By Elaine Ball
Would like to export, but don’t know where to begin? As a business owner, director or marketer, its sometimes very daunting the thought of exporting your beloved product. However it doesn’t have to be. Here are 6 key things to check out!
1). Join a group on LinkedIn
Yes its that’s easy! Find a group dedicated to exporting. You can ask questions and find out from others already exporting the pros and cons. Groups such as Innovative Exporting, owned by Christelle Damiens or International Export Import owned by Vivek Sahoo.
Groups such as these can give you a wealth of knowledge and prepare you to export.
2). Check out UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) or CBi
UKTI hold seminars and conferences around the UK. Check out their website for a full list. The CBi is the voice for businesspeople and their businesses on a national and international level. They hold dedicated conferences on the subject and you can download full reports.
Where do I begin exporting my product to different countries?
Follow via Twitter
Follow some of the experts via Twitter and use tools like TweetDeck to organise your tweets, in order to keep the latest export information in front of you.
Some experts to follow:
Research
Use institutions such as The Institute of Directors who have a great business services department and they can research certain countries for you. Why? This provides you with some facts and reduces your risk as an exporter.
2 Key things to note:
Culture – a big stopper for lots of companies. Find out what the norm is within that country. Marketers must be careful here and make sure they customise their message, in order not to offend or send the wrong message.
Business etiquette – every country and lots of regions have different business etiquette so make sure you find out what works and what doesn’t. Ask!
Link up
Link up with other companies who you know are exporting. Find them on LinkedIn and communicate. People love to share stories.
Test the water
Test the water and visit an exhibition within the country you plan to export to. Do some networking and join in. This is one of the best ways to find out what the country is like.