Five things to clarify before cross-border research begins.
Before collecting contacts or requesting quotations, establish what the work needs to resolve. These five questions form a practical starting brief for either buyer-side research or international business-development support.
01 / What decision comes next?
Identify whether the work supports a supplier shortlist, a technical clarification, a market conversation or an internal decision. A well-defined next decision is more useful than a general instruction to “find opportunities”.
02 / What is already known?
Bring the existing specification, supplier names, commercial correspondence or target-customer assumptions. Research should build on useful work already completed instead of repeating it.
03 / Which constraints matter?
Record the practical constraints: product requirements, order size, geography, language, available resources and any mandatory checks. Distinguish a firm condition from a preference.
04 / What evidence is sufficient?
Agree what desktop research can establish and what would require direct confirmation or an independent specialist. Evidence expectations should be set before the report is written.
05 / Who will act on the output?
Name the decision owner and the technical or commercial contact. Define the handover format and the follow-up questions to be resolved. A clear owner helps prevent useful research from stopping at a document.
A good brief turns “look into this” into a specific question, a sensible scope and an actionable handover.
A Jaymio working framework, not a client case study or a performance claim.