How to Start to Export / Import?

The most difficult part of starting something new is the beginning. There are many questions and uncertainties about where to start, how to start, what next is and so on. This stage requires a lot of efforts and even can make you unable to sleep. So what is the solution? What can rescue you? Answer to these questions is NETWORK. Yes, I can hear your murmurs. Probably, you have expected something new, unheard or maybe magical. This is what most of us do. Instead of looking for creating something doesn’t exist, we better learn how to use what we have but perhaps in different formats.

                

So, answer for how to start export/import is the same: NETWORK. Creating network brings many benefits in international trade. You can meet many new potential customers or suppliers, can reach to real and current demands or leads and moreover, information you collect via networks will be updated and generally reliable. Besides, contacting with different people continuously can enlarge your visions about how to seize opportunities and how to run your business in more efficient ways. Ok, but question is how to create network? For answer let’s look at the video below:

Derek Sivers refers this video as a leadership lesson. But, I would like to enhance his circle and to apply similar approach in creating networks as well. In the video, first followers are defined the most important stage of starting a new movement. Similarly, first people you will have in your networks will have same effect. They will open you new point of views and attract more people to your sphere of influence. By the time you will enlarge your network with serious effort. But, the most important point in your international trade network is staying in continuous touch. This is the KEY issue. Once you have someone in your networks, you should keep contacting with them. By doing so, you can get sustainable trade and can have increasing awareness. Another point is going through specialization in your networks. You can divide your network into sub-networks in order to get highest return in exchange for your promotional campaigns. This approach will also help you to keep companies in your networks informed about what exactly they want to see.

You saw at the end of the video that the crazy dancing guy (looking crazy is always case if you start something new and unseen) had a lot of followers, as Sivers define them. I would like to portray them as companies in networks. So, you see how many they can be J Here is the road map to have such as large networks: Create your networks, look for the first companies, divide your networks into sub-networks in order to give companies what they want and set up continuous relationships with firms in your networks by keeping them informed. At the end the result will be sustainable trade for you. Sounds good? J