There are several prerequisites that exporters have to satisfy before they actually sell commodities abroad among which the establishment of business relations with potential customers deserves special attention. Generally, exporters can obtain information about prospect customers overseas through the following channels:
1. Banks in the buyer's country
2. Chambers of Commerce in foreign
3. Consulates stationed abroad
4. Various trade associations
5. Trade directory
6. Newspaper and advertisement
Having obtained the name and address of the prospect customers, the exporter may set out to send letters, circulars, catalogues, and price lists to the parties concerned. Such letters should tell the reader how his name is obtained and give him some details about the exporter's business, for example, the range of the goods handled and in what quantities.
Very often, it is the importer who initiates such an inquiry letter to the exporter to seek for information about the products he is interested in. In such a case, the letter should be answered promptly and explicitly to create goodwill and leave a good impression on the reader. If the inquiry is from a regular customer, a direct and polite reply, with an expression of thanks, is all that is necessary. But if you reply to an inquiry from a new source, you will naturally approach it more carefully. For example, you may add a favorable comment on the goods inquired about and draw attention to other products likely to be of interest.
中文参考：
出口商在把货物发往国外之前有几个先决条件需要满足，在这之间和潜在客户建立商务关系也需要特别关注。一般来说，出口商能从以下几个渠道获得海外消费者的消费前景：
1. 买方国家的银行
2. 外国商会
3. 外国商业会馆
4. 各种同业工会
5. 同业名录
6. 报纸和广告
出口商获得潜在客户的名称和地址，就可能开始给相关部门发信，函件，产品目录和价格表。这样的信件应该告诉对方你是如何知道他的，并要提供一些自己的信息，比如，货物范围和数量。
通常，进口商会给出口商发信询问一些他们所感兴趣商品的信息。在这种情况下，应该迅速地明确地给对方回信来表示友好，以次来给对方留下好印象。如果询盘的是老客户，那么仅仅需要一个带有谢意的直接的礼貌的回复就可以了。但是如果你要回答一个新客户的询问，就一定要小心谨慎地处理了。比如，你可以给所询问的产品做一番好的评论，让对方对可能感兴趣的产品引起注意。