Services

Research shows that if you export you will increase productivity by 34% in your first year of exporting and also achieve stronger financial performance.

Exporting opens up a wider bigger market for your products.

Doing business overseas can lead directly to growth, improvements in efficiency levels and ideas for new products and services.

Once you start to export your confidence and ambition will increase.

Getting the right help at the right time can make a big difference.

1. Decide where to sell

Research is vital! Identify the markets with a little desk research. Find the consumption / import figures of products similar to your own and the economic growth rate of a potential new market. Look up the demographics, cultural and religious practices and your potential competition.

2. Have a plan

Your export plan should include your people.

Your People
Can someone from your team drive this programme or do you need to recruit?

Your Capacity
Do you have enough capacity to meet a new market’s demands?

Your Packaging
Will your packaging design appeal to your market? Is there a legal requirement to label things differently or do you need to translate your labelling?

Your Knowledge
Visit your potential new market. Showcase your products at trade fairs and build new contacts.

3. Choose a route to market

You can do one of four options:
-Sell directly
-Use a distributor
-Use a sales agent
-Create a joint venture.

Whichever option you chose, you must ensure clarity of responsibility for things like delivery and payment and always remember to protect your intellectual property.

4. Find the opportunities
Trade fairs are one of the best ways to find opportunities . Meet buyers and generate new business.

5. Start marketing
Adverts can help you gain exposure but can be expensive. Be mindful of the target audience and expense vs. return on investment. Another option is to create a website with content translated according to your target market. Global social media sites such as Linkedin, Facebook and Twitter can also help you to promote your message quickly and free of charge. Although these do not cost anything to set up, they need time invested to keep updated. Whatever you use, make sure all your marketing materials have up-to-date contact details for your company along with the person responsible for export sales.

6. Export documentation
Get the right documents to enter the market.
Documentation is at the very heart of exporting, without it there is no contract, no transport and no payment. The requirements vary from country to country.
We can complete the paperwork on your behalf – in part or in full depending on your requirements.

7. Terms of delivery
Incoterms:
Internationally agreed rules setting out delivery terms for goods traded across borders. Buyer and seller agree details on the terms of sale to prevent misunderstandings or disputes. Incoterms set out responsibility for the cost of transporting goods, insurance, taxes or duties, pick up points, destinations, and responsibility for the goods at each stage.

8. Legal considerations
Understanding the legal and regulatory environment in all countries to which you would like to export is vital. We can help get your paperwork in place and put you in touch with international lawyers should it be required.

Things to consider:
Are your product compliance certificates and liability cover valid overseas?
Check your intellectual property rights and registered trademarks.

9. Transport logistics
Now you’ve made the sale and agreed the terms, your Customer must to receive the goods there! We can help make sense of transportation. From your Incoterms terms, insurance, duties and customs clearance, to the packaging you require and the method(s) of transport or freight forwarders required.

10. Success!
Congratulations. Now you have successfully become an international exporter. The work doesn’t stop here. Now you need to increase your chances of repeat business and become a reliable international exporter with a solid brand.

Top tips include:
Keep in regular contact with your customers and get feedback to improve your offer.
Deliver on time and don’t keep people waiting. If delays cannot be avoided make sure you communicate early and often with your customers and keep them updated on progress.
Don’t rest on your laurels. Keep an eye on other potential customers so that you can grow your sales. Continue with your promotional activity and keep visiting the tradeshows.

What’s next?
Now that you are successfully exporting into one market use everything that you have learnt and apply that to another new market. Explore adjacent countries or those with similar characteristics. You already have a very good understanding of what it takes to become successful so your exploration into additional markets should be quicker and potentially easier for you to continue with your expansion and growth.

New to export?
International shipping is not as simple or as inexpensive as deliveries inside your own Countries.
You also have added complexities along with getting paid, documentation and logistics to think about.

We can do it all for you.
Documentation for export and import.
Documentation is at the very heart of international trade without it there is no contract, no transport and no payment.
Constantly changing regulations and trade procedures can make things very complicated. And in a business landscape where time is money it is crucial you get it right first time.
By partnering with us you will benefit from our decades of experience in handling import and export paperwork which means less risk of customs penalties and delays.

What Is International Trade?

If you walk into a supermarket and can buy South American bananas, Brazilian coffee and a bottle of South African wine, you are experiencing the effects of international trade. International trade allows us to expand our markets for both goods and services that otherwise may not have been available to us. It is the reason why you can pick between a Japanese, German or American car. As a result of international trade, the market contains greater competition and therefore more competitive prices, which brings a cheaper product home to the consumer.

International trade is one of the hot industries of the new millennium. But it's not new. Think Marco Polo. Think the great caravans of the biblical age with their cargoes of silks and spices. Think even further back to prehistoric man trading shells and salt with distant tribes. Trade exists because one group or country has a supply of some commodity or merchandise that is in demand by another. And as the world becomes more and more technologically advanced, as we shift in subtle and not so subtle ways toward one-world modes of thought, international trade becomes more and more rewarding, both in terms of profit and personal satisfaction.

Advantages of international trade

-Comparative Advantage: trade encourages a nation to specialize in producing or supplyingonly those goods and services which it can deliver more effectively and at the best price, after taking into account opportunity cost.

-Economies of Scale: if you sell your goods globally, you will have to produce more than if you sold just domestically. Producing in higher volumes provides greater economies of scale. In other words, the cost of producing each item is lower.

-Competition: international trade boosts competition. This, in turn, is good for prices and quality. If suppliers have to compete more, they will work harder to sell at the lowest price and best quality possible. Consumers benefit by having more choice, more money left over, and top-quality goods.

Unique Benefits of International Trade

International trade offers lots of advantages to individuals and countries as well. This is the main reason why the business has thrived over the years in spite of challenges. Let us take a look at some of the most outstanding benefits associated with it:

Lower Product Costs

This benefit results from two major reasons. First, it is easier for manufacturers to produce goods overseas at lower prices. This is especially the case in large manufacturing zones like China where economies of scale reduce production costs significantly. This advantage is passed on to consumers in the form of lower prices.

A second way in which this is achieved is through high competition. In the past when one company had a monopoly over a large area they would take advantage of this and charge whatever prices they deemed fit. But in many cases today, there are numerous traders from different countries fighting to offer the best possible prices. High competition consistently brings prices down to the least possible profitable price.

Risks Associated with International Trade

Like any other business, international trade also has its fair share of challenges. In fact, due to the sheer size of the market, these are often magnified beyond expectation. Consider the most outstanding ones:

1.Buyer Risks

As a new international trader you might have to search long and hard for your first buyer(s). The result of such a hard search is that at times caution is thrown to the wind and judgment impaired. Desperation might creep in and make you forget to exercise diligence in verifying new clients. If you happen to engage a crook you might suffer shock when after making a delivery you receive no payment and leave no trace of their existence online.

2. Seller Risks

Seller risks are also magnified by virtue of the scope and volume of trade as well as distances involved. A manufacturer might fail to supply the right quantity of goods or might delay in making the delivery due to a variety of reasons. They might also fail to supply desired quality of products and compromise on your business reputation.

3. Third Party Risks

The import export business is highly dependent on factors that are beyond your control. For instance, you might get a bill of exchange endorsed or a bank guarantee for payment of goods. But when the time comes, they might fail to honor the agreement for one reason or another.
You might have taken insurance cover over your goods in transit. But in the event of loss, it turns out that the amount you took out does not fully cover your expenses leading to loss. Other third parties like inspection companies, shippers, customs agents and others might also fail in their loss and cause you loss inadvertently.

4. Geographical Risks

A country’s location may also severely impact your international trade deal. Country risks could take the form of political upheavals, economic downturns and conflicts. At times also, government policies change before the completion of a trade deal and complicate matters. Countries with financial volatility are also subject to frequent currency fluctuations that could turn a profitable transaction into a complete loss.

How to Start an International Business

You might have figured out the dynamics of running a local business venture. But as you can tell from the above risks, running an international operation is not for the faint of heart. The most reassuring part of it is that no business, however small, comes completely risk-free. Furthermore, most of the challenges outlined above can be surmounted. Take a look at the essential steps in setting up your import export business that will improve your odds of success:

Prepare

One of the first steps to setting up any business is adequate preparation. In this case you need to prepare a business plan that takes into consideration your international market. This will help you to assess your needs and set objectives.

Market Research

Carry out foreign market research using the resources available online and at your local Chamber of Commerce. This will help you figure out what products would perform well in which markets and the complexities of getting there.

Evaluate Distribution Methods

There are as many different distribution strategies as there are product varieties. Establish the most viable method of getting your products to the intended market. This could be through intermediaries like agents, distributors or agents. You could also opt for a joint venture with a company in that market or even set up a foreign subsidiary.

Regulations and Legal Aspects

This is often the toughest part of the international business set-up process. Every market has a distinct set of regulations to govern the trade. These rules are ever evolving and you need a reliable way to stay ahead of developments or risk incurring penalties.