Small businesses looking to increase sales and profit, reduce dependence on the domestic market and stabilize seasonal fluctuations should consider exporting. Here are six steps to help you begin exporting :

1. Complete the Free Export Preparedness Questionnaire : Determine your business’s preparedness for exporting and find useful info about exporting that can help grow your exporting business.
2. Training and Counseling : The federal government offers free, in-person counseling services to help small businesses locate business opportunities overseas, understand shipping logistics and international payment options, and obtain financing for their export sales.
3. Create an Export Business Plan : Creating an export business plan is important for defining your company’s present status, internal goals and commitment. You will learn how to develop an export plan by assembling facts, identifying constraints and setting specific goals and objectives as milestones to success.
4. Conduct Market Research : Use Market Research to learn your product’s potential in a given market, where the best prospects exist for success, and common business practices. The Country Commercial Guides are the latest information prepared by commercial and economic experts in U.S. embassies worldwide. Trade Stats Express is a powerful tool for identifying target markets.
5. Find Buyers : Federal, state and local governments are continually organizing highly focused export events directly putting U.S. sellers and potential foreign buyers in direct contact. Opportunities range from meeting foreign buyer delegations at select U.S. trade shows to signing up for a foreign trade mission or trade show overseas.
6. Investigate Financing Your Small Business Exports, Foreign Investment or Projects : Become familiar with SBA’s export loan programs and other federal government financing, insurance and grant programs to help your company finance its transactions and support your export operations. These resources help small businesses ensure foreign payment and manage or remove risk from the equation for both the business and its bank.