Export Readiness

Trying to expand to new markets before you are ready could end up hurting your business, and would not only cost you through lost time, effort and opportunity, but could also damage your reputation. This export readiness checker can help you focus in on questions such as ‘do you have the cash flow available to carry extra set up and production costs?’ and ‘do you have staff that can speak the relevant foreign languages?

tfsa form

Management readiness
Market intelligence readiness
Production management readiness
Resource readiness
Operations readiness
Export planning readiness

Management readiness

Indicator: You have the management capacity to execute export marketing initiative.

1. Is your business well established in the domestic market?

Yes

2. Does exporting form part of your business’ long-term goals?

Yes

3. Are your patents and trademarks (if applicable) registered?

Yes

4. Do you have spare personnel capacity to attend to an export initiative?

Yes

5. Do you and/or someone within the business have experience doing business outside your domestic market?

Yes

6. Is there someone available who could be made responsible for planning and implementing the export initiative?

Yes

7. Does your business have functional accounting and administrative systems such as producing regular monthly accounting reports to track sales and costs?

Yes

8. Is there someone who can ensure that export sales are adequately serviced?

Yes

9. Is there someone available within the business who could read, write and speak English or other foreign languages appropriate for your target markets?

Yes

10. Are you willing to change key product features (e.g. product specification and packaging) in order to meet the requirements of an export market?

Yes

11. Are you willing and/or able to contract extra staff and/or acquire skills and/or implement procedures in those (above) cases where your business falls short?

Yes