International Buyer Program Helps Set International Attendance Record at CES!
January 12, 2011
Vidya Desai is an International Trade Specialist with the U.S. Commercial Service International Buyer Program
The 2011 International CES concluded on Sunday, January 9, 2011 with preliminary figures reporting over 140,000 industry professionals in attendance at the show. This year’s CES experience a record number of international attendees with the International Buyer Program contributing 34 buyer delegations consisting of over 700 international attendees at the show!
In addition to bringing foreign buyers to the show, Commercial Specialists conducted over 110 meetings with interested U.S. exhibitors both on the show floor and in the International Commerce Center onsite. These meetings helped educate U.S. exhibitors about the relevant markets and how to get their products into these markets. Matchmaking meetings between U.S. exhibitors and recruited international delegates also took place during the show. Several delegates reported finding U.S. supplier leads at CES that will hopefully result in sales for U.S. companies at the show n in the coming months!
The International Buyer Program is a key component of President Obama’s National Export Strategy. Commerce Secretary Locke visited the show on Thursday, January 6, 2011 and discussed this important initiative, which seeks to double U.S. exports by 2015 and support millions of American jobs.
I think that this is a great way to introduce American business owners to prospective buyers to drum up business to help support and expand American jobs.
Considering the Economic slump it is a good initiative to promote local business to potential buyers
Events like this is a great way to help small businesses on how to properly market and showcase their products.
The support from the American government to help American buisnessmen connect with others from the rest of the world is absoulutely fantastic. Build the economy and make the American dream a reality for everyone.
This is a fantastic opportunity for budding entrepreneurs and businesses to market their products. Its good to see the government supporting these businesses. This will certainly create jobs if trade picks up.
Great event:
really really Events like this is a great way to help small businesses on how to properly market and showcase their products.
Wow! I think Events like this is a great way to help small businesses on how to properly market and showcase their products.
The IBP program has been an outstanding program since its inception in 1974. At its inception it was right on target – in those days when you arrived at a domestic show you received the cataloge for say 1,500 companies, each with one paragraph that most often didn’t mention export interests. The catalog was in Alpha sequence by company name, and the booths were in numeric sequence. So the foreign attendee had to run over to the big trash cans they use for tables, and skimmed the book to find who to visit. Meeting the right exhibitor was like shooting dice – you could talk (for 6 minutes) with 280 companies out of the 1500 (+/-) exhibitors during the show. Today everything is on the computer and you can communicate and negotiate prior to the show to make the show meeting a “closing” meeting. But Commerce wont address that possibility, in fact in the 15 years since I retired from Commerce they have refused to address my frequenct proposals on how to modernize the IBP approach. By A retired Commercial Officer.
This can help SME to raise their business,nice information and good idea.
We have to welcome such initiatives. All Americans deserve the chance to promote their business.
In my view it will be greatful to help small businesse, This will certainly create jobs if trade picks up.
Several delegates reported finding U.S. supplier leads at CES that will hopefully result in sales for U.S. companies at the show n in the coming months!
Well now with the debt crisis and the proposed plan, the small business owner is going to suffer even more. Right down to the new patent implications. The larger companies now have the ability to “snuff out” a threatening patent created by the little man. We’ve got to come and stand together on these issues.