For small and medium-sized enterprises, especially those managing growth, it’s easy to say yes. Why not ship a few pallets abroad? It’s more volume, after all… and every sale counts! But after more than a decade working in international markets, I’ve learned that this way of thinking is not only short-sighted, it’s risky.

Export is not just a sales channel. Export is a business model!

Treating international sales as an extension of domestic operations often leads to a pattern of reactive decisions: inconsistent pricing, opportunistic partnerships, product misalignment, and a lack of brand presence. While it may bring in some revenue in the short term, it rarely delivers sustainable growth. That’s because export isn’t a side hustle. It’s a strategic commitment!

The missing link between ambition and an export plan is an export vision – here’s how to build yours

When companies view export as merely a sales transaction, they tend to operate in what I call “pallets and paperwork” mode. Get the order, ship the goods, move on. Success is defined by how much product you move, not whether the market is truly working for the brand.

The result is often fragile. When competition intensifies or a distributor loses interest, there’s no foundation to fall back on. Sales dry up, and the market disappears as quickly as it emerged.

From reactive tactics to strategic thinking

But when companies begin to treat export as a business model, everything changes. They stop chasing short-term orders and start asking longer-term, strategic questions. They begin to understand that international markets are not extensions of their home market, they are different ecosystems, with unique consumers, competitive landscapes, cultural dynamics, and regulatory environments.

With that mindset shift, export becomes more than a commercial activity, it becomes a transformational one!

Why export requires company-wide alignment

In this model, export is no longer the responsibility of a single sales team. It becomes a cross-functional initiative that touches every part of the organization.

• Product and R&D must assess whether formulas, claims, or packaging need adaptation.
• Marketing must rethink how to position the brand for unfamiliar consumers.
• Operations must prepare for lead times, logistics, and local compliance.
• Leadership must view export as a core growth driver, not an afterthought.

Without this alignment, even the best opportunities falter.

If your internal teams aren’t prepared to support export markets, results will be inconsistent and hard to scale. Growth will remain tactical rather than strategic.

The evolution of the export manager

This shift also redefines the role of the export manager. In a transactional model, the Export Manager is a dealmaker. But in a strategic model, the export manager becomes a business architect, someone who can connect internal capabilities with external needs, orchestrating everything from pricing and compliance to long-term partner development.

That requires a blend of strategic thinking and operational expertise. Export Managers must understand market dynamics, cultural context, commercial frameworks, and internal systems. They must be empowered to lead, not just execute. They are no longer just shipping products, they are building businesses.

Better questions lead to better outcomes

One reason companies fall into a sales-channel mindset is the volume of inbound interest. You get approached at trade fairs. Distributors promise volumes. Consultants offer shortcuts.

It’s tempting to respond.

But if every export decision is driven by who asks first, rather than who needs your product most, you end up chasing deals instead of building markets.

This reactive posture may feel like momentum, but it rarely leads to scale.

Strategic export leaders ask better questions:

• Who is our consumer in this market?
• What value do we bring that local brands don’t?
• What kind of partner fits our long-term ambitions?
• What does success look like beyond the first shipment?

This is how companies move from volume to value. They stop reacting and start designing. Instead of settling for any growth, they pursue the right growth.

Redefining success in export

Success in a strategic export model goes far beyond initial sales. It’s measured in repeat purchases, brand visibility, partner alignment, local relevance, and operational resilience.

Volume matters but only when it’s sustainable. Profitability matters but only when it doesn’t erode brand equity. What you want is repeatable success: a system that works, a brand that resonates, and a business model that can grow.

Say no more often

One of the clearest signs of strategic maturity is knowing when to say no. When export is a business model, you gain filters. Not every market is worth your attention. Not every distributor deserves your brand. Not every opportunity aligns with your ambitions.

With clarity comes discipline. With discipline comes control.

Export is not a shortcut to growth. It’s a journey.

And like every serious journey, it needs a map.

This article was reproduced with permission of the author from the Food & Drink Export Business newsletter. Check it out and subscribe on LinkedIn for more of Luis’ insights on the food & drink export business.

The post Export Is Not a Sales Channel. It’s a Business Model! appeared first on Trade Ready.

For Adolfo, the doors to the fascinating world of International trade opened 25 years ago when he was given an opportunity by his then employer to define and implement an export strategy for the company. The project was a potentially promising one as it entailed offering customized solutions for clients in neighboring countries, thus paving the way for an increase in revenue.

It was here that Adolfo learnt the nuances of international trade along with the intricacies of balancing multiple factors while interacting with the various stakeholders.

“Thus, my customer focused interest led me to learn more about the international trade requirements and other cultures. As well as the overall complexities involved in interacting with many players and factors all at once.”

What Adolfo’s early experiences taught him

Adolfo learnt from the earliest phase of his career that trade transactions are dynamic processes in a state of constant change. It is impossible to have any control over the ever-evolving situations which can adversely impact commercial relationships, especially if one is unprepared. It is therefore of upmost importance to keep in mind that factors like exchange rates, foreign policies, ports strikes, power outages, and shipment of supplies are all moving targets, subject to change, and that you should “still pursue compliance with governments and deliver as promised to your clients.”

 Adolfo illustrates how these many factors keep you on your toes by offering a valuable piece of advice he wished he had received when he started his career in international trade: “There is never enough preparation to deal with non-tariff barriers.”

Bringing skills and experience together with the most up-to-date trade knowledge

Taking the FITTskills courses helped Adolfo equip himself with the most up-to-date knowledge needed to deal with all current and future challenges over the course of his career.

He felt the training perfectly complemented his previous experience in international business and other professional qualifications such as his MBA.

According to Adolfo,

The courses updated and upgraded my skills for current challenges and many more to come.

On being asked to pick his favorite FITTskills course:

Global Supply Chain Management was one of my favorites as it gave me the opportunity to bring many aspects of trade together. The finance, trade research, operations, e-commerce, legal aspects and others converge to make real-world international business transactions possible.

Becoming a globally recognized professional

The desire to earn international credentials led Adolfo to apply for the CITP®|FIBP® designation, which he successfully achieved. He feels extremely proud of this accomplishment and of the acknowledgement of it that he has received from colleagues.

The CITP designation is recognized internationally. I’ve found it is important to have such a highly recognized credential in the global arena where my work takes place. It also helps me relate to colleagues more easily.

Adolfo has come a long way from his initial tenure as Import Export Manager more than twenty years ago. He is currently working as Export Coordinator at IKO – a reputed building materials company in Ontario, Canada.

He is confident that his elite CITP designation will continue to add value to the rich experience he’s gathered throughout his career and help expand his network.

As Adolfo continues his upward career trajectory, we know his skills, talents and credentials will ensure that he always puts his best food forward.

The post CITP Spotlight: Adolfo Garces Vinasco, Export Coordinator – IKO Industries appeared first on Trade Ready.

Many businesses seeking to grow often face the barriers of not having the knowledge or the confidence to succeed.

For small business, entering global markets is a significant undertaking, and requires know-how, and developing or securing that know-how will require an investment of time and money.

“If you’ve been looking at going global you probably already know what you need to do, but crucially, do you or your team know how to do it? In business, if you don’t have the know-how to go global, you’ll give your profits to someone else,” according to Caroline Tompkins, President and CEO of FITT.

So, in practical terms, what’s the value to small business of investing in trade know-how?

Who better to ask than our own Certified International Trade Professionals (CITPs)? We wanted to learn more about their own journeys to global trade, so we asked them how training and the CITP designation helps them to grow their own small businesses.

Channelspark International Inc. – Greg Henderson, CITP

What problem does your business solve, and how?

Channelspark guides and assists Canadian businesses on the benefits and value of expanding into new markets. Channelspark’s research and assessment tools simplify and streamline this process to provide quick and valuable information that helps companies make critical decisions about exporting.

How is your business involved in global trade?

Channelspark is a management consulting company that helps businesses expand into new markets, offering introductory export training, in-depth market research, export plan development and international marketing and partner development services.

While there are services and information available to help Canadian businesses expand into new markets, find funding and participate in trade missions, many small businesses find it difficult to know where to start or to determine whether their product is competitive or even viable for an international market.  

Channelspark helps point businesses in the right direction with help to determine if they are export ready, and provides consulting services focused on market data and sector trends, and strategies for success. With their new service, ExportSpark, businesses can get an assessment of their capabilities and their product, find the best fitting international markets and get a customized roadmap for going forward with international expansion.

Channelspark has worked one-on-one with businesses around the world, and has managed projects with Global Affairs Canada to help international businesses with entering the Canadian market.

How has FITT training/ know-how contributed to the success of your business?

As an international trade consultant, the CITP designation and FITT training was absolutely essential and is the core of what I do on a daily basis. The FITT program doesn’t just teach subjects, it teaches you to create frameworks for developing services or programs that can quickly add value to any export activities done by most businesses. Without those, you could spend months trying to understand how a business works or why their product even fits internationally. And that’s just not profitable.

Why was getting CITP certified an important decision for you/your business?

As a trade consultant, being credible and of value to any business requires more than just sales experience, it requires a deep understanding of international trade, marketing, market entry strategies and more. The FITT CITP designation is one of the most valuable designations to have as it immediately provides this credibility and an understanding that a CITP understands all aspects of “going international”.

 What is one of your secrets of success?

A very large part of international consulting is spent hunched over a desk doing research, learning, and trying to figure out how to tell a company how they will succeed. Getting it right is important, but very hard to do in an ever-changing world.

What advice would you share with other entrepreneurs as they begin their journey?

Becoming an entrepreneur is a great choice for business people looking for independence, flexibility and freedom of operating in their chosen field. But it is easily 10 to 20 times harder than any job I’ve ever done and requires an ability to constantly change and adapt, with little predictability on when you’re going to get paid…. but it is never boring!

The post CITP Small Business Spotlight – Channelspark International Inc. appeared first on Trade Ready.

One of the most important questions that I am frequently asking my clients nowadays is “what exactly is your export strategy?” Although there are many definitions of the term “export strategy”, the answer tends to change depending on who is replying to the question.

This reminds me of an old Indian fable about the three blind men who touch an elephant and describe to each other what they think the elephant is like. The first man is holding the elephant’s leg, thinking the elephant looks like a tree; the second man holding the tail thinks the elephant resembles a rope; and the third man who grabbed a tusk thinks the animal must look like a spear. Although each of the blind men is partly right, they are missing the big picture. The reason they give a different description is because each of them is touching a different part of the elephant. In reality, the elephant has all of those features that they mentioned.

Similar kinds of faulty assumptions are made all the time about exporting plans and strategies. Many enterprises try to be all things to all markets by applying one strategy. However, the idea of “one export strategy for every market” is as misleading as thinking that an elephant looks like a tree, rope or a spear.

Exporting is a long journey that requires understanding of the market’s dynamics and one-by-one assessment of each market.

One of the hardest efforts in this matter is identifying export strategies for each target market. However, the fact remains that without the right export strategy you cannot become a prominent leader in the industry and all the rest of your market entry efforts will be wasted.

What Has to be Done to Build the Best Exporting Strategy?

Building a good exporting strategy requires several key elements, including money, time, talent, energy, focus, and commitment.  A successful exporter will have the determination to discover the relevant factors that are used in specific export strategies for each target market. So, what are some of those relevant factors?

1. The Product or Service

“If you make a really good product that people want and are willing to pay for, money will come” – Forrest Mars.

An exporting strategy starts with the products or services that you offer. Some companies and organizations believe that their domestic products or services can be exported without significant changes or modifications, but the truth of matter is quite. Every market has its own unique preferences and regulations, and having knowledge of each target market’s unique characteristics is key for a company wanting to enter that market.

Doing trade and market research on foreign partners, distributors, buyers and customers can help your company get an idea of what products or services can be sold in different markets.  This way, even before the sale is made, the company has time to modify a particular product or service to satisfy the customers’ needs and preferences in the target market. Trade and market research are extremely important in identifying the right strategy to pursue.

2. The Customer

Profitable international sales come from a lasting relationship with the customers: it is this relationship that always supports the business.

As an exporter, you should be prepared to spend 75% of your planning time on customers and their needs.

Customer intelligence cannot be gathered simply by following the advice in business books – you can only gather it by doing. In other words, you cannot get anywhere by sitting comfortably on a chair. You have to go out and win the customers over.

Your export strategy will depend on who your customer is. There are three main ways you can market to your customers:

1. Your company may sell directly to a customer
2. You may use the assistance of target market representatives, such as agents or distributors, to reach the desired user
3. Or you can combine these two selling techniques.

The technique you use will determine and shape your export strategy, since each technique requires different research, sources and planning. The customers in each segment may have different tastes and preferences, and understanding those preferences is crucial for your export strategy.

3. Competition in the Market

Remember: losing money to stay competitive in the target market is not a good tactic. As an exporter, you should always look for a better partnership, one where the sales are profitable and promising.

High competition levels in today’s business environment means you need to collect and analyze every piece of information to anticipate competitive activity in your target market.

For that reason, competitive intelligence is an essential component of strategy in exporting. Through  competitive intelligence research you’ll get an idea of the similar products that are already competing in your target market.

As you may have guessed, the main purposes of competitive intelligence should be to understand your rivals: their market share, pricing strategies, distribution network, promotional and marketing activities, and customer service. In addition to that, you should look at your competitors’ strengths and weaknesses to help you understand how you could differentiate your business. All in all, you want even your current competitors to think that what you do is unique.

4. Regulatory & Customs Regulation and Landed Cost

Every exporter knows that there are multiple legal and regulatory constraints that can affect your exporting strategies. When entering a new market, you should look into the trade agreements and regulations prior to developing your export strategies. You may have to deal with anti-dumping legislations, price ceiling or transfer pricing, to name a few.

In addition to the legal and regulatory implications of trading with different countries and regions, exporters also need to look at the customs procedures for their export strategies.

For example, some governments may request certain records or certificates related to quality, health and/or manufacturing of the products. It’s best to know the potential extra costs and procedures in advance. This can help you build competitive pricing strategies in your export plan and prevent you from making costly errors.

Although landed cost is a concern for the importer company, as an exporter you should also know about the landed cost that the importer pays to take the possession of the product in the target market. This cost is mainly related to the customs duties and other relevant duties that define the landed cost. If you know these costs in advance, you will have a better understanding of the cost dynamics. Thus, defining a more competitive price for your customers in the target market.

The post Your export strategy is incomplete without these 4 things appeared first on Trade Ready.

Most overseas companies seeking to penetrate Latin American markets will probably have started with other countries and have some idea of what they’re looking for. However, you know it’ll be hard to find the country that will fit all the criteria – just as heptathletes, for example, aren’t world-class at every one of their disciplines.

So in order to help you rank Latin American countries in terms of business potential (because there are 20 countries in the region!), how about answering the questions below and seeing how you’d rank them in your podium?

1. Is there a market for your products/services?

Only well-planned market research can give you an accurate view of potential demand, which could vary considerably across different countries.

An obvious instance is if you sell to a specific sector or solve a specific need. For example, if you sell to the mining sector, look at Chile, but not Uruguay.

A client of mine sells a product that works great with natural pastures, so countries like Uruguay, Paraguay and Argentina are clear candidates. If you sell products for other particular crops, such as tropical fruit, you will be more likely to find potential in Costa Rica than in Chile.

It’s not always that obvious, though. That’s when research is key. And that’s when understanding each market individually, even down to cultural subtleties, is important.

I’ll give you two examples. If you sell plastic bags or film that will save you the hassle of cleaning an oven tray, remember that most middle class families that can afford those products will probably have a maid who does the cleaning. How you market those products will be critical.

Similarly, there’s the issue of packaged baby food, which we discussed at a workshop in London recently. Most people won’t buy those tiny jars of baby food because there will be a maid or grandmother or some kind of help around to facilitate making food from scratch. It’s so different from my experience as a mum in the UK!

2. Is the market willing to pay the price you can realistically offer?

Again, market research is critical here. This is why so many market research reports include some proxy for purchasing power, such as GDP per capita, particularly for consumer goods.

However, for other kinds of products and services, careful pricing analysis is also important. For example, you might find that certain imported products in Brazil can command amazingly high prices. But before you get too excited about margins, look at the daunting amounts of taxes you’ll pay from import duties through to national and federal taxes. Also look at the costs of in-country freight, and at the margins that retailers or distributors will expect. Your profit will quickly vanish!

3. How easy is that market to penetrate?

This will clearly depend on what you sell and how you do it. There are no easy markets in Latin America (or anywhere, you might add), but if you look at statistics such as the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business ranking, you’ll quickly rule out at least a few countries from your podium.

If you combine certain statistics such as economic openness (import duties, for example), with ease of doing business and transparency, you’ll probably think of a few countries to which you’d like to give medals.

Chile, Colombia and Peru tend to do quite well in these categories, but that’s only a general statement.

4. What’s your export strategy for the region?

Any country in the region will need at least a five year strategy. If you are looking for economies of scale to succeed with volume, for example, then Brazil is your gold medallist. This is particularly true if you are open to manufacturing products locally.

If you want to start fairly small and test the waters, then Uruguay or Chile in South America, or Costa Rica in Central America can be your winners.

If you want to provide services to the region, then maybe a free trade zone in Uruguay would work wonderfully, or placing your operations in Panama.

It all depends on how you plan on tackling Latin America, your resources, your vision and commitment.

You don’t have to enter a new market by yourself

So those are just four questions to ask yourself when giving medals to potential markets for your export strategy in Latin America. I’d also add a potential fifth one, out of experience: have you found the right partner?

This could be a rep, distributor, JV partner, manufacturing partner, licensee, franchisee or something else.

Any experienced exporter will know that, as much as you can study a market, statistics can say and market visits can show, at the end of it, people do business with people. The guy who came last in the race might become your winner.

The post Bronze, silver or gold? Ranking Latin American countries in your export strategy appeared first on Trade Ready.

In a recent conversation with a Canadian company wishing to expand internationally, I learned some of the questions that potential exporters face.

In this case, an expert in automation has two very successful automated tooling systems: one used in the automotive industry, and the other in the nuclear industry.

In both cases, he enjoys domestic success, differentiation and the support of his local customers to go abroad.

While he can successfully grow sales for both systems through exporting, he nonetheless faces an interesting dilemma.

This is because, while both products can be successful, the plans required for each product to do so must be very different from one another.

Choose the best path – single or multi-country approach

The automation tooling system for the nuclear industry has certain advantages that make it very attractive for export.

Firstly, the technical and regulatory requirements in the nuclear industry provide a huge barrier to entry, allowing for higher margins to fund global expansion.

A second advantage is that, as a niche industry, the potential number of competitors is limited when compared to other industries.

In this particular case, a single country approach may be more difficult to implement. Mexico, for instance, has only one nuclear power generation plant, and one research facility. The reactors in the existing nuclear plant are not of the same CANDU type used where the tool was originally designed.

A multi-country approach is therefore more suited to expand sales leading with this automation tool.

The export plan in such a case should look first into the usability of this tool in other types of reactors, as it will expand the potential for export. It should also look into the installed base of CANDU reactors in the world (South Korea, China, India, Argentina, Romania and Pakistan).

A proper market entry study must review in detail the economic effects of export regulations, tariffs and importing duties, issues that are non-existent when exporting to Mexico or countries that signed free trade agreements with Canada.

Go local with boots on the ground

Additionally, the variety of countries with potential customers requires different kinds of in-house resources.

A local approach, relying on the use of independent, on-the-ground sales representatives with established business networks in nuclear power plants, is the best way to enter the market.

In the case of the automotive industry, the automated system is used by car manufacturers in Canada. Aside from expanding into the U.S., this represents an opportunity in Mexico, where the automotive market is booming as more assembly plants are opening up, including a new Audi plant in the state of Puebla.

A recommended approach would be to complete a market entry plan to sell the automated tooling system to all the assemblers in Mexico, which would include some big names like Ford, GM, Nissan, VW, Honda, BMW, etc.

A further refinement would also show that all these plants are located in three distinctive zones of the country, allowing for a single country approach.

Due to the low number of potential customers and the high value of the tooling, it is better to sell either directly or through a local representative.

Understanding the tradition in the auto industry to drive costs low will be an important factor in determining the feasibility of one approach versus the other.

Make the extra effort to build trust with your local partners

Selling directly may also mean hiring a local sales or business development manager to work exclusively for the exporter.

Finding an independent representative is not easy; it requires building trust and that takes time. The representative usually carries other non-competing lines that dilute the sales efforts and the exporter has limited control on the sales function.

However, there is a low initial cost, and you gain immediate access to the professional network of the representative.

Recruiting a professional locally also has the advantage of complete control of the sales functions, 100% of the sales efforts and a better personality match between the exporter and the local manager.

It could furthermore include a lower sales commission if the compensation package includes a base with a higher upfront cost until the sales revenue increases.

In either case, new market expansion requires exhaustive market research, a good understanding of the cultural aspects of each market, and a refined export plan. An experienced international trade professional accredited by FITT is always a good start.

Have you ever marketed two similar products using very different strategies in separate markets?

The post Two very different approaches successful exporters use to expand internationally appeared first on Trade Ready.

Here are some real-life examples of why it’s so important – with a Latin American flavour:

1. Because you need evidence for your export strategy.

Your strategy will drive your actions, but your strategy needs to be based on facts.

Thorough research will give you the evidence you need to include or exclude countries from your strategy, to know where you stand compared to your competitors, and to know which are the best ways into your target market.

Take, for example, my U.K. manufacturing client in electrical engineering. They invested in researching eight Latin American countries. They knew Latin America was on their radar, but how much of a priority was it?

Determine which countries should be tackled first and which should be postponed until a later stage of your export strategy – or removed entirely.

2. Because knowledge is power.

One of the most experienced clients I’ve had, whom I have learnt a lot from, was a sales manager of a food technology company in the U.K.

He wouldn’t land in a country without knowing it well, so he subcontracted research for every new market.

Why?

He told me he needed knowledge for negotiations, both with his clients and his partners. His partners knew he meant business because he knew his stuff. He wasn’t just parachuting into Latin America, like too many foreign firms do nowadays.

He knew how large his market was, which clients the distributor should be tackling, and what growth to expect. He also knew which projects were coming up and who the industry influencers were.

When you start off in a country you don’t know, you can’t afford to be seen as lost, disengaged or uninformed. Market research gives you confidence, and power.

3. Because it shows that you care.

How many of your competitors are investing in market research? How seriously will you be taken in a new market by clients, partners, and sector experts?

A sign that you mean business, that you are serious and committed, is knowing the market well. It’s important and helpful to know everything from the simplicity of business greetings, through to the structure of the industry you are in.

You should also be up to date on the latest relevant news and the performance of the economy over the last few years.

This is particularly key in Latin America, because business is based on personal relationships, and caring about people and their countries is always appreciated.

4. Because it can save you an awful lot of time. And cash.

Once they receive my report, clients always appreciate how much work goes into market research and how many mistakes I save them from:

“Knowing what the market is like in Venezuela means we have saved ourselves £20k this year since we won’t visit to suss it out, we now know it’s not for us.”

“We never thought of Colombia before and now we’ve sold there – without the research, we would have stayed away.”

“The feedback from your industry contacts is precious, we are now revising our branding as a result.”

“So glad your research prioritized trade shows for us in the region, we would have wasted time and money attending the wrong events”

5. Because it’s the only way of convincing the Board.

Many export assistants or export managers need to put forward cases to the wider company to get budgets approved. Having a friend in Buenos Aires or fancying a trip to Cancun might not quite cut it when it comes to rationales for export expansion.

What you need is evidence. And independent, rigorous evidence should tell you how things really are.

If a market is not for you, or maybe not for you right now, it should say so, or you should be able to work it out. I often advise my clients against expanding to Latin America, so make sure the advice is truly independent and not tied to a particular country (I am based in Uruguay but I often advise clients to start off somewhere else).

Market intelligence is not a cost, it’s an investment. Successful exporters know it.

What’s your next market research investment going to be?

The post 5 compelling reasons you should invest in market research before exporting to Latin America appeared first on Trade Ready.