Taking the Shortcut to Export Success
According to Business West, there are 10 key steps to take to get you started in export. Here at Kazopp, we take a closer look at what these steps are and ask if they are really necessary for businesses looking to export. And for those who are interested in expanding their market to new horizons, we show you the way to take the shortcut to export success.
We’d certainly agree that getting the right support for your business is vital if you are starting to think beyond the domestic market. Preparation is key, but do you really need to follow the 10 steps recommended by Business West to get started? Perhaps more pertinently, do you actually have the time and the resource within your business?
Let’s look at the 10 steps, as suggested by John Rubidge of Business West:
- Review your export potential – this means thinking about what exporting would actually mean for you, what products/services/technology there might be a market for, the impact it would have on your business, the practical implications and any additional help you might need to deliver on export orders. A good place to start.
- Develop an action plan – this involves analysis of your chosen export market, considering any modifications to product which might be required, securing funding to back your plan and so on.
- Research and prepare to visit a market – fairly self explanatory, but includes finding out about cultural factors which might affect your route to market, as well as planning a visit
- Explore routes to market entry – essentially an extension of steps 2 and 3, perhaps relying on the assistance of bodies like UKTI to develop contacts within your target market
- Find out about selling and marketing your product overseas – more research and preparation!
- Think about cultural and linguistic challenges – more relationship building exercises!
- Prepare to manage finance, payment and risk – more research into financial aspects of ensuring you get paid, compliance with local tax regulations and so on.
- Prepare to protect your intellectual property – research into legal matters to protect your product
- Prepare to fulfil your orders and get your documentation right – getting the export paperwork right
- Choose your distribution, shipping and delivery methods – involves more research into what’s available and best suited to your product.
Feeling disillusioned yet?! Sounds like all of the above would take months if not years to pull together? Doubting whether it would all be worth it?
It’s hardly surprising that vast numbers of small businesses dismiss the idea of exporting before they even start. How many SMEs have the spare time and capacity to complete the hours of work involved in the above steps, let alone the cost implication?
Fortunately, there is an alternative. By working with an export facilitator, like Kazopp, you can circumvent many of the steps above, because much of it will be done for you, if not already done. For example, your business will be able to take advantage of a ready, established network of contacts, as well as knowledge of local business practice, culture and regulatory framework. This allows you to at least halve the workload and frankly, makes export a much more realistic and attractive proposition.
So why not give us a call on 01935 315055 or get in touch via our contact page and let your business take advantage of this shortcut to export success? What are you waiting for?