Trinidad and Tobago’s Canada Mission Is a Market-Entry Strategy, Not a Trade Trip

The next Trinidad and Tobago trade mission to Canada will not be judged by the number of meetings arranged or business cards exchanged. Its stated aim is to help companies enter the market with a clear strategy.

Dr. Vashti Guyadeen, speaking at a Doing Business in Canada seminar, said the Chamber of Industry and Commerce was deliberately moving away from the traditional model of flying abroad for meetings and returning home. “This is not a traditional trade mission. It is a market-entry strategy,” she said.

Canada offers opportunities, she said, but it is also a large, sophisticated and highly competitive market. Companies need market intelligence, the right connections and a clear explanation of what they offer and why a Canadian buyer or partner should work with them. The preparation begins before the delegation arrives in Toronto, through webinars, training, market research and individual support intended to make participating companies export-ready.

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This is not a traditional trade mission. It is a market-entry strategy.

The Chamber’s plan centers on five areas. The first is preparation. The second is targeted market access, with curated introductions to potential buyers, distributors, retailers, investors, strategic partners and institutions. The quality of those engagements, and what follows them, will matter more than the number of meetings.

The Trinbago Festival will provide another route into the Canadian market. Participating businesses can display their products and services, engage consumers and begin building brand recognition. The feedback may require changes to packaging, pricing or the value proposition. As Guyadeen put it, “The businesses that succeed internationally are the ones that listen to the market and are prepared to adapt.”

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The businesses that succeed internationally are the ones that listen to the market and are prepared to adapt.