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Here's your latest issue of Really Useful Sites for International
Trade Professionals. This free bi-weekly newsletter reviews useful
Web sites from the Web Resources database at FITA's
International Trade/ Import-Export Portal at http://www.fita.org,
an excellent source for trade leads, news, events, and a link library
of 7,000+ sites related to international trade.
My name is John McDonnell, and for years I've been writing about
useful Web sites for businesspeople, in various publications. Now
I've focused on international trade, using my Web research skills
to find sites that are useful for international businesspeople,
and some sites that are just plain fun for anyone.
Here are the sites:
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OUR
FEATURED COUNTRY SITE -- TAIWAN BUYERS GUIDE
For a country that is only one quarter the size of California,
Taiwan has an economy that makes it one of the world's success
stories. It is one of the top ten U.S. trading partners, and
in 2002 it exported US $2.17 billion in goods to the United
States. It also imported US $9.95 billion, from countries
worldwide. This booming economy is worth investigating if
you're looking to expand your markets. One way to do that
is by going to Tradewinners.com
Taiwan Buyers Guide ( http://www.twinner.com.tw ). This
site has a database of over 100,000 products and services
from China and Taiwan, and you can search it for free once
you register. You can search by product, supplier, brand,
product number, keyword, and other parameters, and there's
even a way to search for competitors once you have a product
number. Your search results will include a company profile,
contact information, Web address, and other useful information.
TRADE SHOW RESOURCES
I always like the glitzy, showbiz atmosphere of trade
shows. Everybody is trying to grab the attention of visitors,
because with so many people in one place, it's a golden opportunity
to make contacts and generate sales leads. Working the trade
shows and exhibitions can be a great way to break into international
trade, if you know the right ones to attend. Here are sites
you can search for trade show listings.
- FITA's
Trade Shows Worldwide ( http://www.fita.org/tshows.html
). This is part of the FITA site, and it is refreshingly
easy to use. You just enter the name of the industry,
the city or country (or leave those boxes blank if you
want a worldwide listing of shows), and off you go. You
get detailed information for every show, including who
to contact if you want to attend.
- go-events.com
( http://www.go-events.com ). This site has a database
of tens of thousands of events worldwide, and you can
search it for free. Search by keyword or category, and
you'll get a detailed listing of events, complete with
location, dates, and contact information.
- ExpoWorld.net
( http://www.expoworld.net ). Las Vegas certainly knows
how to put on a show, and this site, sponsored by the
Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Bureau, has plenty
of information about trade shows worldwide. You can do
a keyword search, or browse the categories, where you'll
find links to convention bureaus, industry publications,
major exhibit halls, online forums and mailing lists,
trade associations, and much more.
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ESCAPEARTIST.COM
In my daydreams I see myself running off to the South
Pacific, living on the beach and not worrying about anything
except my suntan. For me it's merely a daydream, but if you're
thinking seriously of changing your life, go to EscapeArtist.com
( http://www.escapeartist.com ). This site has a wealth of
information for anyone considering a move to another part
of the world. There are country profiles, a jobs database,
a real estate marketplace, resources on retiring overseas,
telephone directories, ATM locators, maps, travel tips, and
much more. And it's not just for retirees or beach bums --
the pages on Living and Working in various countries have
links to support groups and counseling resources, for those
who need help adjusting.
ASK A SPECIALIST
The Internet has been wonderfully empowering for people
who have medical questions. On the Web you have a vast medical
library at your fingertips, so you no longer have to be in
the dark about any medical condition. A great example of this
is the Mayo
Clinic's Ask A Specialist ( http://www.mayoclinic.com/findinformation/answers/
) site. Here you can search a database of questions that have
been answered by the Mayo Clinic's world famous staff. The
answers are written in layman's language, but they give you
all the details you need to understand the condition and its
treatment. If you can't find the answer you want, you can
submit a question (although the site warns that only a small
percentage of questions get answered each month). Ask A Specialist
is only one facet of this useful site -- you can also search
for drug information, read about diseases and conditions,
and set up a self-care program for things like smoking cessation
and stress management.
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If you'd like to
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Professionals, there's a search page at http://fita.org/useful/search.html.
If you'd like to see all back issues of Really Useful Sites for
International Trade Professionals, the full list is at http://www.fita.org/useful/archives.html.
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Published by Federation
of International Trade Associations
Copyright © 2003 Federation of International Trade Associations.
All rights reserved.
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