What do you need to think of if you want to start doing business abroad? Is your organization ready for it? Do you have a proper strategy. This checklist will help you make your export plan. For more information see http://www.allianceexperts.com/en/strategy/

1.
1
Export
checklist
For
companies
who
want
to
start
exports
to
a
new
country

2.
2
Export
checklist
Before
you
start
exporting
your
products
or
services,
or
start
investments
in
a
new
country,
please
try
to
answer
the
following
questions:
1.
Feasibility
of
exports
for
your
offering:
• What
product,
service
or
concept
do
you
want
to
sell
abroad?
• What
specific
market
are
you
thinking
of?
• Is
the
offering
currently
being
sold
in
your
home
country?
o If
so:
can
you
extend
the
market
there
further?
o If
not:
why
would
your
offering
be
feasible
for
exports?
• Is
there
a
proven
demand
for
your
offering
in
your
target
market?
• Is
it
clear
what
the
target
group
is?
Is
it
similar
to
your
home
country?
• Does
your
offering
need
adaptions
for
your
target
market?
(e.g.
translations)
• Does
the
delivery
of
your
offering
heavily
depend
on
local
staff?
o If
so,
how
are
you
going
to
find
and
manage
this
staff?
o If
not,
how
well
is
your
offering
protected
against
copying?
• Why
would
the
customers
in
your
target
market
favour
your
product
over
local
offerings?
• How
do
you
overcome
higher
costs
of
doing
business
and
market
entry
costs
for
you
as
a
foreigner?
2.
Distribution
strategy:
• What
is
your
current
way
of
reaching
your
customers?
• Do
you
already
have
direct
contact
with
prospective
clients
in
your
target
country.
What
do
they
say
about
your
offering?
• Do
you
want
to:
o work
from
your
home
country
and
deliver
your
offering
directly
from
there?
o set
up
your
own
sales
force
in
the
target
country?
o work
through
agents,
distributors
or
franchisors?
o acquire
a
company
that
already
has
market
share?
• Have
you
already
informed
yourself
on
the
applicable
laws
of
your
target
country?
• Do
you
need
to
set
up
a
legal
entity
in
your
target
country?
• What
are
the
applicable
customs
regulations?
• What
kind
of
contacts
with
relevant
players
do
you
already
have
in
the
target
country?

3.
3
3.
International
branding
• Can
your
brand
name
be
pronounced
easily
in
different
languages
and
does
it
not
have
any
inappropriate
meaning
in
some
languages?
• Is
your
website
available
in
English
and
(if
different)
in
the
language
of
the
countries
where
you
want
to
do
business?
• Do
business
cards,
letterheads
include
country
names
and
international
dialing
codes?
Do
you
need
business
cards
in
Chinese
or
Arabic?
• Have
you
defined
a
set
of
brand
values
to
align
your
communications
in
different
parts
of
the
world?
4.
Investments:
• What
have
you
invested
up
to
now
in
visiting
the
target
country
and
orienting
yourself
on
the
market
(e.g.
through
buying
market
research)?
• How
many
times
do
you
think
you
should
visit
the
country
in
the
next
two
years
and
what
would
the
costs
be?
• Are
you
going
to
participate
in
trade
shows
or
seminars?
• What
would
be
the
costs
for
placing
your
own
staff
there
and
hiring
local
staff?
• How
much
samples
and
stock
do
you
have
to
ship
to
the
target
country?
• What
would
be
the
sales
price
for
your
offering,
given
the
buying
power
of
the
target
group
and
the
competition
in
the
market?
• What
percentage
of
the
sales
would
be
for
an
agent
or
distributor?
• What
turnover
you
should
at
minimum
achieve
in
the
target
market
in
order
to
regain
your
investments
or
running
costs?
• How
does
that
relate
to
your
current
turnover?
• Do
you
have
cash
at
hand
or
can
you
make
cash
available
for
your
investments
abroad?
5.
Planning:
• Do
you
currently
have
time
to
start
the
export
process
or
are
there
more
urgent
things
at
hand?
• Is
there
enough
capacity
in
your
company
to
support
you
in
setting
up
exports
to
your
target
country?
• How
long
would
it
take
to
get
a
good
understanding
of
the
market
needs?
• How
long
would
it
take
to
adapt
your
offering
to
the
market
needs?
• How
long
would
it
take
to
set
up
a
distribution
system?
• How
long
would
it
take
before
additional
revenue
compensates
additional
costs?

4.
4
6.
Competences
• Do
you
have
experience
with
international
business
yourself?
• How
is
your
English
and
(if
different)
the
language
of
the
country
where
you
want
to
sell
your
products
or
services?
• Have
you
ever
been
to
the
country
for
longer
than
3
days?
Have
you
had
business
meetings
off
the
airport?
• Are
there
other
people
in
your
company
with
international
business
development
experience?
• Does
your
staff
speak
different
languages
and
will
they
be
equipped
for
working
with
foreign
customers
or
distributors
• Have
you
ever
worked
with
export
or
trade
consultants
or
temporarily
hired
business
development
staff?