1. Develop a robust export strategy, and stick to it.

2. Consider the positioning of your product or service in a new market.

3. Build an experienced and flexible team.

4. Identify strong local partners.

5. Test, test, and test again.

If sharing your products or services with the world is part of your business vision, then your export strategy should form an integral part of your business plan.

While your strategy doesn’t need to be complicated, it should be comprehensive. At a minimum, your strategy should cover the following:

• Target market

Identify and explore the country or countries that you will target and assess the size of the market.

Be sure you are aware of and understand the government standards that you will need to adhere to.

Assess what capital you require for growth overseas, including costs and expenses.

Identify which market segment your product or service will be positioned in within each country.

Consider the size of your current team and how much you project that headcount will need to grow.

Have a solid understanding of who your competitors are in each country, including their strengths and weaknesses.

Assess and highlight whether your product needs to be adapted for each new market.

Outline how you will distribute your product or service. How will you service your customers?

Highlight the current status of your domestic business.

Your financial status is a fundamental factor in achieving export success.

Regardless of the sector you operate within, it is likely you may require help with finance to support your international growth journey. It is important to understand the different finance solutions available for you.

Having your export strategy in place will be a useful tool in identifying what financial help you may need.

Whether it is to support expansion overseas, fulfilling international orders or to accommodate fast growth due to international opportunities, if your bank is unable to help, it is important to understand where you can acquire alternative sources of finance if needed.

Export Finance Australia, could provide a range of finance options, including unsecured and direct loans, bonds to secure export-related projects, and guarantees to secure bank finance.

If you would like information on whether exporting is right for your business, insights on entering a new market, or steps on how to manage export risks, you can access Export Finance Australia’s free resources here.

Support for you to take on the world

 

If you would like to find out more about Export Finance Australia’s solutions, get in touch by calling 1800 093 724 or visit exportfinance.gov.au.