Introducing The Bull's-Eye

We have pleasure in introducing our new newsletter, The Bull's-Eye.  Our intention is to present information which will be helpful to overseas business people who are interested in doing business in Canada and the United States, particularly the region within a day's trucking distance of Toronto.

The Bull's-Eye is published by Canadian Service Providers Associates (CSPA).  While we are enthusiastic about providing useful information to people who want it, we certainly do not want to pester people with information they do not want, so we intend to make it very easy to unsubscribe.  At the end of each issue will be a link where you can unsubscribe. You are also be able to enter a new subscription for someone else or change the email address you would like The Bull's-Eye to be delivered to.

We hope you will enjoy maww notes and we look forward to your comments and suggestions.

 Conversations with a Client

A few weeks ago, I was speaking with a client who was in a situation he had only dreamed of three years before and which he had not imagined for one minute would be a problem at all. His order book was standing at more than US $3 million which represented the truly successful outcome of a brilliant and energetic marketing campaign in the United States. However, this was a problem because he did not know where to find the money to finance production or to buy materials to manufacture the order. We had a series of far-ranging discussions which examined several different ways of dealing with the problem, and eventually found him a set of satisfactory answers. However, it is always best to have this discussion before you start to expand, when more options may be available.

Canada-EU Relations

The Conference Board of Canada recently held a workshop titled “EU Enlargement and the Canada-EU Relationship.” The workshop provided several excellent speaker presentations and an insight into our commercial relations with Europe, which in terms of investment in both directions is very significant indeed. Canada and the European Union are currently negotiating a Trade and Investment Enhancement Agreement. Whilst this is not a free-trade agreement, it will be directed at decreasing non-tariff barriers to trade and investment and to helping the EU and Canada pursue similar approaches in multilateral negotiations at the World Trade Organisation and elsewhere.

The only way to really understand and appreciate a new country and its people is by visiting.  It is best to build relationships in foreign markets face-to-face.  Emails, faxes and phone calls are good for follow-ups, but distant relationships need at least one face-to-face meeting initially, then on-going, regular, meetings to reinforce them.

The old joke advice to vote early and vote often applies to developing a market in a new country: visit early and visit often.  This is the best way to establish and maintain good relationships with the partners you need for success.

When you are ready to visit Canada please make sure to contact us beforehand. We can advise you on your visit and arrange to meet with you and introduce you to people who can help you in setting up in the Canadian and US markets.