Export Assistance
Guides to Exporting
Export Glossary
Export Acronyms
Export Documentation
Proforma Invoice
Commercial Invoice
Packing Lists
Insurance Forms
Customs Documents
Document Completion Guide
Export Marketing
What is involved in export Marketing?
Export Marketing Channels
Using Export Agents
Finding Export Agents
The Role of Trade Fairs
Finding Trade Fairs
Create your own e-Marketing Campaign
Website internationalisation
E-marketplaces
Export portals
Embassies and Consulates
ETO Systems
Dealing with Export Environments
Trade Agreements
Export Tools
Export Readiness Checker
Export Checklists
Export Business Planner
Export SWOT Analyser
Country Risk Evaluator
Trademap
Product map
Translator
Currency Converter
Export Documentation
Document Completion Guide
Export Software & Technology solutions
Export e-Newsletter
Export Law
Laws affecting Exports
Maritime Insurance
Exchange Control
SA Export Regulations
Trade/Maritime Lawyers
ITC Services
Export Tools
Trademap
Productmap
Export Assistance
Trade Advisors
 

STEP 8: PREPARING YOUR EXPORT PLAN
You are here: Step 8: Preparing your export plan > Setting the export objectives of the firm  
Setting the export objectives of the firm

It is important to realise that your firm's export objectives cannot be divorced from your firm's domestic objectives. Exports are simply an extension of your company's current domestic activities. For example, if you are producing and selling perfumes, it would be unwise to suddenly try and export fashion clothing.

Company mission statement and objectives

Your export plan should therefore begin with outlining your firm's current mission statement and business objectives. The mission statement outlines in broad terms what the purpose of your company is, while your company objectives set more specific targets usually for a period of time.

Example of a company mission statement

Beaver Creek is dedicated to growing coffee beans in South Africa from which can be produced coffee of a high quality and of an affordable price. We will work towards producing a range of coffee blends and flavoured coffees that will meet the wide range of tastes of consumers. We will strive to establish successful partnerships with coffee shops throughout the country ensuring that their needs and those of their customers are met, especially in terms of the range, quality and price of the coffees we supply. We will encourage our suppliers, customers and employees to work together to this end and to ensure that the interests and goals of each party are respected.

Constantly striving to supply what the consumer is asking for, we will continually review what is available in the marketplace, and what isn't. Creating new coffee blends and providing new products and services to the areas of need will help ensure our success in a market driven by consumer demand. Success will ultimately be measured by our customers choosing us because of their belief in our ability to meet or exceed their expectations of quality, price, service, and selection.

Example of company objectives

Based on this mission statement, the Beaver Creek's objectives might be:

  1. To make Beaver Creek one of the top five suppliers of bulk coffee, coffee blends and flavoured coffees to coffee shops in the major metropolitan areas of Cape Town, Durban. Port Elizabeth and Johannesburg/Pretoria.
  2. To expand the range of products each year, by introducing at least five new flavours and/or blends each year.
  3. To achieve quality certification for our coffees in the coming year.
  4. To increase the extent of land under cultivation for coffee from 1000 to 1500 hectares.
  5. To sell at least R5 million in product in the coming year.
  6. To achieve an initial gross profit margin of at least 30%, increasing that by at least 1% per year until reaching our final target of 35%.
  7. To maintain a solid growth rate of 30% per year for the next five years.

You will see from the above that all of these objectives include measurable targets. Based on these targets you can now prepare a host of actions that will enable your firm to achieve these objectives. These actions will be translated into production, marketing and financial plans.

To get some more ideas on how to prepare mission statements and company objectives, visit the BRAIN website at http://www.brain.org.za and read through some of their sample business plans. You could also try SBA Sample Business Plans - http://www.bplan.com/samples/sba.cfm.

Expanding the company objective to include exports

Based on your initial company mission statement and objectives, the next step is to expand your firm's mission statement and company objectives to accommodate the fact that you plan to export. This you might do by set your export objectives which will expand on your current business objectives. For example, in as far as your firm's mission statement is concerned, you may wish to adapt the mission statement as follows:

Beaver Creek is dedicated to growing coffee beans in South Africa from which can be produced internationally competitive coffee of a high quality and of an affordable price. We will work towards producing a range of coffee blends and flavoured coffees that will meet the wide range of tastes of consumers throughout the world. We will strive to establish successful partnerships with coffee shops throughout the country ensuring that their needs and those of their customers are met, especially in terms of the range, quality and price of the coffees we supply. At the same time, we will endeavour to find partners in other parts of the world that will help us market our coffee to wholesalers and retailers in their host country. We will encourage our suppliers, customers and employees to work together to this end and to ensure that the interests and goals of each party are respected.

Constantly striving to supply what the consumer is asking for, we will continually review what is available in the local and international marketplaces, and what isn't. Creating new coffee blends and providing new products and services to the areas of need will help ensure our success in an international market driven by consumer demand. Success will ultimately be measured by our customers choosing us because of their belief in our ability to meet or exceed their expectations of quality, price, service, and selection.

The above mission statement has been adapted to serve as a basis for the "internationalisation" of the firm. Of course, the mission statement does not state specifically what the firm will do - it only provides broad guidelines as to what the firm would like to achieve. This is quite acceptable, as this is exactly the purpose of a mission statement. The firm's objectives, however, will also need to be adapted to accommodate the planned export activities of the firm. The following additional component could perhaps be added to the list of seven company objectives that we provided above:

  1. To establish a market for our coffees in at least two countries and to sell at least 5% of the firm's production in these markets in the coming year, expanding this to ten new export markets and 20% of production over the coming five years.

Setting your export objectives

In this way, your company's mission statement and objectives have been adapted to accommodate your export endeavours. However, it is important to realise that this does not yet represent your export objectives. Your export objectives need to be developed based on what you have set for your company in your mission statement and list of objectives. Your export objectives could look as follows:

  1. To embark on an export drive that will enable the company to establish a presence in at least two countries in the first year and to expand this to ten countries over the coming five years.
  2. To commit 5% of the firm's production to exports for the first year and to expand this to 20% within five years.
  3. To establish committed partnerships with representatives in the selected target countries that will effectively represent our products in each of the target concerned.
  4. To establish an effective and efficient export department that will be able to administer the export activities of the firm.
  5. To work towards becoming internationally competitive and to establishing a global brand that will underpin both our domestic and international business activities.

These export objectives again provide a series of measurable targets and focus on committing the firm to its export endeavours. The rest of the export plan will deal with the marketing strategies and activities that are necessary to achieve these objectives.

Top of page

Step 8: more information

Step 8: Preparing your export plan
      .Synopsis of research already done
      .Revisiting an export SWOT analysis of the firm
      .Preparing an export marketing strategy for your firm
      .Preparing an export budget for your firm
      .Outlining an implementation schedule for your export activities
      .Preparing and presenting your export plan
      .Obtaining approval for your export plan

Click where you want to go

Custom Search
More information on Step 8
Learning to export... The export process in 21 easy steps
Step 1: Considering exporting
Step 2:Current business viability
Step 3:Export readiness
Step 4:Broad mission statement and initial budget
Step 5:Confirming management's commitment to exports
Step 6: Undertaking an initial SWOT analysis of the firm
Step 7:Selecting and researching potential countries abroad
Step 8: Preparing and implementing your export plan
Step 9: Obtaining financing for your exports
Step 10: Managing your export risk
Step 11: Promoting the firm and its products abroad
Step 12: Negotiating and quoting in exports
Step 13: Revising your export costings and price
Step 14: Obtaining the export order
Step 15: Producing the goods
Step 16: Handling the export logistics
Step 17: Export documentation
Step 18: Providing follow-up support
Step 19: Getting paid
Step 20: Reviewing and improving the export process
Step 21: Export Management
Export Reference
TARIC Codes
HS Codes
SIC Codes
Country Codes
Airline Codes
Airport Codes
Port Codes
Telephone Codes
Export control
Electricity Voltages
Transportation Types
Container Types
Hazardous Cargo Symbols
International Trade Agreements
Country Info
International Trade Organisations
Export Documentation
E-marketplaces
Export Opportunities
Export portals
E-marketplaces
International Trade Fairs
Country Info
Country Help
International Trade Statistics
Trademap
Productmap
Sources of International Statistics
UNCTAD Statistics

Our sister sites:

CountryHelp

Trade Training

FreightForwarderHelp

AssociationFinder

LearnTheNet

- Copyright: Cornelius Bothma -


Disclaimer | Privacy Policy

         
exppo