Visit U.S. Department of Commerce websites offering South American business consulting services

Look for American sites that offer South American business consulting and services including information on: Existing and proposed free trade agreements between the U.S. and South American countries; listings of trade events aimed at the South American market; national and industry-specific information; and direct contacts for more advice and information.

I recommend: Trade Americas, run by the U.S. Commercial Service, has South American business consultants offering assistance to Americans doing business in the Latin American and Caribbean markets. The Association of American Chambers of Commerce in Latin America (AACCLA) offers extensive links to American Chambers of Commerce in specific countries, as well as, to market intelligence services in Latin America.

Gather country-specific advice from South American business consulting government agencies

While most South American business consulting agency websites require knowledge of Spanish or Portuguese, some offer extensive information in English. Also contact consultants person-to-person in your company's South American host country.

I recommend: For doing business in Argentina, the Fundacion Inventir Argentina website offers "The Complete Guide to Business in Argentina" in the English language. For Brazil, the BrazilTradeNet website offers a large calendar of Brazil trade fairs, as well as, other services for foreign investors or entrepreneurs entering the Brazilian market. ProExport Colombia has business sector-specific trade information for English-only-speaking foreign investors and entrepreneurs.

Gather trade leads from reputable South America business consulting services

When entering a foreign market, its best to utilize trade leads and personal business introductions that have been recommended by reputable consultants.

I recommend: Co-sponsored by the U.S. Department of Commerce, The Export Yellow Pages offers a Trade Leads Service where subscribers can gather quality worldwide trade opportunities, including South America. The U.S. Commercial Service offers its Gold Key Matching Service that matches American businesses with host country partners.