At present, more and more international wine enterprises are making market survey and looking for wine import agent in China.  Yet it is really a hard job to find a proper wine agent.  One of the methods is to participate the international beverage and wine expo held in China.  The effects would not meet the needs without sufficient preparation.  Reasons are the following:

1.    The expo is often held in the metropolis with developed economy and dense population.  Most of the participants are from the city and the area nearby, these metropolises are usually the very place of international wine agents.  Owing to the stable partnerships with the international counterparts, the agents seldom look for new partner in such occasion.

2.    There are few agents who intend to look for international vintner in the expo.  The chances of negotiating and discussing the possibility of cooperation in the expo hall are very slim. 

3. The international merchants who attend the expo lack of the insight into Chinese market.  What's worse, only with the sample wine and the price makes the preparations for the expo is insufficient.  Besides, the temporary interpreter can't provide efficient assist in the business negotiation cause it seems difficult for them to distinguish the ordinary audiences and the potential partners.  

SAIL China 2005 in Shanghai, I met some international friends who have been to the other wine expos for many times in China.  One of the Italians told me that they didn't make a deal last time because of the price, therefore this time they have greatly reduced the price.  Yet at the end of the expo, only few professional wine and beverage companies contacted them, and the potential partner were almost none.

The good effects base on the sufficient preparations before the expo, which cover the following:

1.    Before come to China, have an insight into Chinese wine market, select the proper expo.

2.    Employ the local professional consulting company for products orientation and market strategies.

3.    Prepare the brochure and strategy for Chinese market, including the Chinese version of product catalog and invitation international.

4.    Before the expo, make the prophase market promotion via the Chinese professional consulting company, contact with the potential partners and make appointment with them for further negotiation in the expo.

5.    Leave a period of time for negotiation after the expo.