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5 Tips for Engaging Trade and Investment Agencies

1 / Preparing for Engagement with Trade and Investment Agencies

  • Conduct Comprehensive Research: Before approaching an agency, thoroughly research the target market's economic, political, and legal landscape. Understand key sectors, market trends, and potential challenges.

  • Set Clear Objectives: Identify what you want to achieve from the liaison, such as gaining market insights, understanding regulatory requirements, identifying potential incentives, or introductions.

  • Prepare a Robust Business Case: Develop a detailed business plan presentation showcasing your company's strengths, achievements, objectives for market entry, planned operations, and potential benefits to the target economy.

2 / Ensuring Your Enquiry is Prioritised in the Enquiry Qualification Process

  • Highlight Economic and Social Contributions: Emphasize how your business can contribute to the local economy, such as short to long term job creation, capital expenditure, R&D, technology transfer, Net Zero or community development.

  • Demonstrate Credibility and Seriousness: Show your commitment through well-prepared presentations, knowledge about the market, a clear investment strategy and emphasise the international mobility of the expansion.

  • Engage Proactively: Prepare specific questions to maximize the usefulness of the interaction and maintain ongoing communication responding promptly to requests for information to keep your enquiry active and visible.

3 / Negotiating to Maximise Government Support and Incentives Received

  • Understand the Incentive Landscape: Research the types of incentives available, such as tax exemptions, grants, or infrastructure support, and how they align with your business needs.

  • Build a Negotiation Strategy: Tailor your approach to the specific context of the target market, considering both your needs and what the agency can realistically offer.

  • Use Expert Advisors: Engage legal and financial experts experienced in international expansions to navigate complex negotiations and legal frameworks.

4 / Developing a Collaborative Relationship with Trade and Investment Agency Personnel

  • Foster Mutual Respect and Understanding: Build relationships based on trust and respect for the local culture and business practices.

  • Provide Regular Updates and Seek Feedback: Keep the agency informed about your progress and challenges. Solicit their advice and insights to strengthen the partnership.

  • Recognize Agency Goals and Constraints: Understand the agency's objectives and how your investment aligns with their goals, facilitating a more productive relationship.

5 / Leveraging the Relationship to Facilitate Wider Government and Industry Stakeholder Engagement

  • View the Agency as a Gateway: Leverage your relationship with the trade and investment agency to connect with other government departments, industry associations, and key stakeholders.

  • Participate in Networking Events and Trade Missions: Utilize events organized by the agency to expand your network, boost your profile and gain deeper insights into the local business environment.

  • Collaborate on Joint Initiatives: Seek opportunities for joint ventures or collaborations that can be supported by the agency, enhancing your credibility and visibility in the market.

Information Request Template for Liaising with Investment Promotion Agencies

This template can be tailored according to your business model, international expansion project profile and style of leadership.

Subject: Request for Information to Support [Company Name] Market Research on [Market/Location]

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Dear [Recipient's Name],

 

I hope this message finds you well. My name is [Your Name], and I am the CEO of [Your Company Name], a scale-up company specializing in [brief description of your business].

 

As part of our strategic global expansion plans, we are exploring opportunities for greenfield direct investment in several investment destinations within the [insert global region market].

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We are planning to establish [enter international expansion project details] following our recent [insert fundraising round if relevant].

 

We envisage this investment project benefiting the selected investment destination in the following ways [insert].

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We are keen to conduct thorough market research to ensure the success of our investment. To this end, we are seeking information and support from your agency.

 

Specifically, we are interested in the following:

 

1. Market Potential and Demand:

  • Insights into the size, growth, and demand within our industry in [Country/Region].

  • Information on key market trends and customer preferences.

 

2. Regional Clusters and Business Ecosystems:

  • Details on regional industry clusters and business ecosystems.

  • Information on local networks, suppliers, partners, and industry-specific resources.

 

3. Regulatory and Legal Environment:

  • Details on business registration processes and compliance requirements.

  • Information on business immigration and employment laws, intellectual property protection, and other legal considerations.

 

4. Government Support and Incentives:

  • Information on available incentives, grants, allowances, and subsidies for foreign investors.

  • Details on tax benefits and any regulatory frameworks that support greenfield investments.

 

5. Infrastructure and Logistics:

  • Information on the availability and quality of infrastructure, including transportation, utilities, and technology access.

  • Details on logistical considerations for setting up operations.

 

6. Cost of Doing Business:

  • Estimates of operational costs, including labor, real estate, and utilities.

  • Any additional expenses that may impact our financial planning.

 

7. Talent Availability and Workforce Skills:

  • Insights into the availability, skills, and cost of the local workforce.

  • Information on any relevant training programs or educational institutions.

 

8. R&D and Innovation:

  • Information on local innovation ecosystems and R&D centres of excellence.

  • Availability of research grants, partnerships with academic institutions, and collaboration opportunities with local tech hubs.

 

9. Industry Events and Networking Opportunities:

  • Information on key industry events, conferences, and trade shows.

  • Opportunities for networking with local businesses and industry leaders.

 

10. Success Stories and Case Studies:

  • Examples of similar companies that have successfully entered the market.

  • Insights and lessons learned from their experiences.

 

We believe that the information provided by your agency will be instrumental in our decision-making process as we consider a range of investment destinations.

 

We would be grateful if we could meet us to discuss this information request and any available resources, reports, or contacts that could assist us in this endeavour.

 

Please let us know if there are any forms or additional details you require from us to facilitate this request.

 

Thank you for your time and consideration. We look forward to your positive response.

 

Best regards,

[Your Full Name]
CEO, [Your Company Name]
[Your Contact Information]
[Your Email Address]
[Your Company Website]

Location Benchmarking Template

The following Location Benchmarking template can be developed and adapted to help you save further time when collating and analysing the information response outputs from the trade and investment agencies in your target markets.

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For each criterion, you would assess and score each market individually. The weight column applies to the criteria universally, impacting the overall importance of each criterion in the final assessment.

 

After scoring, you can calculate the weighted average for each sub-category and then sum these for each market to get a comprehensive comparative score.

 

The weighted score is calculated by multiplying the score of each criterion by its weight. This approach will highlight the strengths and weaknesses of each market in relation to your specific criteria.

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In this table:

  • "Score Market A/B/C (1-5)" columns are where you enter the raw scores for each criterion for each market.

  • "Weighted Score A/B/C" columns are used to display the score multiplied by the weight for each criterion. For example, if the score for Market A for a particular criterion is 4, and the weight is 10%, the weighted score would be 0.4.

  • The "Weight (%)" column is where the relative importance of each criterion is entered. All weights should sum to 100% across all criteria.

  • The final row, "Total Score", sums up the weighted scores for each market, providing a comprehensive score that reflects each market's overall suitability based on the criteria and weights you've set.

 

This matrix allows for a detailed and quantifiable comparison of the three markets based on a range of factors relevant to your industry or sector.

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