Five Places to Seek Help when Entering the Export Market 
Article courtesy of allbusiness.com

You are a small or midsize manufacturing company. You want to expand your marketing overseas. You are at a disadvantage because you do not have the budget necessary to hire consultants to do the heavy lifting. You don't know where to begin.

You are not alone. Many small and medium sized American companies (that have not sold overseas) find the idea of expanding beyond the U.S. intimidating. And once the decision to enter the export market has been made, the question of where to start can be overwhelming. Accessing the right sources of information can save you a lot of time and money. To this end, looking to government and government-affiliated programs is a smart way to go.

The U.S. realizes that economic success and global competitiveness is an important component of American prosperity. Therefore, the government allocates funds towards building resources that can help American companies establish overseas presence. Some of these resources are free and others are fee-based; however, as they are not-for-profit entities, they are significantly more affordable than hiring private consultants.

The work of these government organizations can be highly complementary; often collaborating, supplementing each other's resources and, at times, co-located under one roof. A few do advocacy work while others deal with the day-to-day, practical realities of doing business internationally.

Among these organizations, the following are worth exploring if your company is considering going global.

1. The US. Commercial Service: Through 107 Export Assistance Centers across the U.S and 145 U.S. Embassies and consulates spanning the globe, the goal of the U.S. Commercial Service is to help small and medium-sized companies expand their businesses internationally. Trade professionals located in these centers provide a range of services including international trade counseling, market identification and help with connecting to international markets. In Connecticut, the Export Assistance Center is located in Middletown; www.buyusa.gov/connecticut.

2. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA): The SBA was established in 1953 to attend to the specific needs of small businesses. The SBA provides technical assistance through training and consulting and helps businesses tap into available financial resources. SBA services are available in all 50 states. If your business is thinking about expanding, it would be wise to look into what kinds of help are available at the Connecticut district office on Main Street in Hartford.

3. International Trade Administration (ITA): A division of the U.S. Department of Commerce, the ITA houses various offices that research issues relating to international trade. This is the go-to office if you are looking for information about U.S. trade agreements, industry trade policies, data, forecasting and analysis. The ITA also produces the Export Yellow Pages which companies can use to develop global contacts. For more information and to find the Connecticut location, visit www.trade.gov.

4. ECI-Find New Markets: Originally founded 1997 as a private-public-academic partnership, the South Carolina Export Consortium, ECI-Find New Markets has expanded to become a national organization, serving over 1,000 American companies. Just as its name indicates, ECI-Find New Markets assists small companies identify new markets, develop new products and services and discover new customers within the U.S. and internationally. The organization also provides on-site customized NAFTA training on aspects of the North American Free Trade Agreement that apply specifically to your industry and company needs. In addition, it can also help you craft a marketing strategy. For additional information, visit www.findnewmarkets.com.

5. District Export Councils (DECs): DECs are non-profit organizations comprised of volunteer community leaders with international trade expertise. The DEC provides counseling for small to medium-sized businesses that are interested in branching out into overseas markets. While DECs themselves don't receive government funding or represent the government, they work very closely with the U.S. Commercial Service.

While all of the organizations listed may not be the right source of information for your specific business need, with a little research, you will have new information to assist you with your exporting goals.