Finding customers for foreign trade, change your mindset and you will get the hang of it!

1.Facebook is not used to add friends, but to get customers in groups. Many people use Facebook just to add friends and check updates, but it is actually a hidden "customer gold mine". Especially Facebook Group, which contains a large number of accurate customers. For example, search for "plush toy products importers" or "plush toys wholesalers", you will find many industry-related groups. After joining these groups, don't rush to post ads, observe the hot topics of discussion first, and find the right time to provide solutions.

2.Customs data is not used to analyze the market, but to "steal" customers. Many people use customs data just to analyze market trends, but in fact its greatest value lies in "stealing customers". Through customs data, you can see who your competitors' customers are, how often they purchase, and how much they purchase. For example, I found that an American customer regularly purchases 2 cabinets of plush toys from a competitor every month, but the purchase volume has suddenly dropped recently. I immediately studied their needs and found that they were looking for more environmentally friendly materials. So I quickly asked the factory to make samples, send out new products and attach test reports, and finally successfully "turned" this customer. The key to customs data is to keep an eye on your competitors' customers, not just your own customers. Find those customers who are dissatisfied with existing suppliers, and attack them accurately, with a very high success rate.

3. Google Maps is really not for navigation, but for bulk mining of customers. I used to think that Google Maps was just a tool for finding routes, until I found it to be a "customer mining artifact". For example, search for "plush toys wholesalers + city name", and customers with official websites, phone numbers, and real-life photos will pop up on the map, and even the size of the warehouse can be seen clearly. Once I found that a customer's warehouse was piled with competing products, so I immediately brought samples to the door and took a trial order on the spot. Is it too time-consuming to manually copy information? You can use some tools (such as easy scrape, which has been shared in articles before, which is absolutely not a big deal and is free) to automatically capture the company name, email address, and INS homepage on the map, and scan the entire toy store in Los Angeles in 5 minutes. Tools are only auxiliary, and the key is persistence.

4. LinkedIn is used to raise fish and fish, not to actively attack customers. Many people use LinkedIn to send mass advertisements, but they are blocked. In fact, the core of LinkedIn is "raising fish and fishing". Package yourself as an industry expert and publish valuable content regularly. For example, I publish 3 original content every week: on Monday, I publish a real-life video of the production line (highlighting the quality inspection link), on Wednesday, I publish customer feedback on the product, and on Friday, I publish industry dry goods (such as "How to Identify Faded Raw Materials").

5. Email marketing is not for mass mailing, but for precise sniping. Many people think that email marketing is to send a bunch of development letters in bulk, but the results are often lost. In fact, the core of email marketing lies in precise sniping. Through in-depth understanding of customers in the early stage (such as through customs data, social media, etc.), you can customize the content of emails and hit the customer's pain points directly. For example, for a product recently purchased by a customer, you can provide a better or more cost-effective alternative, or recommend new products according to their market needs. In summary, there is no shortcut to foreign trade customer development, but if the method is right, the efficiency can be doubled. Facebook Group, customs data, Google Maps, LinkedIn and email marketing, each tool has its unique value. The key is persistence and precision, find a method that suits you, continue to dig deep, and orders will come naturally.