14
MiMfg Magazine
July 2019
How to Write an Effective Export Plan
Export plans enhance communication, assign tasks,
provide an accurate way to measure results and commit
your company to a long-term export strategy. Here are
questions to answer before doing international business:
Product or Service
• What need does my product or service fill in the
global marketplace?
• What modifications need to be made to adapt
to an overseas market?
• Do I need a special license or certificate from
exporter’s/importer’s government?
• Do I need to modify my packaging/labeling?
• How much will it cost to get the product to the market?
• What will be my pricing strategy?
Promotional
• What modifications will be necessary to my website
to ease the purchasing process?
• What (if anything) is necessary to protect my
intellectual property?
• Why am I pursuing international customers?
• How can I use the lessons I’ve learned in my
previous international sales experiences to make
my new export plan stronger?
Management Issues
• Am I fully committed to exporting?
• How much time will it take for implementation?
• Is my production and personnel capacity adequate
enough to meet the new demand?
• Will I need additional financing?
• What are my first-year projected international sales?
• How will I ship the product and deal with returns or
warranty issues?
• Will I attend any trade shows or join any trade missions?
• How will I make use of government export
assistance programs?
• What documents will I need to become familiar
with to export?
Connect with the MSU’s
International Business
Center or other international
trade assistance
organizations for
sample export plans
Source: MSU’s International Business Center, adapted by Doug
Barry, U.S. Department of Commerce
From market research and export counseling services
to complaint filing, partner search capabilities and
more, the Commerce Department should be a go-to
source for all interested exporters in addition to local
and regional resources.
“The Gold Key Service is a really great program
that allows you to make better decisions by having the
information at your fingertips,” Curry continued,
pointing to an essential tool within the Commerce
Department that made the move to overseas markets
much better.
The Gold Key Service offers U.S. companies
matchmaking appointments with up to five interested
partners in a foreign market. According to the Department
website, “the full service includes identification and
outreach to potential matching firms, sending client’s
information to identified matching firms, preparing a
profile of interested firms, attending the appointments
and providing a report with the profile and contact
information for interested firms.”
PRO Tip
See www.ExportMI.org for trade services,
research guides and upcoming trainings.
“It’s all about relationships and when you’re new to a
whole region of markets, having someone on hand who
is familiar with the players, has the right reputation and
has your best interests at heart can make all the difference,”
Curry explained.
Barriers to Your Global Success
No expansion comes without risk and there are
plenty of reasons to tread lightly. But coming prepared
to face those challenges can lead to even greater success.
“Overall, the biggest challenge is knowing where to
start, identifying the risks and then addressing them,”
Sims offered. “If a company has a highly regulated product
(think electronics or processed food), a company might
need local approvals and certifications before putting
product on shelves. The MSU-IBC and other resources
can help identify those through market research.”
Additionally, some companies can worry about the
logistical details of moving things around the globe.
Sims and the MSU-IBC suggest speaking with a few
different freight forwarders to identify the best and
most affordable options. The U.S. Commercial Service
also offers tools for employers worried about not getting
paid or facing intellectual property issues overseas.
“Some of our biggest challenges have come from
things you wouldn’t think about if you’ve always done
business domestically,” said Curry. “There are unique
cultural differences to consider. Time is a big adjustment
as you can go from a nine-to-five business to 24-hours
depending on where you are doing business. Documentation
can create real headaches if you aren’t prepared; plus the