A must-read for foreign trade professionals! 3 ways to accurately attract peer customers, doubling monthly sales is no longer a dream!

1. Search Engines: The Secret Weapon for Accurately Targeting Customers

1. Google Advanced Search Commands

• Syntax 1 : similar:www.同行网站.com

  (For example, if you enter similar:www.abc.com , Google will list 30 peer customer websites related to ABC Company.)

• Syntax 2 : site:行业关键词inurl:contact

  (Example: Search site:lighting inurl:contact to directly locate the contact page of customers in the lighting industry.)

• Use intext:"supplier wanted" to find customers who are looking for suppliers.

• Use filetype:pdf "product catalog" to download the customer's product catalog and analyze the needs.

2. LinkedIn: A social tool for efficient customer acquisition

1. Search skills

• Keyword combination :采购经理+ 公司名+ 行业关键词

  (Example: Search for Purchasing Manager + ABC Company + Lighting to directly target the purchasing manager of ABC Company.)

• Position filter : Select "Advanced filter" on the search results page and check "Decision-making positions" (such as CEO, Owner, Director).

2. Icebreakers

• Template 1 :

  “Hi [name], I’m [your name], and I’ve noticed your company’s presence in the [industry keyword] field. We’ve provided [product/service] to [peer customer A] and [peer customer B], helping them reduce costs by [X%]. Could you spare 5 minutes to share some industry trends?”

• Template 2 :

  “Congratulations on your company’s recent [award/achievement]! We specialize in [product] and have served [number] businesses in [region]. If you need to optimize your supply chain, I can help you with [specific solutions].”

• LinkedIn Sales Navigator : The paid version allows you to view more connections and supports batch messaging.

• RocketReach : Extract LinkedIn users’ emails and phone numbers with one click.

3. Customs data: A look into competitors’ business practices

1. Operation steps

• Purchase customs data services (such as AB customer ).

• Enter the name of a peer company to filter out their suppliers and buyers.

• Export the buyer list , sort it by purchase frequency, and give priority to contacting customers with large purchase volumes.

2. Development letter template

• Subject : [Urgent] We can reduce the cost of [product] that your company is cooperating with ABC Company by 20%!

• text :

  “Hello, I’m [your name], and I’ve noticed that your company has been purchasing [product] from ABC Company for a long time. We are ABC Company’s upstream supplier and can provide you with the same product at a 20% lower cost, and with [certification]. Attached is our quotation and case study, and we look forward to working with you!”

• Use SimilarWeb to analyze customer website traffic and determine their purchasing power.

• Use Hunter.io to verify the validity of customer email addresses to avoid email bounces.

IV. Actual combat case: 3 steps to dig out the big customers of competitors

Step 1: Target your competitors

• Method : Search lighting supplier China on Google and find the official website of ABC company.

• Findings : ABC company’s official website shows that they have served major clients such as Walmart and Carrefour.

Step 2: Use customs data to find buyers

• Operation : Enter the ABC company name in the AB customer customs data and export their buyers list.

• Result : It was found that ABC Company has been supplying LED lights to DEF Company of the United States for a long time, with a monthly purchase volume of 500,000 pieces.

Step 3: Targeted development of DEF companies

• LinkedIn Search : Find the LinkedIn page of John, Purchasing Manager at DEF Corporation.

• Development letter :

  "John, this is [your name], and I noticed that your company is working with ABC Company on LED lights. We are ABC's supplier and can now supply you directly, with a 15% lower price and 30% shorter delivery time. Attached is our test report and quotation, and I look forward to your reply!"

• Result : John responded by asking for samples and 3 weeks later placed an order for trial production.

5. Pitfall Avoidance Guide: 3 Details Determine Success or Failure

1. Avoid direct conflicts : When developing customers, do not belittle your peers; instead, focus on highlighting your own strengths.

2. Multi-channel verification : After finding the customer’s email address, use NeverBounce to verify its validity to avoid being marked as spam.

3. Regular review : Count the response rate and conversion rate of development letters every week, and optimize the wording and target customers.

• Tool combination : Google + LinkedIn + customs data = a three-piece set for precise customer acquisition.

• Core idea : Find the "traffic entrance" of peers (official website, exhibitions, customs records) and use differentiated advantages to enter.

• The key to execution : Spend 2 hours a day focusing on development, persist for 1 month, and customers will naturally come to you!