Exporting for small business

Exporting for small to medium businesses _ like life itself, it’s very easy to get started but often difficult to succeed!

But rest assured a bit of planning and forethought will go a long way to ensuring success. All you need is the motivation to get out there and have some fun.

We are told that the wealth of New Zealand is determined by the quantum of exports we deliver.  Our government is actively promoting and providing assistance on the exporting front.  Australia is currently our largest export market but if plans go well, China _ in this, the Year of the Dragon
_  will certainly surpass Australia in a few years.  Fonterra is just one example of a major NZ exporter; others include wine, horticultural products, forestry products, professional services.

Exporting is a profitable way to expand your business while spreading the risk and reducing your dependence on the local market.  Even if your local market exposure is limited, that is no reason why you should not explore exporting…research has shown that upwards of 25
percent of new exporters start as global sellers!

Exporting will bring new ideas to your business and stimulate your range of business skills that staying at home will never do, nor reading all the literature.

In many cases it does not require a large pot of money _  many businesses start on very little and gradually build scale and depth.

The same applies to exporting.  For example; you have a product that you have designed or make in NZ that is unique.

Your first step to exporting might be to visit an international trade fair relevant to your product either as a visitor or an exhibitor.  This is where you will gain exposure to the real market outside of NZ; meet the key players in your sector – networking, understanding pricing, market research,
look for associates to get alongside of, and most importantly, introduce your product.

The same model applies to services.  There are many horticulturalists, for example, who are currently providing/exporting their expertise overseas. Zespri for example is a major exporter of expertise but there are many individuals doing it alone.  We are great at coming up with new innovations
and also very good at sharing them, at a price.

Go on-line: there are many on-line free advice web sites. The primary one I would recommend is the New Zealand Trade and Enterprise web page which has plentiful articles, advice and training modules.

What’s the worst that can happen?  A visit to an overseas trade fair might set you back $3000 for travel and accommodation.  As a veteran attendee, I can’t imagine anyone coming away without a boost to their enterprise… it is extraordinarily stimulating to be in the trade fair environment
meeting your competitors and colleagues and establishing new working relationships.  Have a holiday at the same time to make it an adventure.  You can be a very big company (such as The Warehouse in Austalia) with all the expertise one could ask for and still get it horribly wrong, or you
can be a small company and get it very right (42 Below; Zero, and many more)!

There is no rulebook for exporting that guarantees success but there are many supporters to help you minimise the risk.

I think it is time for small to medium size businesses to start dancing in the Dragon’s jaws!