Many factories want to do foreign trade, but they don't know where to start, and they are worried that investment will not work. This article shares a real case: A hardware tool factory in Cangzhou had no previous experience in foreign trade. It used AI to expand customers for half a year, ranging from 0 foreign trade to 30 precise inquiries per month, and successfully signed the first overseas order.
Note: In order to protect customer privacy, this article does not show the company name, only share the real process and data.
1. Customer background
areas: Hebei QHG 0Q
industry: Hardware tool manufacturing
main products: Wrench, screwdriver set, toolbox
plant scale: 80 people, with an annual output value of approximately RMB 30 million
Foreign trade basics：0。Previously, I only worked in the domestic market and worked for domestic brands. I had no foreign trade team and no foreign trade experience.
2. Problems encountered
At the end of 2025, the owner of this factory came to us and talked about several pain points:
1. Competition in the domestic market is too fierce: The price war in the domestic hardware tool market is serious, profits are getting thinner and thinner, and major customers are pressing prices hard.
2. Want to do foreign trade but don't know how to start: I heard that Ali International Station costs more than 100,000 yuan a year, but it may not be effective, so I dare not invest. Recruiting foreign trade salesmen is afraid that people who recruit will not be able to do it, which is a waste of money.
3. No customer resources: I have no idea where overseas customers are or how to contact them.
4. Worried that investment will not be rewarded: The factory's profits are not high, so we dare not invest blindly. We hope to see the results and increase investment.
3. Solutions
We have formulated a "Dual-Track Customer Acquisition + full-journey accompanying" plan for this factory:
Step 1: Product positioning and customer analysis (Week 1)
Help them analyze:
- Main product: Wrench set (high cost performance, suitable for European, American and Southeast Asian markets)
- Target market: Southeast Asia first (price sensitive, low certification requirements), then Europe (high profits)
- Target customers: hardware wholesalers, tool brands, e-commerce sellers
- Differentiation advantages: The price is 8% lower than that of its Zhejiang counterparts, the delivery time is 25 days, and small batch customization is supported
Step 2: Prepare basic information on foreign trade (Week 2)
Help them prepare:
- English product brochure (20 main products, parameters, pictures, packaging)
- English quotation template (FOB price, MOQ, delivery date, payment method)
- Company introduction in English (highlighting factory strength, certification, and production capacity)
- Product pictures and production videos (real photos from the factory, increase trust)
Step 3: AI accurately obtains customers (starting from week 3 and continuing)
Using AI tools:
- Targeting hardware tool wholesalers, brands, and e-commerce sellers in Southeast Asia and Europe
- Find the email address and WhatsApp of the purchasing person
- Use AI to generate personalized development letters (each letter is specific to the customer's specific situation)
- Automatic follow-up: 1st letter, 3 days follow-up, 7 days follow-up, 14 days follow-up
Develop 30-50 precise customers every day and send personalized development letters.
Step 4: Full running guidance (continuous)
Our accompanying team:
- Help them respond to customer emails (hands-on instructions in the first 2 months)
- Guide quotation strategy (how to quote without losing orders and making profits)
- Guide sample sending (how to send samples to improve conversion rate)
- Guide negotiation skills (how to deal with customer underpricing)
- Weekly review and adjust strategies
4. Effect data
Month 1: Exploration period
- Development customers: 800+
- Enquiries received: 8
- Quotes: 5 companies
- Sample: 1
- Order: 0
The results in the first month were average, mainly in exploring customer portraits and developing communication skills. We have adjusted our target customers from general "hardware importers" to "Southeast Asian tool wholesalers."
Month 2: Start to take effect
- Development customers: 1200+
- Enquiries received: 18
- Quotes: 12 companies
- Samples: 3
- Order: 0 (but there are 2 customers in conversation)
The number of inquiries has doubled and customer quality has improved. A Malaysian customer was very interested in the wrench set and sent a sample.
Month 3: First transaction
- Development customers: 1500+
- Enquiries received: 25
- Quotes: 18 companies
- Samples: 5
- Order: 1 (Malaysian customer, first order of US$12,000)
In the third month, the Malaysian customer was very satisfied after receiving the samples and placed a test order of US$12,000 (approximately RMB 85,000). Although the amount is not large, this is the factory's first foreign trade order, and the team's confidence has greatly increased.
Months 4-6: Stable growth
- Average monthly inquiries: 30
- Average monthly price: 20
- Average monthly samples: 4-6
- Cumulative orders: 5 (2 in Malaysia, 1 in Philippines, 1 in Thailand, 1 in Germany)
- Cumulative order amount: approximately US$120,000 (approximately RMB 850,000)
- Largest order: US$35,000 for German customers
Half year summary
| indicators | data |
|---|---|
| Cumulative development customers | 8000+ |
| Cumulative inquiries received | art. 106 |
| Cumulative quotation | of 73 |
| Cumulative samples sent | of 18 |
| Cumulative transaction customers | of 5 |
| Cumulative order amount | about $120,000 |
| Inquiry conversion rate | 4.7% |
| Sample conversion | 27.8% |
5. Key success factors
1. Boss attaches importance to: The boss personally participates, reviews with us every week, and adjusts the strategy in a timely manner. It's not "hire people and leave them alone."
2. competitive products: The price is 8% lower than that of its peers, the delivery time is 25 days, and small batches are supported. These are the keys for customers to choose them.
3. fast response: Reply within 2 hours after customer inquiries, and send samples within 3 days. Response speed is the key to conversion rate.
4. continuous optimization: Review weekly to adjust customer portraits, develop messaging techniques, and quote strategies. It's not like sending people in groups without change.
5. Running escort guidance: In the first 2 months, teach me hand-by-hand to respond to emails and quotations to avoid mistakes made by novices. The team grew rapidly and was able to handle most inquiries independently from the third month.
6. Difficulties encountered and solutions
Difficulty 1: There were no orders in the first 2 months, and the team almost gave up
Solution: We helped the boss analyze the data, and the number of inquiries and samples are increasing, which means that the direction is in the right direction, but it just takes time. Adjust your mentality and continue to persevere. The transaction was completed in the third month.
Difficulty 2: The customer is pushing down the price severely and doesn't know how to deal with it
Solution: Teach them the "value quotation method", not just quoting prices, but highlighting the value of quality, delivery time, and service. At the same time, customers are given step-by-step quotations, with large quantities and preferential treatment, and customers are guided to increase their order volume.
Difficulty 3: German customers have high requirements for certification
Solution: Help them prepare CE certification and test reports. The factory had CE certification before but didn't know how to use it. After sending the certification materials to the customer, the customer quickly placed an order.
Difficulty 4: Don't understand logistics and customs declaration
Solution: Recommended a cooperative freight forwarder to teach the customs declaration process by hand. Although the first order was in a hurry, it was successfully shipped and became proficient later on.
7. Customer feedback
"I always wanted to do foreign trade before, but I didn't know how to start. I was afraid that if I invested money, it wouldn't work. After cooperating with Qihang AI for half a year, I have 5 overseas customers from 0, with an order amount of more than 800,000 yuan. The most important thing is that our foreign trade team has also grown and can now independently develop customers and follow up on orders. This investment value. "
--Mr. Wang of Cangzhou Hardware Tool Factory
8. Suggestions for factories that want to do foreign trade
1. Don't wait until you're ready to start: Many factories say,"Wait until I recruit people, complete the website, and prepare the materials before doing it." As a result, they have waited for a year and haven't started yet. Prepare while doing, and learn the fastest in actual combat.
2. The first 3 months are the most difficult: Foreign trade is not quick money. It is normal that there may be no orders in the first three months. As long as the number of inquiries and samples is growing, stick to it.
3. Finding the right method is more important than working hard: The effect of blindly sending development letters is very poor. Using AI for precise positioning + personalized development improves efficiency by more than 5 times.
4. The boss wants to arrest him personally: Foreign trade is not about "hiring a salesperson and getting it done." Bosses must pay attention to it, participate in it, and provide resources. 90% of foreign trade that the boss does not pay attention to cannot be done.
5. You can find a professional team to accompany you: If you have no foreign trade experience, find a professional foreign trade service company to accompany you and avoid detours, which is much faster than exploring yourself.
summary
This Cangzhou hardware tool factory starts from zero foreign trade foundation, uses AI to expand customers + accompany the entire journey, achieving an average of 30 inquiries per month and a total of 850,000 orders in half a year. It has been proved that factories without foreign trade experience can do a good job in foreign trade as long as the methods are correct, persist in doing it, and are led by someone.
If you are also a factory that wants to do foreign trade but don't know how to start, you can contact Qihang AI. We provide free foreign trade feasibility analysis to help you determine how your products are suitable for foreign trade, how much to invest, and how long it will take effect.
