Ten Keys To Export Success

There is profit to be made by U.S. firms in exports. The

international market is more than four times larger than

the U.S. market. Growth rates in many overseas markets far

outpace domestic market growth. And meeting and beating

innovative competitors abroad can help companies keep the

edge they need at home.

There are also real costs and risks associated with

exporting. It is up to each company to weigh the necessary

commitment against the potential benefit.

Ten important recommendations for successful exporting

should be kept in mind:

1.   Obtain qualified export counseling and develop a

master international marketing plan before starting an

export business.  The plan should clearly define

goals, objectives, and problems encountered.

2.   Secure a commitment from top management to overcome

the initial difficulties and financial requirements of

exporting. Although the early delays and costs

involved in exporting may seem difficult to justify in

comparison with established domestic sales, the

exporter should take a long-range view of this process

and carefully monitor international marketing efforts.

3.   Take sufficient care in selecting overseas

distributors. The complications involved in overseas

communications and transportation require

international distributors to act more independently

than their domestic counterparts.

4.   Establish a basis for profitable operations and

orderly growth.  Although no overseas inquiry should

be ignored, the firm that acts mainly in response to

unsolicited trade leads is trusting success to the

element of chance.

5.   Devote continuing attention to export business when

the U.S. market booms. Too many companies turn to

exporting when business falls off in the United

States. When domestic business starts to boom again,

they neglect their export trade or relegate it to a

secondary position.

6.   Treat international distributors on an equal basis

with domestic counterparts. Companies often carry out

institutional advertising campaigns, special discount

offers, sales incentive programs, special credit term

programs, warranty offers, and so on in the U.S.

market but fail to make similar offers to their

international distributors.

7.   Do not assume that a given market technique and

product will automatically be successful in all

countries. What works in Japan may fall flat in Saudi

Arabia. Each market has to be treated separately to

ensure maximum success.

8.   Be willing to modify products to meet regulations or

cultural preferences of other countries. Local safety

and security codes as well as import restrictions

cannot be ignored by foreign distributors.

9.   Print service, sale, and warranty messages in locally

understood languages. Although a distributor's top

management may speak English, it is unlikely that all

sales and service personnel have this capability.

10.  Provide readily available servicing for the product. A

product without the necessary service support can

acquire a bad reputation quickly.