Trade

TRADE

TradePort

by Craig Snyder

TradePort is an international trade Web site specifically designed to help California exporters find and develop new international markets for their goods and services; the company celebrates its two-year anniversary in March 1998. The site was officially launched to the public by the late Secretary of Commerce Ron Brown in March 1996. [Author's note: I was involved with the initial design, development and marketing of the site. I have had no involvement with TradePort for the last year and half, however.]

The seed money for TradePort came from the LATRADE and BAYTRADE programs, both of which receive their funding from a U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration grant. There are plans to make TradePort a self-sufficient entity, however. The site was designed and is currently hosted by Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), based in San Diego, CA.

I spoke with Mr. Robert Ostrea, Jr., TradePort Manager about TradePort and its future.

C.S.: Where do you obtain your international trade research, leads and information?

R.O.: A good majority of our trade research, leads, etc. derives from STAT-USA and the overseas offices of the U.S. Department of Commerce. We also have a working relationship with the State of California and they have provided information related to their overseas office activities.

C.S.: How often is the site updated?

R.O.: The site is updated on a daily basis for general updates, address changes, graphics changes, event updates, etc. Market Research Reports and other information obtained from STAT-USA are updated on a monthly basis. TOPS trade leads are updated weekly.

C.S.: Do you do matchmaking between California and overseas companies?

R.O.: Matchmaking services are conducted by trade staff at the LA TRADE and BAYTRADE programs in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Commerce and/or state trade agencies.

C.S.: How many visitors per month do you receive? Is it growing? Shrinking? How many members/subscribers do you have?

R.O.: TradePort currently receives over 220,000 hits per month. This number has grown consistently over the past year. TradePort does not currently require registration.

C.S.: What type of promotional efforts have you done? Are you doing? Will you do? What worked, what didn't, and why?

R.O.: Our promotional efforts include making presentations at seminars, conferences and trade shows; acquiring tabletops and/or booths at conferences and working with the U.S. Department of Commerce and the State of California to incorporate TradePort materials and/or a TradePort demonstration at their functions.

TradePort has implemented a Reciprocal Link Program which invited other nonprofit organizations, educational institutions and government agencies which offer an export-related product or service to have a link on TradePort in exchange for a link on their site. This broadens the exposure of TradePort and has dramatically increased the traffic on all sites involved.

TradePort has purchased a large number of customized "Slinkies" which have TradePort and the URL printed on the product. This advertising tool has worked wonders at trade shows and seminars. At COMDEX in Las Vegas last November, I attended the International Buyers Reception at the Stardust Hotel and just about every attendee and exhibitor was drawn to my tabletop to pick up a Slinkie. As a result, most were also interested in TradePort and the services of the LA TRADE and BAYTRADE programs. It was a tremendous success.

C.S.: What are the benefits of becoming a TradePort affiliate? What are the costs?

R.O.: A TradePort Affiliate is the same as a sponsorship. It involves sponsoring the LA TRADE and/or BAYTRADE program causes in addition to TradePort. Benefits include logo recognition on TradePort and on all LA TRADE and/or BAYTRADE program materials, an introduction to LA TRADE and/or BAYTRADE clients at special seminars and conferences and recognition by assisting the community in fostering exports.

We have three levels of sponsorships: $25K, $10K and $5K. We are currently developing an advertising program.

C.S.: Who are your sponsors and advertisers?

R.O.: Our current sponsors include Bank of America, ARCO Products Company, State of California, Port of Los Angeles, Sanwa Bank, Fireman's Fund Insurance, LKJ Associates, Clorox, American President Lines, Database Publishing Company, and U.S. Department of Commerce.

C.S.: What awards has the site garnered?

R.O.: TradePort has garnered many awards for content, style and information, with the most recent including Magellan 4-star site and GoTo.COM Editor's Choice.

C.S.: Do you have anything else you'd like to add?

R.O.: TradePort is a tremendous, information-rich resource available free of charge to anyone with access to the Internet. Valuable market research and industry reports are available and accessible via a simple search engine. International Trade Events are entered and modified into our calendar directly by the organizing parties, providing TradePort users with the most up-to-date program information. Our newly introduced TradePort Bookstore, a partnership with Amazon.com (the largest bookstore on the Internet), allows our users to browse the latest international trade-related publications and purchase them securely through Amazon.com.

Our new feature will include a comprehensive California Company Database, with updated company information provided by Database Publishing Company. The user will be able to search for companies based on a number of criteria and then purchase data at discounted rates direct from DPC.

Finally, TradePort has just completed an agreement with the State of Missouri to create and maintain a customized version of TradePort, called TradePort Missouri. This will be TradePort's first "member" organization. When a Missouri company types in the customized URL for TradePort Missouri, they will see an interface and selections directly related to Missouri. Market Research Reports, trade leads, and other generic information will be the same, but TradePort Missouri will feature custom areas including a Missouri Company Database and Missouri Trade Events. TradePort Missouri should be launched in the next quarter.

Mr. Ostrea can be reached at robert@tradeport.org or via telephone at 213-580-7548.

Craig Snyder is president of Dolphin Marketing International. DMI is a Web site development and marketing company with an emphasis on international marketing. DMI is also the sponsor ofSONAR, the international trade search engine. He can be reached via email at craig@dmintl.com.