1. United Kingdom trade groups may offer representation when facing roadblocks and challenges within levels of government and the British legal system.
2. A UK trade association may also provide assistance as a public relations liaison between your business and the general public.
3. United Kingdom trade organizations may also support the sector in the marketplace that your business represents. Some offer training and education specific to your sector of the market.
4. Other UK trade associations may offer resolution services for conflicts between association members and the public, or conflicts between members.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Find a directory of trade associations in the United Kingdom

Because there are many types of trade associations, browsing an online directory could help you target the correct United Kingdom trade council for your business's needs.

I recommend: The Trade Association Forum provides a comprehensive searchable directory of B2B business organizations in the United Kingdom. You can search the database by trade association name, trade association activity, or by the beginning initial of the trade association's name. The British Chambers of Commerce also offer an extensive directory of United Kingdom trade associations along with links to individual association business sector reports.

Visit websites for individual UK trade associations that may best serve your business

At each UK trade organization website, evaluate membership benefits, sponsored trade events, and other services that could help your business's entry into the British marketplace.

I recommend: There are many United Kingdom trade organizations with an online presence, such as: The Horticultural Trades Association which represents over 2500 landscaping and retail garden businesses, along with growers and suppliers. The Advertising Association is a federation representing 30 trade groups within the British promotional marketing industry. These United Kingdom trade groups include advertising agencies along with television, print, and other media companies. The Federation of International Trade Associations (FITA) with its 450,000 company members offers its Europages directory of member businesses trade sector-by-sector.

Find British-American co-sponsored organizations for trade in the United Kingdom

Certain American and British trade associations in the United Kingdom are supported jointly by the British governments and/or American and British businesses. In many ways each behaves like a mega-trade association.

I recommend: The British-American Business Council (BABC) has 23 chapters and 3000 member businesses based in the U.S. and the U.K. This United Kingdom trade council works with the governments of the United States and the UK to promote a "positive transatlantic trade/investment policy environment." Many BABC members are major multi-national corporations. Find your nearest local American chapter. Also, BritishAmerican Business of New York and London (BABINC.org) represents 700 member businesses and offers a similar service as BABC.

Find the right United Kingdom trade groups with the help of U.S. and U.K. government agencies

Particular American and British government agencies also behave like mega-trade associations. Valuable trade-sector-specific information for your business can be gathered at the websites of these agencies.

I recommend: You can search for UK or UK-American trade events by country and trade sector at the U.S. government's Commercial Services website. The British government's Business Link agency offers a directory of UK trade associations. Another British government service offering a wealth of business-sector-specific market information is the Department for Business Enterprise & Regulatory Reform (BERR).

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Networking at British sponsored or co-sponsored trade events aimed at your business's trade sector can lead you to the right UK trade association.
• •  Because there are so many United Kingdom trade associations, do the necessary research in order to pick the right one to join.