Your expectations - do you have:

• clear and achievable export objectives;
• a realistic idea of what exporting entails;
• an openness to new ways of doing business; and
• an understanding of what is required to succeed in the international marketplace?

Human resources - do you have:

• the capacity to handle the extra demand associated with exporting;
• a senior management committed to exporting;
• efficient ways of responding quickly to customer inquiries;
• personnel with culturally-sensitive marketing skills; and
• ways of dealing with language barriers?

Financial and legal resources - can you:

• obtain enough capital or lines of credit to produce the product or service;
• find ways to reduce the financial risks of international trade;
• find people to advise you on the legal and tax implications of exporting;
• deal effectively with different monetary systems; and
• ensure protection of your intellectual property?

Competitiveness - do you have:

• the resources to do market research on the exportability of your product or service;
• proven, sophisticated market-entry methods; and
• a product or service that is potentially viable in your target market?

Can your product or service find a worthwhile market outside Canada? Getting this right is crucial. Here are factors to consider:

Customer profile

• Who already uses your product or service?
• Is it in broad general use or limited to a particular group?
• Is it popular with a certain age group?
• Are there other significant demographic patterns to its use?
• What climatic or geographic factors affect the use of your product or service?

Product modification

• Are modifications required to make it appeal to foreign customers?
• What is its shelf life? Will this be reduced by time in transit?
• Is the packaging expensive? Can it be easily modified to satisfy the demands of foreign customers?
• Is special documentation required? Does it need to meet any technical or regulatory requirements?

Transportation

• How easily can it be transported?
• Would transportation costs make competitive pricing a problem?

Local Representation

• Does it require professional assembly or other technical skills?
• Is after-sales service needed? If so, is it available locally or do you have to provide it? Do you have the resources to do this?

Exporting Services

• If you are exporting services, what is unique or special about them?
• Are your services considered to be world-class?
• Do you need to modify your services to allow for differences in language, culture and business environment?
• How do you plan to deliver your services: in person, with a local partner or electronically?

Capacity

• Will you be able to serve both your existing domestic customers and your new foreign clients?
• If your domestic demand increases, will you still be able to look after your export customers or vice versa?

Export Marketing Plans

Businesses all over Canada have the potential to successfully export their products or services. Every entrepreneur, regardless of business size or offering, can potentially increase sales, compete in diverse markets and reach a global audience with his or her particular skills and expertise. One of the key components for export success is an international marketing plan.

Many Canadian businesses operating solely in the domestic market have a reasonable understanding of the needs of customers and potential customers. These businesses are generally familiar with the marketing tools at their disposal to reach their target audience. They know how much it costs to use these tools and they have specific objectives in mind when they implement their marketing strategies. Once these businesses start looking beyond the border, however, many of the assumptions about marketing are no longer valid. A new marketing plan is required.

The best place to start the international marketing plan is with the business. Take a fresh look at what the business is about: what products or services does it offer? Why is it unique and what value does it offer customers? What are its current strengths and weaknesses and how will these affect its ability to compete in a foreign market?

Once this self-analysis is completed, the reasons for exporting need to be addressed. Such simple questions as "why do we want to export?" are not necessarily simple to answer but the responses are important. A business must have a clear objective of why it wishes to undertake the challenge of exporting. It also helps a business establish the degree to which exporting influences the business direction and strategy.

In some cases, exporting may play an important yet secondary role based on the objectives of the business. In other instances, a business may find that its future is built upon exporting and this element of the business will become the primary focus. These decisions are simplified by conducting thorough market research.

Market research is critical to the decision-making process in a marketing plan. Research reveals the market or markets that offer the best opportunities for investment. It reveals the political, legal and regulatory, financial, cultural, competitive, consumer and marketing challenges that a business may face as it considers exporting to a particular destination.

Without market research, a business is guessing at the best place to take its products or services. Careful analysis of market research leads to useful decisions regarding the nature of a market and potential customers: why would they buy this product or service? How much would they pay for it? What changes, if any, do we need to make in order to appeal to customers? What is the best marketing vehicle to reach buyers? Confident answers to these questions help form the next critical element of an international marketing plan: the market entry strategies. In short, these are the things a business does to get its product or service into the target market.

Research has identified the sales and distribution channels typically used by similar businesses in the target market. How can these channels be accessed and successfully incorporated into the market entry? What types of messages will speak clearly to the target audience? Which marketing techniques work, which ones do not, and why? What type of product positioning or messages about the service will establish the strongest foothold?

The final component of a great international marketing plan is the implementation. The company is ready to export - almost. In order to implement the plan, someone must be responsible for its implementation and ZING Marketing can assist you in the implementation of the strategy.

Exporting can be a rewarding experience. It can also be risky business unless careful preparations are made. An international marketing plan can help minimize the risk, freeing up time and energy for a company to focus on the rewards.

Some of our exporting Clients: