1. What is the state of progress of my project / my situation

- I am a project developer, my company is not yet launched

- My company is working and I am already making sales in my national market

- I am a self-employed entrepreneur

- I have a small business and I already have employees

2. What is my international development project

- I wish to remain a small company

- I am looking to develop in Start Up mode with fund raising

- I am looking to strengthen my company with the support of partners and associates

3. In which context I undertake my international approach

- I am launching my project and I want to go directly to export

- I wish to develop my activity towards new markets

- I have to face a decrease of activity on my current market

4. Have I conducted a preliminary market study

- A broad economic and sectoral study of the situation in each country

· Growing countries, emerging countries

· Political stability

· Consumer habits, new trends

· Position in relation to Europe, free trade agreements, customs policy

· Regulations in force

· Ease of developing economic activities

- Selection of one or more target countries

· Market, consumers

· Survey of the competition

· Possible connections, ease of access, cost of transportation

· The different events, trade fairs and exhibitions in the world

· Exploration missions

5. How I plan my international development

- My sales policy

· Online sales

· Sales through wholesale distributors

· Sales through value-added partners

· Direct sales to retailers

· Direct sales to points of sale, popup stores, trade fair stands

- My brand awareness

· Networking

· Awareness seminars for resellers

· Awareness and information seminars for customers and consumers

- My marketing and communication actions

· Multilingual website

· Presence on social networks

· Communication in the media

· Intervention of communication and marketing agencies, local or familiar with the culture of the targeted country or countries

· Creation of an Export kit with business cards, kakemono, flyers, website, facebook, instagram, linkedin, in English and if possible in the language(s) of the countries concerned

6. How do I organize my international action?

- I anticipate an increase in my production

· I establish an activity forecast and the corresponding purchasing and production costs

· I look for subcontractors in my country of production or in the targeted countries

· Possible recruitment of specialized collaborators

- I benefit from the logistics and storage possibilities of my distribution partners

- I rely on one or more specialized importers if necessary

- I try to mutualize the costs and the international actions, thanks to facilitators (E4F, CCEM, etc.), I benefit from their visibility and their experience

7. How do I limit the risk of my international diversification?

- I turn to institutions or organizations capable of limiting or insuring my risk

· In my export prospecting process

· In my export activities - insurance of delivered goods

· I insure myself against the risks of non-payment or depreciation and exchange rate risk

8. How do I finance my export activities?

- Developing your export activities involves costs for prospecting, communication, commercial development and distribution.

- Expanding internationally often implies the use of service providers or additional employees.

- Entering new markets can take time with a time lag between investments and returns.

It is therefore necessary to evaluate one's self-financing capacity, prepare a file and a pitch with a business model and business plan for bankers and other financial partners.

Financial partners can be private investors and also suppliers or business partners who will benefit from this increase in activity and international presence.

It is necessary to prepare different simulations depending on the success of the search for funds.

Mutualize my actions, allows to reduce considerably the costs.

9. How do I anticipate the impact of my export approach on the management of my company ?

Going international requires a financial and time investment. You have to face the consequences on your daily activity according to the time dedicated to export.

- What activities will I be able to carry out remotely?

- What daily activities will I have to delegate?

- Which collaborators or partners will also be impacted by this international effort?

- How can I help them prepare?

10. Success - the indicators

Within a reasonable period of time and compatible with your financial means and expectations, you must validate the results of your international export actions.

- What are the results compared to the forecasts?

- Should I concentrate on the countries that are most responsive to my action? Yes / No

- What are the development prospects? Should I continue my development towards other countries?

- How can I finance them?

- Should I review my marketing and distribution model? Yes / No

- Should I keep my current organization and structure? Yes / No

- Should I bring in new partners? Yes / No

- What "product" or "service" policy? Standardized offers, or on the contrary customized to meet the expectations of certain markets?