Introduction

Determining your firm’s export readiness is your primary step in establishing an export component to your business. Many of the concepts to be considered are similar to the domestic side of the business. However, since there is an "international variable" to every aspect of exporting, these issues must be addressed from a different, informed, and very realistic perspective. Issues that must be considered in order to evaluate your export readiness include the following:

1. Your motivations. Are you interested in exporting from either a proactive or reactive basis? Some firms are more interested in short-term, rather than long-term goals, and thus don’t spend adequate time researching potential markets, preparing an export strategy, and building long-term relationships with overseas customers.
   
   
2. Your information, experience and perception of exporting. If you are under the impression that exporting is easy to learn, will be immediately profitable, and requires little experience or technical skills, then you are probably not ready.
   
   
3. Your level of managerial commitment. Like the domestic side of business, without the complete support of management, as well as staff, the real potential of international markets may never be realized. This is a very serious decision that will affect the way your company is organized and operates. Thus, everyone involved must be fully supportive of exporting for your company to succeed over the long term.
   
   
4. Your access to resources, assistance, intermediaries and service providers. There are literally hundreds of combinations of information, export assistance providers, and professional firms who are able to be of assistance. One of the most important elements in the export process is to take the time to evaluate exactly which organization can help you with your specific needs. These combinations are based on the nature of your product, its end use or end user, your physical location, the markets you may target, your financial considerations, and many other concerns and issues.
   
   
5. Your initial strategy. You must ask yourself, "What is it that I want to accomplish?" at the outset. Are you trying to expand your business, or keep it from declining? What are your sales goals in one year? How about five? Even if your first goal is to determine whether or not you are export ready is a productive first step and should help you determine whether you should continue. Learning that you are not ready, or even deciding against proceeding, is still a very valuable accomplishment. It will save you time, effort, energy and finances in the long run.
   
   
6. Your continuing strategies. After your initial export customers are located, and you are shipping into your first target markets, what then? Are you willing to continue the process and locate more markets? Are you willing to enhance your organizational flexibility to make required product adaptations? Are you now able to hire export staff from the outside, since no one in your firm has the necessary experience? Might you be willing to actually "hire" someone overseas to represent you, or open your own sales office? Again, you will need to evaluate your firm’s long-term goals in order to determine whether exporting will be an integral part of your company, or just a convenient "side job" (i.e. when you have the time or inclination, when business just "falls in your lap," etc.).