Export-U.com

Chapter 2: Developing An Export Strategy

IN THIS CHAPTER

- Do you need a license?
- Is your company ready to export?
- How will exporting affect your company?
- How do you create an export plan?

SUMMARY

Step 1: Make sure you can export your product under current export controls.

Step 2: Determine your product’s commercial export potential.

Step 3: Is your company itself is export-ready?

Step 4: Create an export plan

Creating an Export Plan

Export planning starts with developing a broad consensus among key executives to gain agreement on goals, objectives, capabilities, and constraints. It clarifies goals, helps get financing, and makes it easier to communicate the plan to others, including new hires. It indicates a clear commitment to exporting. When completed, your export plan should answer these questions:

1. Which products are selected for export development, and what modifications, if any, must be made to adapt them for overseas markets?

2. Is an export license needed?

3. Which countries are targeted for sales development?

4. In each country, what are the basic customer profiles, and what marketing and distribution channels should be used to reach customers?

5. What special challenges pertain to each market (for example, competition, cultural differences, and import and export controls), and what strategy will be used to address them?

6. How will your product’s export sales price be determined?

7. What specific operational steps must be taken and when?

8. What will be the time frame for implementing each element of the plan?

9. What personnel and company resources will be dedicated to exporting?

10. What will be the cost in time and money for each element?

11. How will results be evaluated and used to modify the plan?

Success Story

Urban Planet Mobile provides English audio lessons that run on mobile devices. With only 26 employees, this company has customers in 38 countries.