2024 Latest WhatsApp Foreign Trade Development Letter Guide: Greeting, Following Up, and Replying to Customers (with Template)

Let me ask you all the foreign trade friends first: when writing foreign trade development letters, are you a "bronze" or "king"? Don't worry if you answered "bronze". No matter what level you are at, after reading this blog, your foreign trade development letter writing ability will definitely be next level! The template is attached at the end of the article~

What is a foreign trade development letter

As the name implies, it is an important communication method used by us in international trade to develop new customers and maintain old customers. In the foreign trade industry, a foreign trade letter is like your "stepping stone", which determines whether you can successfully open the door to international customers. A development letter is like a unique business card. Whether you can show the charm of your company and products depends on it! A well-written development letter can help you stand out, win the hearts of potential customers, and even turn it into actual business opportunities.

In addition, the importance of development letters goes far beyond this. It is also a key tool to maintain old customers. Write a second development letter to old customers and follow up with foreign trade letters to enhance customer stickiness and establish a long-term and stable cooperative relationship.

The correct way to greet in a foreign trade letter

A striking foreign trade development letter should first start with a concise and clear title, such as: "Customized plan for [customer company name]", "[product name] new product launch: exclusive offer". There is no need to write a title for WhatsApp acquisition. How to write an opening statement? You need to convey sincerity and professionalism. For example, you can first briefly state why you are contacting the customer and show your understanding of their business. This approach is not only polite, but also makes customers feel that you are here specifically for them, rather than a cookie-cutter mass message. Of course, mass messages can also be customized! Use the WhatsApp mass messaging tool to make each message different by customizing the WhatsApp number and sending time. In addition, if you don’t have many WhatsApp customer numbers, you can use the WhatsApp without adding contacts/WhatsApp direct link method to send messages and send pre-edited development letter greeting templates.

A complete foreign trade letter greeting usually contains:

Title/Subject Line (Ignore for WhatsApp communications)

text:

Opening greetings (mention previous trade shows, etc., congratulate the other party on recent achievements, pay attention to current events)

Introduce yourself (if it is the first time contact)

Core content (product introduction, solution suggestions, etc.)

Value Proposition

Call to Action

END:

Summarize key points and clarify next steps

Polite Closing Remarks

Signature (including contact information)

Greeting in a foreign trade letter: "Four Don'ts"

1. Don't use too blunt openings such as "To whom it may concern";

2. Do not misspell the client or company name;

3. Don't use an overly casual tone (such as "What's up");

4. Don’t start selling your product right at the beginning.

How to reply to the message received by the customer in foreign trade

When the customer replies to your foreign trade letter to say hello, it means that the first step has been successful! Friends with weaker language skills can use WhatsApp real-time translation to view the customer's response. At this time, all you have to do is quickly reply to show your attention to the customer. Generally speaking, whoever the customer receives a reply from first is more likely to succeed in the order, and it can also improve the customer experience. Remember: all your actions represent the company, and timely and professional replies are conducive to establishing the company's image in the minds of customers. Therefore, your response should not only solve the problems raised by the customer, but also further strengthen the trust between the two parties. You can start with a thank you reply, for example: "Thank you for taking the time to reply to my email. I am happy to discuss more details about [product/service] with you."

Next, use clear and concise language to demonstrate your deep understanding of the product and industry. For example, if a customer has questions about a certain feature or service, you can explain its advantages and application scenarios in detail, and try to support it with data or success cases to show your strength. Avoid ambiguous answers and provide specific information to make customers feel that you are a trustworthy partner. You may wish to write an automatic reply template in advance and set keyword matching. If a customer mentions a certain keyword in his reply, WhatsApp automatically sends the corresponding content to the customer without editing every word.

Finally, don’t forget to provide valuable information, not just answering the customer’s direct questions, but also anticipating other issues that the customer may be concerned about and explaining them in advance.

Summary of the basic structure of how foreign trade replies to messages received by customers

a) Thank you letter from the customer

b) Acknowledge that their inquiry/request has been received and understood

c) Provide clear, specific responses

d) Recommend follow-up actions, if necessary

e) A friendly closing

Effective strategies for following up on foreign trade letters

Timing of following up on foreign trade letters

For foreign trade er, the timing of the first follow-up is crucial:

a) 3-5 working days after initial contact

b) 1 week after sending quotation or sample

c) When a customer expresses interest but does not place an order

d) 1-2 weeks after the exhibition

e) Before and after holidays or special events

Recommendations on the frequency of following up on foreign trade letters

The key is how to strike a balance: maintaining the relationship without making the customer feel intrusive. Avoid following up too frequently (beware of customers blocking you!). In addition, each follow-up should have new content, including but not limited to simple reminders such as "Have you considered my proposal?"

Hot prospects:

First week: once every 3-4 days

Week 2: Once a week

After that: every 2-4 weeks until a clear response is received

General Potential Customers:

First week: once every 5-7 days

After: Every 2-3 weeks for 1-2 months

Existing Customers:

Active customers: At least once a month

Inactive customers: Quarterly

Follow-up content of foreign trade letter

The content is clear and organized. Follow the steps below to expand:

1. Recap: Briefly mention the key points from the last communication, for example: "In the previous email, we discussed how [product/service] can help your company improve [customer need] efficiency."

2. Provide more information: Further demonstrate your value. You can share new product details, industry trends, and discounts.

3. Guide customers to take the next step: The trick is to create a sense of urgency without being too pushy, such as scheduling a conference call or offering a trial. Or make customers realize that if they don't act early, they may miss market opportunities. Avoid using a tough tone and make customers feel comfortable through selective language, such as: "If you are interested in further discussion, we can arrange a conference call at a convenient time." While remaining friendly and professional, guide customers to see the actual value of cooperation.

How to write the second development letter to old customers

We have discussed the suggestions for following up the first foreign trade letter above. Now let’s talk about how to write the second development letter to old customers. In fact, the two have a lot in common, but the second development letter to old customers needs to be more precise and personalized. Reviewing the results of the first contact is the key.

First, group and label old customers on WhatsApp and review the important content in the chat, whether it is customer feedback, cooperation results, or unresolved issues, which are the basis for determining the entry point. For example: "During the last cooperation, your feedback helped us improve [product/service] and achieved significant results."

Next, present further opportunities for cooperation or offers. The point of this letter is to let old customers see new valuable information. You can provide new solutions for their business or launch a limited-time offer to attract them to cooperate. For example: "Based on our last discussion, I would like to introduce you to our latest development xx. This system can be remotely controlled via a mobile app..."

Another point is that the communication method should be sincere and considerate, showing long-term concern for customers, proactively asking about their current demand changes, or providing information that is helpful to their industry. Let customers feel that they are not only your partners, but also resources worth maintaining in the long term.

The second letter to develop old customers - Summary of skills to maintain long-term relationships

1. Personalized communication: Mention the customer’s specific needs or challenges

2. Provide additional value: share resources or articles that are helpful to the customer's business; provide free consulting or training opportunities

3. Ask for feedback: Ask customers about their experience with your product/service

4. Demonstrate long-term commitment: Discuss future cooperation plans; mention possible long-term cooperation offers

5. Maintain moderate frequency of contact: Follow up reminders regularly, but don’t be too intrusive; set congratulatory messages on important holidays or milestones of the client’s company.

How to find customers in foreign trade? How to acquire customers efficiently?

In the above, we have taught various scenarios and corresponding writing skills for foreign trade development letters. Next, let’s talk about how to find customers for foreign trade. Whether you can find customers determines whether you can send foreign trade letters to greet them. Through the following methods, you can greatly improve the efficiency of finding potential customers.

Online Platform: B2B platforms such as LinkedIn, Alibaba, and Global Sources are excellent channels for foreign trade personnel to obtain customer resources. On these platforms, you can find potential customers through keyword searches and use recommendations or industry networks on the platform to further expand your customer base.

Industry-specific platforms: ThomasNet (industry), Kompass (multi-industry)

Foreign trade inquiry website: EC21, HKTDC, Exporters.sg

Customs database: Import Genius, Panjiva (provides import and export data)

Government trade websites: Ministry of Commerce websites of various countries, such as export.gov in the United States

Customer Management System (CRM): WAPlus CRM system is a powerful tool for managing customer relationships, which can help you effectively track potential customers and existing customers. Through WAPlus's Team Chat Record Synchronization, you can record every interaction, follow-up, and customer needs to ensure that no business opportunity is missed. At the same time, CRM can also help you better plan sales cycles and optimize customer management processes.

Big data and market research tools: Through tools such as Google Trends and SEMrush, we can gain an in-depth understanding of target customers’ needs and market trends, so as to formulate targeted development strategies and improve the efficiency of finding customers and the accuracy of customer development.

Trade fairs and events: Canton Fair, CES(Consumer Electronics Show), Hannover Messe(Industrial Technology Exhibition); industry-specific exhibitions and online exhibitions.

Social media and professional networks: Every foreign trader has multi-platform social media accounts, with LinkedIn, X, Facebook, and professional communities such as Reddit being the first choices.

Template collection: Greeting letter for foreign trade | How to reply to the customer receiving the message | Follow-up letter for foreign trade | Second letter for development of old customers

Foreign trade letter greeting template - for potential customers

Enhancing [Specific Industry] with [Your Product/Service]

Dear [Prospect's Name],

I hope this message finds you in good spirits. Congratulations on [Prospect's Company]'s recent [achievement or news] – it's been making waves in the [specific] industry!

My name is [Your Name], and I represent [Your Company], a leading provider of [your product/service]. I recently read your [article/interview/news] on [specific topic] and was impressed by your [specific point that stood out].

Given your company's recent [expansion/achievement] and the [challenges/opportunities] you highlighted, I believe our [product/service name] could be of significant interest to you. Our system offers:

[Key feature 1]

[Key feature 2]...

We've successfully implemented our solution for several [types of companies], resulting in [specific benefit, e.g., percentage improvement in a key metric].

I would love the opportunity to discuss how our [product/service] could support [Prospect's Company]'s [specific goal]. Would you be open to a brief [call/meeting] next week to explore potential synergies?

Thank you for your time, and I look forward to the possibility of collaborating with you.

Warm regards,

How to reply to the message template received by the customer in foreign trade - taking the follow-up inquiry as an example

Thank you for your price inquiry regarding our [Product Name]. I have received your request and am pleased to provide you with the information you need.

Based on the [product specifications/model] you inquired about, our quotation is as follows:

[Product Name/Model]: $[Price] per [Unit]

Minimum Order Quantity: [Quantity] [Units]

Delivery Time: [Number] days

Our [Product Name] offers the following advantages:

[Advantage 1, e.g., High-quality materials ensuring product durability]

[Advantage 2, e.g., Advanced technology improving production efficiency]

[Advantage 3, e.g., Energy-efficient design reducing operational costs]

Additionally, we are currently running [any relevant promotion or discount], which entitles you to [specific offer, e.g., a 10% discount].

To help you make an informed decision, we would be happy to:

Provide product samples for your testing

Arrange an online demonstration to showcase the product features in detail

Offer additional technical specifications or certification documents

Would you like any of this additional information or services? If so, please let me know, and I will arrange it immediately.

We look forward to establishing a long-term partnership with [Customer's Company Name]. If you have any further questions or need to discuss anything in more detail, please don't hesitate to contact me.

Foreign trade letter follow-up template - existing customers/potential customers

I hope you’re doing well! I wanted to reach out and see how everything is going with [product/service] that you’ve been using from us. I’m always keen to ensure that our solutions are meeting your expectations and supporting your goals.

I also wanted to let you know that we’ve introduced [new feature, promotion, or industry insight] that I believe could offer even more benefits for your operations. If this is something you’d be interested in exploring, I’d be happy to arrange a time to go over the details or provide any additional information you might need.

Please don’t hesitate to let me know if there’s anything else we can do to support your business. I’m looking forward to staying in touch and continuing our successful partnership.

Hey, it's been a few days since we discussed how our [Product/Service] could potentially boost [Customer's Company Name]'s efficiency in [specific area].

In our previous conversation, we touched upon [key point from the initial discussion]. I wanted to follow up and provide you with some additional insights that I believe you'll find valuable:

[New information point 1, e.g., recent case study or industry trend]

[New information point 2, e.g., product feature highlight]

[New information point 3, e.g., potential ROI or efficiency gain]

Given the current market dynamics, many of our clients are finding that early adoption of [Product/Service] has given them a significant competitive edge. To help you explore if this could be beneficial for [Customer's Company Name] as well, I'd be happy to:

Arrange a personalized demo tailored to your specific needs

Provide a complimentary consultation with our technical team

Set up a trial period for you to experience the benefits firsthand

If you're interested in any of these options, we could schedule a brief call next week to discuss the best approach for your company. Would you have 15-20 minutes available on [Day] or [Day]?

I look forward to the possibility of helping [Customer's Company Name] achieve its efficiency goals.

The second template of the development letter to old customers

I hope you’re doing great! I wanted to follow up on our last chat. Your feedback was incredibly valuable and helped us make some great improvements to [product/service]. Thanks again for that!

I’m excited to let you know about our latest [new product/feature]—it’s designed to [specific benefits]. For instance, it now includes [describe key feature, e.g., mobile app integration for remote control], which could really streamline your [specific task or process].

Additionally, next month we’re hosting an exclusive online webinar on smart office solutions. As one of our valued clients, we’d love to reserve a VIP seat for you. This is a great opportunity to stay updated on industry trends and exchange insights with other business leaders.

Please feel free to reach out if you'd like more details about the webinar or to discuss any changes in your business needs. Looking forward to continuing our partnership!

Conclusion

In foreign trade business, accurate and effective communication is the key to success. Whether it is greeting in a foreign trade letter, how to reply to the customer's message, following up in a foreign trade letter, or writing the second letter to develop old customers, every link cannot be ignored. With the right foreign trade letter template and strategy, you can not only find new customers accurately, but also effectively maintain the relationship with old customers.

After reading this, please return to your WhatsApp editing interface immediately and put the tips we discussed into practice, so that every foreign trade letter can bring more opportunities for your business!