still needs to check the buyer and the deal.
Four steps to take
- 1
Name what you sell.
Be clear about the product or service. Who uses it? What problem does it solve? Start with one offer you can explain in a few words.
- 2
Look for signs of need.
Check recent orders, trade facts, buyer requests, and local market reports. Ask who buys this kind of product, how much they need, and what they pay.
- 3
Check the fit.
Learn the local rules, labels, language needs, and costs. Work out the full cost to ship the goods or serve the client. Ask how you will get paid.
- 4
Plan a small first step.
Ask for a buyer call, a sample review, or a small test order. Set a clear goal, a date, and a person who will follow up.
What we look for
Our aim is to help both places find useful work. We need facts we can check.
- Recent proof that buyers need the product or service
- Local firms able to fill orders and serve clients
- A clear route to market and a fair cost estimate
- A buyer or trade group whose details can be checked
A place stays open for research when facts are missing. Missing facts do not mean there is no chance to do business.
Bring useful evidence to the meeting.
A checked buyer need, a good business fit, and one useful next step. Keep that goal at the top of your notes. Use the Country Data Lab for the wider setting, then ask the firm or institution about the exact work you want to do. A national figure helps you prepare; a named counterpart and a checked need make the conversation specific.
Before you travel, look for a host whose work fits your request. Share your short brief and ask what the other side wants to gain. The research approach at National Data System keeps the place, source, and question connected. Your worksheet below turns those notes into an action plan.
Start with the city facts
City facts help us know where a buyer works. Country language notes can help us plan a first call. Ask the buyer which language they prefer. A city population count alone does not show demand.
Find a city and read its factsWrite down the next step.
My Diplomacy Notebook
Keep your goal, research, sources, and next step together. Open this notebook from any page and continue where you left off.
What to record for this guide
- Product or service
- Buyer type and city
- Proof of need, source, and date
- Rules, language needs, and full costs
- First meeting or test
- Follow-up owner and date
Add sources, contacts, and a date
Loading your notebook…
Copy, download, and print include your goal, all saved notes, and saved research with its source details. For a PDF, choose “Save as PDF” in the print window.
Saved on this browser and device. Notes stay separate from contact forms. Clearing this site’s browser data removes saved notes. How notes are saved.
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The goal: A checked buyer need, a good business fit, and one useful next step.
Build a useful first plan.
Tell us your city, your business need, and the place you want to explore.