SME Exhibition Funding Guide 2025: EMF Application Process

For small and medium-sized enterprises, participating in overseas exhibitions is not only an excellent opportunity to expand the international market, but also a key way to establish cross-border contacts and attract overseas customers and investors. Faced with high exhibition costs and cumbersome planning processes, many small and medium-sized enterprises often feel helpless when they first step into the international market. In order to support Hong Kong's small and medium-sized enterprises to move towards the international stage, the government launched the ""SME Export Marketing Fund (EMF)"". In this article, Fuuffy will provide you with a comprehensive guide, coveringhow to apply for the EMF Promotion Fund, including applicable conditions for funding, application process, and required documents , how to improve the success rate of application, and some practical overseas exhibition skills and strategies to help small and medium-sized enterprises make full use of these resources and successfully enter the international market.

 

What is EMF?

EMF is the ""SME Export Marketing Fund"" , is a fund established by the government to support and encourage small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to participate in international market activities to promote their products and services. This fund mainly assists enterprises to participate in activities such as overseas exhibitions, trade missions and business inspection missions, as well as conduct online business promotion and other export promotion activities.

 

The purpose of EMF is to reduce the financial burden of small and medium-sized enterprises participating in international market activities and enhance their international competitiveness. Through the funding from this fund, companies can more effectively use various international platforms to expand markets and reach new customers, thereby promoting business growth and development. The fund usually bears a certain proportion of exhibition costs, including booth rental fees, booth construction costs, production of promotional materials, etc.

 

Why participate in overseas exhibitions?

For companies that actively seek internationalization, participating in overseas exhibitions is not only a strategy, but also a necessary path. This is not only an excellent platform to explore the international market and enhance brand influence, but it is also an important occasion for enterprises to display their strength and innovation. Below, we will delve into the key reasons for participating in overseas exhibitions:

 

Expand market coverage
Overseas exhibitions Providing businesses with a valuable opportunity to reach new markets around the world. Through these international platforms, companies can expand their business scope and attract potential customers from all over the world, thereby achieving cross-border business expansion.

 

Enhance brand awareness
Participating in the exhibition is not only It helps to improve the visibility of corporate brands in the international market, and can also enhance the brand image to keep pace with world-renowned brands, thereby gaining an advantage in international competition.

 

Establish international cooperation
Participate internationally Exhibitions are an excellent way for companies to establish new business contacts and partnerships. These new connections are critical to the company's long-term development and market expansion.

 

Understand market trends and competitors
Overseas exhibitions provide an important channel to understand the latest global market trends, consumer needs and competitor strategies, allowing companies to adjust their market strategies and product development directions in a timely manner.

 

Showcase new products and services
This It is an ideal place to showcase new products, technologies or services to the international market, where companies can receive valuable instant feedback to continuously optimize their products and services.

 

Participating in overseas exhibitions provides companies with a rare opportunity to directly connect with the global market and establish new business opportunities and partnerships, which is very important for companies. of immeasurable value to our long-term success and sustainable development. If you are interested in participating in overseas international exhibitions in 2024, you can check the latest exhibition information: [The latest information on overseas exhibitions: List of overseas international exhibitions and exhibition information in 2024]

 

 

How to apply for the EMF SME Marketing Fund?

 

Requirements for applying for EMF for overseas exhibitions

Enterprises applying for funding from the ""SME Marketing Fund"" (EMF) need to meet the following conditions:

1. Enterprise registration: It needs to be an unlisted enterprise registered in Hong Kong according to the Business Registration Ordinance (Chapter 310 of the Laws of Hong Kong).

2. Substantial business operations: When applying for the fund, the company must have substantive business operations in Hong Kong. Shell companies or businesses that operate primarily outside Hong Kong do not qualify.

3. Cumulative funding limit: If the enterprise has received fund funding before, the cumulative funding it has received The amount cannot exceed the cumulative funding limit stipulated by the fund. Applicant companies with similar business registration information (such as business nature, address, contact number, shareholders or directors) will be regarded as related companies, and the cumulative funding amount of these related companies will be combined and calculated and cannot exceed the cumulative Funding cap.

4. Non-organizer/co-organizer or service provider: The applicant company cannot be the sponsor, co-organizer or service provider of the promotional activities and related services involved in the application , or companies associated with these institutions.

 

Online Application Steps for Small and Medium Enterprise Marketing Fund

To apply for the EMF SME Marketing Fund, companies need to meet specific conditions, such as being registered in Hong Kong and having substantial business operations. The application steps include filling in application information, uploading supporting documents, choosing how to sign the declaration, etc. Online application < The entire process of /a> is simple and straightforward and only takes about 10 minutes to complete. The following are the online application steps:

 

1. Fill in the application information

When filling in the electronic form, you can save the progress at any time and save the form to your personal computer as a GFD file. If you need to continue filling in or use it for a new application, you can upload the file again.

 

2. Processing spreadsheet archives

A password needs to be set when archiving to protect the data. If you forget your password, you will not be able to open and load the data in the file.

 

3. Upload supporting documents
   - need to be uploaded Certification documents should be stored in JPG, JPEG, PNG, PDF, DOC or DOCX format, and the resolution must be above 200dpi.
   - The electronic form supports uploading up to 10 files, with a total capacity of 10MB. When the upper limit is exceeded, it can be merged, compressed or uploaded separately.

 

4. Choose how to sign the declaration
   - Yes Choose to sign the declaration and confirm the application information with ""Organizational Digital Certificate"" or ""Paper Form"".
   - If you choose an organizational digital certificate, you must have a valid organizational digital certificate.

 

5. Submit electronic form
   - After completion , submit the electronic form and download the ""Application Declaration/Application Record"".

 

6. Handling paper statements and agreements
   - If you choose to sign the declaration in ""paper form"" or submit the ""Initial Funding"" application for the first time, you need to print, sign and stamp it, and submit it within one week. Submit relevant documents by mail, drop-off or in-person delivery.

 

7. Pay attention to document clarity
   - Industry and Trade The Department may require higher definition files or original supporting documents in order to process the application.

 

These steps cover the entire process from filling out the application form to submitting the required documents, ensuring that you can complete your EMF application accurately.

 

 

Notes on overseas exhibitions

If you will participate in overseas exhibitions, please pay attention to the following 5 important things to note:

 

Clearly set exhibition participation goals

When you are preparing to participate in overseas exhibitions, clearly setting exhibition participation goals is the key to success. This not only involves finding new market opportunities and increasing the brand's international visibility, but also establishing connections with potential overseas partners, conducting market trend analysis and competitor research. Therefore, youshould develop a specific and clear exhibition plan based on your own business characteristics and development needs to ensure that every investment, whether it is time or resources, can contribute to Provide assistance in achieving these goals. Through such strategic planning, you can gain maximum returns and growth opportunities from overseas exhibitions.

 

Strictly formulate budget plans for overseas exhibitions

When preparing for overseas exhibitions, companies must strictly formulate budget plans to ensure that all necessary expenditures can be properly managed and controlled. A thorough budget plan should include:

 

- Booth rental fee

- Booth design and layout expenses

- Labor costs of field staff (including sales and translators)

- Food and transportation expenses during the exhibition

- Cost of production of promotional materials

- Air tickets and accommodation costs

- Logistics costs for sending overseas exhibits

- Insurance costs, such as exhibition insurance and travel insurance for business travelers

 

Although SMEs can obtain some financial support through government funding schemes such as EMF (SME Marketing Fund), it should be noted that these funds Payments are usually made after the program is completed, which means businesses need to have sufficient liquidity to cover the initial costs associated with exhibiting. Therefore, preparing a detailed and realistic budget in advance and properly managing these expenses is the key to ensuring a successful exhibition.

 

Be prepared to deal with emergencies in overseas exhibitions

When small and medium-sized enterprises start to participate in overseas exhibitions, it is particularly important to effectively prepare for possible emergencies. Among them, the safe arrangement for the transportation of exhibits is a top priority. Choose a fast and reliable logistics partner and develop a corresponding emergency response plan to avoid transportation delays or damage. Considering the significant impact that may have on the exhibition if the exhibits fail to arrive on time, choosing to send exhibits by air is a reliable option. Air freight is faster and safer than sea freight, especially when the volume of goods is large, the discount will be greater. Through the Fuuffy international express price platform, you can compare the freight rates of different express companies such as UPS, DHL, and FedEx, and enjoy exclusive discounts of up to 70%, effectively controlling logistics costs. Click to calculate the shipping cost of sending loot overseas

 

In addition, booth layout may also face various unexpected situations, such as the design not meeting expectations or on-site facility problems. Therefore, enterprises should work closely with the exhibition design team to discuss in advance and prepare coping strategies. In order to reduce the impact of emergencies, it is necessary to arrive at the exhibition site in advance to ensure that everything is arranged as scheduled and in line with expectations. This includes not only a final inspection of the stalls, but also familiarity with the show floor so that any emergencies can be resolved more quickly. These preparations help ensure the smooth progress of overseas exhibitions and reduce unexpected losses and disruptions.

 

Planning exhibition strategies

When planning to participate in overseas exhibitions, companies need to formulate careful strategies based on established exhibition goals. First of all, competitor analysis is an indispensable part, which includes understanding their product features, market strategies and customer feedback, thereby helping companies adjust their exhibition content and publicity strategies. Next, companies should prepare a flexible and targeted negotiation plan for expected potential customers, including product display, business negotiation skills, and customized solutions to increase the chance of closing a deal.

 

In addition, gaining media exposure is also part of the strategy. Companies can increase brand awareness by attracting media attention, holding press conferences or designing attractive booth activities. The formulation and implementation of these strategies will directly affect the performance and results of enterprises in overseas exhibitions.

 

Actively establish and maintain customer relationships

After the overseas exhibition, companies should arrange follow-up communication and follow-up with potential customers in a timely manner, which not only includes sending thank you letters, business negotiations, and product or service Taking this a step further, it should also include a deep understanding of and responses to customer needs. At the same time, companies should carefully analyze and summarize the feedback and suggestions collected during the exhibition in order to adjust and optimize their future exhibition strategies. Such reflection and adjustment not only help to improve the quality of products or services, but also strengthen relationships with customers and create more business opportunities and cooperation possibilities for enterprises.

 

How to participate in foreign exhibitions?

Recently, more and more small and medium-sized enterprises are actively participating in overseas exhibitions in Singapore, Malaysia, Japan and other regions. How do they find these overseas exhibition opportunities? In fact, in addition to registering to participate in officially sponsored exhibitions through official organizations such as the Trade Development Council, there are many channels to explore. For example, Hong Kong Hands, an agency that specializes in specific fields such as illustration and cultural creativity, provides professional guidance and services to companies interested in this field. Or a comprehensive service provider like ""Exhibition King"" can provide a wider range of exhibition options to meet the needs of different industries. In addition, joining chambers of commerce or associations in relevant industries not only helps companies obtain the latest industry trends, but also often provides opportunities to participate in exhibitions planned by these organizations. This is a major advantage for businesses looking to expand their reach and establish industry connections.

 

For those overseas exhibitions that are larger in scale and more influential, paying attention to their official websites is the key to obtaining the latest information and exhibition details. These official websites not only provide the latest news about exhibitions, but also help companies gain an in-depth understanding of the characteristics and participation requirements of various exhibitions, so that they can choose the exhibition that best meets their business goals and development strategies. Through these channels, companies can more accurately find suitable overseas exhibitions and lay a solid foundation for their internationalization.

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