Exporting

The Internet is a great tool for getting your products, services or message out to the rest of the world.

The Web connects your sales counter or reception desk to the whole world. Just consider: anyone with Internet access, anywhere in the world and at any time of the day or night, can access your website to read about your products and services, enquire about them and maybe order and pay for them. Distributors and agents who might be looking around the world for appropriate products to add to their catalogues, or businesses looking for strategic partners in other parts of the world, might also find you if you have a presence on the Web.

You can use the Internet to do the same thing - look for customers, distributors, business advisors and strategic partners anywhere in the world.

The Australian Trade Commission, or Austrade, is the Australian Government's main export and international business facilitation agency. Austrade helps Australian companies reduce time, cost and risk involved in selecting, entering and developing international markets. Austrade has a great deal of information on their website about using the Internet as a means of promoting a business overseas. They suggest that a website is good for conducting business overseas because it allows you to:

• make contact with potential overseas customers without leaving home
• reach overseas customers in cost-effective ways
• project the impression of a professional organisation of substance
• convey that your business is 'modern' and uses new technology
• avoid problems with time differences by having 24-hour contact
• introduce and promote new products
• demonstrate products using technical data, drawings
• sell products direct to customers.

What to do

Access the these areas of Austrade's website because they are of particular importance to planning how you might be able to use the Web to help you export.

• Undertake one of Austrade's e-business online courses - The free online courses explain how to use email, electronic marketplaces, portals and online collaboration tools effectively in order to maximise export potential. They are designed for businesses that already export or who are planning to do so. Click here to read more about the courses and to register.
• Online Export capability tool - If you are thinking about doing business overseas for the first time, but are unsure whether your organisation has the "capability" to do so, try this survey to see if you have the capability: http://www.austrade.gov.au/australia/layout/0,,0_S2-1_2zh-2_-3_PWB17549390-4_-5_-6_-7_,00.html
• Read the Latest research conducted by Austrade and the University of New South Wales about the impact of e-commerce on export business. The report provides a wealth of information on the latest developments in e-commerce for export business based on the experiences of the 340 Australian exporters surveyed: http://www.austrade.gov.au/ecommercereport
• Have a look at how other Australian companies are using the Internet as a tool for exporting by exploring Austrade's suppliers database. It currently lists 8,500 Australian companies. Find companies in your industry sector and see what they are offering. http://www.austrade.gov.au/australia/layout/0,,0_S2-1_CLNTXID0030-2_-3_-4_-5_-6_-7_,00.html