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10

2016 Florida Export Guide

Florida.Think.Global

G

lobal business is essential for Florida’s economy,

with exports of nearly $54 billion in 2015,

including everything from advanced high-tech

machinery to home-grown agricultural products

consumed around the world.

Whether you are an experienced exporter or a new-to-export

company, these 10 steps will help you reach your export goals.

1. Assess Export Readiness

Conduct a thorough self-assessment of your goals, current

capacity and export-readiness.

An excellent resource for more information on this topic

is the federal government’s Export Readiness Guide.

new.export.gov/export-readiness-assessment

2. Finding Export Assistance

Identify resources to help you succeed in your international

expansion.

The Export.gov portal provides a comprehensive roadmap

to federal resources and export tools for U.S. companies.

For more personal attention, Enterprise Florida provides

export counseling at six offices throughout the state.

www.enterpriseflorida.com/contact/florida-trade-offices

3. Export Primer

Understand the technical language of exporting and inter-

national business.

“A Basic Guide to Exporting” is a comprehensive resource

for companies that are new to export, new to market, and/

or are looking to expand into new markets.

www.export.gov/basicguide

4. Market Research

Research overseas markets to determine demand for your

product or service.

The federal government maintains an online library

of more than 100,000 industry- and country-specific

market reports from trade specialists working overseas.

These reports are among the most accessible market

research options for exporters. Trade association reports,

trade development information from other countries, and

numerous online trade portals are additional sources for

market research.

www.export.gov/mrktresearch/index.asp

5. Finding Trade Data

Do your homework.The Enterprise Florida Data Center

provides numerous trade reports, covering Florida’s top trad-

ing partners, top export destinations and commodities, state-

origin exports, and more.

www.enterpriseflorida.com/data-center/international-trade-data

6. Complying with Local Laws

Become aware of laws, regulations and procedures for your

product or service in specific overseas markets.

A widely available and useful legal resource for exporters is

the Export Legal Assistance Network (ELAN). Established

by the Federal Bar Association, with assistance from the U.S.

Department of Commerce and the U.S. Small Business

Administration’s International Trade Program, lawyers partici-

pating in the ELAN program provide an initial legal consulta-

tion free-of-charge to companies just beginning to export.

www.exportlegal.org

7. Trade Shows and Trade Missions

Trade shows and trade missions provide a way for U.S. compa-

nies to explore markets, test demand, and meet potential partners.

The federal government maintains an online calendar detail-

ing upcoming events and trade shows. Companies in specific

industry sectors can find events in their market sector.

Enterprise Florida also leads a number of high-level trade

shows and trade missions each year to Europe, Asia, the

Middle East, Africa, and the Americas.

www.enterpriseflorida.com/events

8. Finding Partners

Identify partners who can help develop your export strategy,

manage your market entry, and handle in-country representa-

tion. “A Basic Guide to Exporting” devotes an entire chapter

to “Finding Qualified Buyers.”

www.export.gov/ basicguide

9. Cultural Differences

Understand the differences in culture and customs for your

markets in advance.

The “Doing Business In” guides, produced by the federal gov-

ernment, provide an excellent overview of market conditions,

purchasing power, consumer trends, distribution channels, navi-

gating entry constraints, best sectors, key contacts, and more.

export.gov/about/eg_main_016806.asp

10. Getting Paid

Maximize your profits by understanding export costs, the skill

of payment negotiations and how to get paid on time.

“The Trade Finance Guide: AQuick Reference for U.S.

Exporters” is designed to help U.S. companies, especially small

and medium-sized enterprises, learn the basics of trade finance so

that they can turn their export opportunities into actual sales and

achieve the ultimate goal of getting paid — especially on time —

for those sales.Concise, two-page chapters offer the basics of nu-

merous financing techniques, from open accounts and forfaiting

to government-assisted foreign-buyer financing and insurance.

export.gov/TradeFinanceGuide

10 Best Practices for Florida Exporters