• Idiomas
    • Esta página no ha sido traducida al idioma seleccionado.

    The first step to successfully exporting is to develop a written plan. The process of thinking through the important questions highlighted below can help you understand your business’ strengths, weaknesses and potential.

    For more comprehensive assistance online, visit www.export.gov, administered by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration, the U.S. Small Business Administration’s export resource page, and the Washington Small Business Development Center International Trade Specialists.

    • What product or service will you export?
    • Is it marketable in other countries or does it need modifications?
    • Does your company have the human resources, time and money to invest in exporting?
    • What are your constraints?
    • In what foreign markets are products like yours being sold?
    • Where will you have the fewest barriers (whether cultural, language, tariffs, competition)?
    • What market has the most growth potential for your products?

    Once you have your answers, make a list of five to ten countries, then narrow it down to no more than two or three.

    Launching a product in only a few markets will help you stay focused and will make it easier to learn the process. Remember, you can always expand to new markets once you have a firm exporting foundation.

    • Will you market your product or service directly or indirectly?
    • Would it make sense to hire an export management company or engage in piggyback marketing (distributing your products through another company)?
    • Will you need to hire on-the-ground consultants to help you with translation and marketing?

    Phone calls and emails cannot compare to meeting a new business partner face to face or to getting a first-hand glance at a potential foreign market. When you meet with business partners in person, you may be surprised how many new contacts you can make. Trade shows can also be great ways to meet potential buyers, distributors and partners.

    Does your target market have any specific requirements for labeling, packaging, etc? Understand the Harmonized Tariff Schedule so that you have a clear understanding of the tariffs and duties that may be imposed on your product in a specific foreign market.

    • Will you take care of shipping and documentation yourself, or hire a freight forwarder or other third party?
    • How much will it cost?

    Will transportation costs, tariffs and marketing expenses require you to charge more for the product, or will you choose to reduce your profit to gain market share?

    Resources

    These tools and resources provide business intelligence on foreign markets that can help you narrow and refine your search and tailor your export plan. You can also talk directly with one of our trade specialists for guidance. Export Washington offers a team of dedicated specialists for the following industries – aerospace, marine technology, clean technology, advanced manufacturing and materials, information communications and technology, life sciences and global health, defense, and consumer goods. Companies that produce value-added agriculture or processed foods can receive specialized assistance from the Washington State Department of Agriculture’s International Marketing Program . The program provides buyer matchmaking, marketing assistance, and in-country expertise in Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Mexico and Central America.

    Once you’ve narrowed your target markets, incorporate your market research into your export plan. This outline of a sample outline of an export plan shows one approach that may fit your business profile.

    Research

    Market opportunities

    Trade data and statistics

    • U.S. International Trade Administration TradeStats Express: The latest annual and quarterly international trade data
    • USA Trade Online: Access current and cumulative U.S. export and import data for over 18,000 export commodities and 24,000 import commodities (subscription fee charged)
    • USITC Interactive Tariff and Trade DataWeb: Provides international trade statistics and U.S. tariff data including import statistics, export statistics, tariffs, future tariffs and tariff preference information
    • United Nations Commodity Trade Statistics Database: Database of national import and export statistics
    • WISER (World Institute for Strategic Economic Research) Trade Data: Offers high-quality trade statistis, data and technical support for exporters, researchers and trade service providers (subscription fee charged)
    • Datamyne: Offers easy, affordable access to the world’s largest searchable database of import-export trade in the US, Latin America, the EU, and Asia (subscription fee charged)
    • PIERS: Most comprehensive database of U.S. waterborne trade activity in the world that provides accurate and reliable import and export information on cargoes moving through ports in the United States, Latin America and Asia (subscription fee charged).

    Undertaking exporting for the first time can be a daunting task, but low and no-cost programs through local, state, and federal resources make the process more manageable. These resources can help you get grounded in the basics so you can develop an effective export plan.

    • U.S. Export Assistance Center’s Basic Guide to Exporting: A comprehensive overview of how to export
    • USDA Export Resources: Export tools, information, products and services for agricultural exporters
    • Washington State Small Business Development Centers: Free expert business advising, management training, market research, and one-on-one technical assistance. The SBDC network operates in partnership with Washington State higher education institutions, including community colleges, Washington State University, and Western Washington University.
    • Impact Washington: Help for manufacturers who want to increase profits through growth services, workforce development, workflow efficiency, and market penetration and expansion, particularly through exports. Sponsors ExporTech program, a fee-based, three-day training over three months with individual coaching that focuses on strategic export plan development to accelerate a company’s ability to achieve international sales.
    • Export-U: Access free export training webinars that deliver concise and accurate international trade information to help businesses safely develop export sales regardless of location, resources, or time.
    • University of Washington Export Resource Guide: This comprehensive guide, developed by MBA students at the UW Foster School of Business, provides a technical overview of the exporting process and links to dozens of direct-assistance organizations and reference documents.

    Workshops, classes, and certificate programs

    Opportunities for advancing your knowledge of exporting and international trade abound in Washington state. Check with the state university or community college in your area for a current list of classes and workshops.

    Once you have developed a workable export plan and have selected the country you want to target, we can help you find those important first contacts with potential buyers, resellers, and strategic partners.

    Traveling overseas to meet with potential buyers, distributors and partners is usually well worth the time and effort. Although less effective, if travel is out of reach, you can take advantage of opportunities closer to home to make important contacts in your target market. Networking with industry contacts and trade associations can help you put together an initial list of potential overseas agents and distributors.

    You can find more resources below that can help you discover and connect with customers and partners overseas. The U.S. Department of Commerce, private companies and consultants also offer business matchmaking services for a fee. For Washington businesses, the Washington State Department of Commerce offers free market access counseling through our industry trade specialists and network of foreign representatives.

    Industry trade specialists

    Federal assistance

    Online assistance

    • Kompass: A comprehensive B2B database, with more than three million international and domestic companies listed, which link buyers and sellers worldwide.
    • Avention: The largest database of international companies that provides in-depth information on company executives, financial data, corporate family structures and contact information (subscription fee charged)
    • Alibaba: Offers the ability to search by particular product or service or by suppliers and buyers in about 20 countries worldwide

    Assistance by country or region

    Related export service providers

    Page last updated:

    Export Assistance

    Contact

    Contact the Export Assistance team by phone at 206-256-6100.