As an SME in the service sector, Blueberry never contemplated that we would branch out into exports. But that’s exactly what we did. Our exporting journey began when we started dealing with international enquiries for our telemarketing services, but we’d never been intentionally chasing them. Find out what we learned along the way.

HELP IS OUT THERE

Our exporting venture began when we attended an event run by the Department for Business & Trade (DIT). We reached out to them for further advice on the export industry, and after becoming better acquainted with our business, they provided us with some invaluable pointers and recommendations. Not only did they advise us on the best initial markets to enter, but they also advised us on the best approach to take to drive exports forward. They also made suggestions on how to dip our toes into the water without having to dive headfirst into an expensive large-scale marketing campaign. For instance, Experimenting with a few key words, in specific countries with Google Ads.

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE MONEY

We had always assumed that exporting would involve a lot of work, time, money, and commitment to be a success. However, we soon learnt that if you are realistic and take a phased approach it is doable and does not require a huge outlay from the start.

BE REALISTIC

The DBT reminded us to keep our approach achievable for our business and its goals. Changing the domain of our website and testing out some Google Ads campaigns were quick and easy actions we could take to see if exporting was for us. In the long term, they proposed we could consider website translation or country-specific micro-sites once we were more established.

Overall, we discovered that exporting doesn’t have to be something scary and seemingly out of reach. And you don’t have to be a global brand to enter a new international market and make a success of it. Blueberry is a prime example of how it can be done gradually and on a much smaller scale. Contact the DBT to find out what steps your business can take towards your exporting journey.