How to find buyers for your dried and smoked fish

How to find buyers for your dried and smoked fish
There are a couple of options for aspiring exporters to find buyers
and opportunities in the international markets. All of them are cost-
free and provide the information, contacts and networks you need
to become successful in the trade.
#1 – Register with an Export Promotion agency in your country
The traditional and most popular place to start your quest to find
buyers is to register with an Export Promotion organization in your
country. These are usually set up by governments to develop and
promote export trade in the country. Their major objective is to
increase the amount of the country’s exports by addressing
challenges, obstacles and bottlenecks faced by exporters and
producers. They usually provide capital (in the form of grants),
make international market information available and help to link
exporters to potential international buyers.
The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) has an Export
Expansion Grant Scheme which provides incentives to local
exporters to grow their businesses and foreign exchange earnings.
The Kenyan Export Promotion Council also supports Kenyan
exports.
#2 - Join a local trade organization -
Joining a trade organization in your country can be a very good
way to gain an understanding of the dried fish export market and
the tricks of the trade. These communities also allow you to
network with other exporters, learn from their experiences and
even get sales leads. Often times, several exporters have to work
together to fulfill large orders from big overseas clients. Being a
part of a trade organization can help you find great deals.
#3 – Register with online marketplaces -
Online marketplaces like Alibaba.com and Tradekey.com are some
of the most popular platforms to meet buyers and sellers on the
international markets. Registration is usually free and you can
create a profile as a seller with a good description of your product
and some nice pictures too. Thousands of interested buyers and
sellers visit these sites everyday to see what’s on offer. It’s a very
convenient and inexpensive way to meet potential customers on a
global scale.
#4 – Open an online store
The internet has totally changed the way business is done. Without
a physical shop and all the registration fees you need to run a
traditional business, opening an online store affords you the
opportunity to be available 24 hours a day, everyday! What’s more,
it’s much cheaper to run, very flexible and can reach all parts of
the world.
Setting up a website is easy. There are lots of free tools and
services that can get you up and running in less than 30 minutes.
You could write about your product, upload very good sample
photos and provide your contact details so interested buyers can
reach you. This tutorial will help you make the quick decisions you
need to get the kind of website you need for an online store.
#5 – Word of mouth
As outdated as it may sound in today’s world, word-of-mouth
advertising still works and remains a great way to find potential
customers. Social media like Facebook and Twitter make it much
easier because you can share information about your products
with your friends and contacts. You never know who knows
someone who needs your smoked fish. You spend a lot of time on
these media anyway, it may just be time to use them for business
benefit.