A common trend is fast emerging worldwide that the students with brilliant academic record are not opting for B-schools. After all, the competition is killing! For any decent business schools, against seats available, there are at least on an average 6 times the aspiring students. Therefore, students are looking at business opportunities, and one of the most favorite of the plans are to start up an export business.
One may be a novice but needs to have dreams and business acumen. This is at least one segment, where grit and determination and a bit of common sense play wonders than having prior idea about how to go with an export business. Yes having a bit idea about the nature of industry, whose products one would like to trade is definitely essential, but that is also not a big deal.
Generally it would be better to consult an experienced businessman in the local area. To begin with, explore the cheap items or specialties of your own local area or the items which are of huge consumption locally but procured from outside or from abroad. Say, if you are from India, you can think of exporting Madhubani works. You need limited budget, and can start initially from home.
With just a small office at home, a telephone and an Internet connection, one can launch new career in business. However, if you are young and have a belief that in the medium run, you would have your office 30000 ft up in the air 15 days a month, would always be seen as a man with briefcase and laptop, better start learning some foreign language as French classes and learning business etiquettes to deal with foreign clients.
Starting an export business is not as easy as it looks. And it is not that large companies can only participate in the export business. Remember! Most large companies have also grown from smaller scale companies.
You can start a small business at home just with a telephone rather than from a fancy office. But more than office equipment, you need the determination to make it work. There are many contemporary examples where people travel only once a while, if required, else transact business over net and ship the commodities. I even know of a person, who sitting in India is ensuring deliveries in UK for items he is purchasing from Dubai.
Such cases may be exceptional. However, if you have the ability to drive a sale, and an air of diplomacy, the export business may click for you. All you need is the desire and the determination to make it work. You don't need previous experience in the field, but you should have good head for organizing.
Starting Up:
If you are interested in starting an export business, first decide on the mode of operation you will opt for merchant exporter (that is only sourcing goods from local manufacturer/market and selling them to foreign buyer), manufacturer exporter, sales agent/commission agent /indenting agent or as a buying agent).
Next step is to decide the kind of business organization you will require to meet the export objectives. That is whether a sole proprietary concern will do, a partnership or a company. For instance, if it is a small business it is prudent to go in for sole proprietorship. The proper selection of the organization will depend upon your ability to raise finance, the capacity to bear the risk, desire to exercise control over the business and nature of regulatory framework applicable to your case.
Before you invest money, learn about export procedures and investment routes from both the government and private sectors. They might be able to help you with incentives or other promotional schemes.
Do extensive research and learn from the successes of established players in your field by using the Internet and well-respected business publications. Many over enthusiastic persons fail in their effort as they chew more than what their system can digest. Study their business strategies, to find out how they acquire new customers. That will give you an idea of how to identify business opportunities abroad. You can also check these Websites: www.thewholesaler.co.uk , www.trade-opportunities.com and www.enterprise.com.tw . Keep logging on to this site, we keep on posting here also, various articles on transacting business on net, and for the purpose, you can see the archives also for previous articles.
Exporters Success depends largely on:
Quality of goods offered
Consistency in maintaining the quality
Timely delivery
After Sales Service
Good communication skill
Aggressive test market campaign and firm attitude
It can take months and sometimes years to create relationships with big firms overseas, particularly when you're running a small, unknown business, so be patient. Take the time to network in your industry to find the names of the proper decision-makers, so you don't waste time going through the wrong channels. In the meantime, do a phenomenal job serving your existing clients, and you may soon find customers coming to you.
Nevertheless, the export business is not for everyone. But it is a personal operation that you can run yourself you don't have to answer to anybody. However, if you are ready to put in time, sell yourself. Start making inquiries and contacts. Try it on for size. Does it feel good? Then make it succeed.
 K.PREM KUMAR Posted Date : Thursday, August 06, 2009
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Staring_your_own_export_business_from_scratch
Really good. Excellent examples like not wasting time thro wrong channels.
Let me start from this ideas
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