COVID-19 is changing the way BC’s value-added wood product companies pursue their marketing and sales objectives, and BC Wood is helping lead the way. For individual wood product companies, the virus-related travel and large-group restrictions means more video conferencing with existing clients, and a broad range of online and in-market strategies to secure leads and develop new customers. The latter includes online product brochures, video factory tours and participation at virtual tradeshows.
Given its mandate to assist value-added manufacturers prosper, BC Wood is going virtual with all of its business development support activities and services, including its market intelligence and in-market assistance, and efforts to connect wood sellers and buyers—such as the annual Global Buyers Mission. BC Wood is also introducing new programs to help companies adapt to the new business environment such as workshops on “retooling sales and marketing in a post Covid-19 world” and “managing a workforce from home”. These timely program changes are made possible thanks to the emergence of new digital tools developed as a result of the restrictions.
The new virtual programs are as follows:
Virtual 2020 Global Buyers Mission
The virtual platform will replicate the GBM experience which has become a one-of-a-kind meeting-place for buyers and sellers of wood products. Utilizing a virtual format, BC Wood expects to attract many more qualified buyers than the 450 that have traditionally attended the in-person event. For more information contact Randi Walker at [email protected].
Virtual Trade Missions
BC Wood’s in-market representatives will coordinate virtual group meetings of 4 to 6 companies with design and construction professionals in the US and Asia. Through participation in these missions wood product companies will develop business contacts and sales leads as well as valuable market intelligence. Target buyers include builders, architects, construction specifiers and building product distributors. For more information on Asia markets contact Jim Ivanoff at [email protected]; for North America contact David Farley at [email protected].
Virtual Marketing Programs and One-to-One Meetings
BC Wood’s in-market representatives in the US, Japan, and South Korea will help companies develop virtual market strategies for specific products, find qualified clients, and stick-handle the follow-up. BC Wood will also organize and host one-to-one meetings using its extensive database of contacts and in-depth knowledge of key markets. For more information on Asia markets contact Jim Ivanoff at [email protected]; for North America contact David Farley at [email protected], and for South Korea contact JC Lee at [email protected].
Virtual Trade Events
BC Wood will offer companies the opportunity to participate in virtual trade shows and conferences that are delivered by third parties or in some cases by BC Wood itself. Many of the organizers of traditional wood products and construction sector tradeshows are rapidly developing and delivering virtual alternatives, including several established conferences that match manufacturers with architects, builders and wholesale distributors. For more information contact Randi Walker at [email protected].
Virtual Capacity Building
BC Wood will deliver virtual workshops on business development and marketing topics that help companies adapt to the new business environment and continue to grow their markets and sales. Example topics include “Managing a Workforce from Home”, “Retooling Sales and Marketing in a Post-COVID World” and “How to Produce Videos For Effective Communication”. For more information contact Rumin Mann at [email protected].