Information for Women Exporters

Women in Trade
Business Networks
Expert Advice

Women in Trade

ITC Forum Magazine - Women in the Global Economy

Do businesswomen face extra difficulties in expanding their business through exports because they are women?  A series of articles in the ITC Forum Magazine will help to answer that question.

ITC Forum Magazine - Helping Women Export Services

Most women-owned firms are in the services sector. Business training can build the expertise and confidence necessary for these firms to export their services efficiently.

ITC Forum Magazine - Women and Trade: What are International Organizations Doing?

ITC Forum Magazine - International Trade Centre researched  trade-related initiatives that help women participate in international business.

UN Task Force on Gender and Trade
Set up by the Inter-Agency Network on Women and Gender Equality - IANWGE)
Led by the UN Conference on Trade and Development, the purpose of this task force is to mainstream gender in trade and trade policy and to enhance synergies among UN bodies.

UNIFEM (United Nations Development Fund for Women)

Initiatives related to women and trade including trade liberalization and women, economic security and rights and the Women Entrepreneurs Forum.

 ILO (International Labour Organization)

Women's Entrepreneurship Development and Gender Equality unit (WEDGE) - Develops support services for women entrepreneurs; at national level, researches strategic and practical needs of women entrepreneurs, and shares finding with policy makers.

Beyond Borders: Canadian Businesswomen in International Trade (2003)

This report examines Canadian businesswomen who are exporting, why they’re going global, how they reach export markets and finance export activities. Beyond Borders also looks at the top challenges that women exporters experience, examines public- and private-sector support programs, and provides strategies and advice for developing international markets and overcoming gender-based and other challenges.

Services to Global Markets: A Profile of Canadian Women Who Export Services

A report by the Foundation of Canadian Women Entrepreneurs, based on the first national research study of Canadian women service exporters. It provides profiles, statistics and other data on women service exporters, plus key success factors and tips.

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Business Networks

Businesswomen’s networks exist in various parts of the world.  They share common interests, experience similar challenges and more importantly can provide a venue for the exchange of ideas and contacts. Visit these sites to explore further:

International

American & African Business Women’s Alliance

The Bag Lady 

Canadian and African Business Women's Alliance

Les Femmes Chefs d’Entreprises Mondiales 

Global Summit of Women 

Global Women Inventors and Innovators Network

The International Alliance for Women  

International Federation of Business and Professional Women

Organization of Women in International Trade

Women Presidents' Organization 

World Association of Small and Medium Enterprises

African

African Virtual Business Associations Network

Asian

European

Commonwealth Businesswomen’s Network 

Latin American

North American

Center for Private Enterprise

Center for Women’s Business Research 

Enterprising women

International Trade Canada – businesswomen’s website

National Association for Female Executives

National Women’s Business Council

Royal Bank of Canada, businesswomen’s website 

U.S. Small Business Administration’s Office of Women’s Business Ownership 

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Expert Advice

Experienced entrepreneurs from around the world share some of the biggest lessons they have learned while expanding their businesses into international markets.

 Pearls of Wisdom

“Believe in yourself and surround yourself with bright people, talented in areas you are not.”

 “Trust your business’ rhythm of growth, which will lead naturally into exporting.”

 “Have confidence.  Don’t be afraid that your product or service may be inferior. Go with confidence and adapt to the requirements along the way”.

 “Be organized.  Set your goals, do your research, and never give up.”

 “Put aside any trepidation. Don’t be afraid of exporting if you are small, yet have something of value to offer.  Instead of calling across the street, you are just calling a little further.  You can go out to the world and often find an easier, more lucrative sale as well as people who will refer you to others.”

 Know  your Client

“Do not expect to do business in a foreign country until you are certain you have a product that is unique and desirable in that market.”

 “Understand the buyer.  Never quote on a big project or take orders without knowing who you are dealing with.   It’s better to take a trip to the country to see if you will be doing business with a serious company that has a track record.  And be patient”.

Communicate Effectively

“Communicate regularly.  Developing trust is important, so be sure to deliver on your promise with partners and to follow-up continuously.  Open communications are crucial.”

 “As a service-based business, it is so easy doing business with a client in a neighbouring country.  I fly down, spend the day, come back, do the project and it is delivered.  There is no time wasted in excessive meetings.”

 “Translate your marketing materials.  If you want to be taken seriously, invest in translating your promotional literature, including your business cards, into the language of your target market.”

 “Be sure to follow-up quickly with contacts you make either in your own country, but especially when you meet someone from another country.”

 Expand your Team

“Establish partnerships and strategic alliances right from the beginning. This helps a great deal, particularly if your company is small.  This can give you instant credibility with potential customers.  Utilize the resources of your government’s embassies to identify the best partners.”

 “Find good partners and nurture them.  The Chambers of Commerce are a valuable way to source good agents or distributors.  And, once you have found them, keep the communication channels open through regular visits and ongoing telephone and email contact”.

  “Develop and maintain strong international partnerships and alliances.  Through participating in trade fairs, travelling frequently and maintaining communication in person and via phone and email, we have cultivated a global network of contacts and secured financing from international investors.”

 “Get involved with your local community politicians”.  It’s amazing what they can do to increase your visibility.  Start with the business development office, get on their mailing list, attend functions and network, network, network.  You will find people who want to reach out to other businesses.”

Cultural Considerations

“Each region you deal with, whether it is the Americas, Asia or the Middle East, will have an entirely different culture, so it is important to be culturally aware.    And there are still some countries where gender obstacles exist.  For example, even though I was born a Muslim, I was not able to go on a trade mission to the Middle East where women were forbidden to attend the meetings in government offices. That was a big shock to me.”

 “One of the privileges of exporting is the opportunity to socialize with new people and experience different cultures.  We have made life-long friends around the world.”

Money Matters

 “The biggest challenge is finding the cash to grow.  The hardest and most important thing is managing the cash flow.  As we get larger, we need the money to fund the manufacturing of bigger orders.  Those big orders can put you under, in a strange sort of way, if you don’t manage your cash flow tightly”.

 “Be prepared to guarantee any loan you need with twice the loan amount in assets.  Convince your banker that you want to work for the long term and don’t want to make money right away.  Explain your business carefully to turn them into a financial ally.”

 “It’s one thing to collect your receivables in your own country.  But what if a client from another country doesn’t pay their bill?  It can cost you more to go collect it than its original worth.  I have learned that accounts receivable insurance is a must; get it as soon as you can.”

 Technicalities Count

 “Find a good customs broker to educate you about labelling.  If it is not done right, your customers will either not receive your shipments at all or will not get them in a timely fashion.”

 “Follow international quality standards.  Getting ISO certification for your products and services is helpful in gaining credibility, respect and trust from your client”.

 “Be patient and research as much as possible.  For example, check out various shippers and compare services and prices.  Don’t settle for the first offer”.

 “Finding the right freight forwarder has been challenging, particularly since our business has been growing rapidly and we have needed someone with knowledge of doing business in many countries.  Once you find the right one, they are worth their weight in gold”.

 Technology Tips

 “Use the Internet to research your target market.  Focus on your bottom line and find out in advance who has money to pay for what you are selling.  The Internet is a wealth of knowledge on potential customers – the web sites are a good indication of their level of professionalism and the size of their budgets.”

 “Market your business electronically.  It is so much easier to do international trade now because of the Web and email.  Have an awesome web site because that is a reflection of you and how you do business.  And be sure to have in electronic form all your marketing support material and other information that prospects and clients may want, so that you can follow up on requests the same day.

 “Become an industry expert.  Try to find a niche in your industry, write a book that is unique, find speaking opportunities and send out an e-newsletter.  I send mine regularly to an international list of 20,000 names and so I tend to be top of mind when they are looking for an internet marketing speaker or consultant.”

 Words of Caution

“Get export insurance for peace of mind.”

 “Protect your intellectual property.  Be sure to get signed, non-disclosure agreements from any partners to protect your work.”

 “Get export insurance.  Take time to evaluate your risks.  Try to get payment at the time of ordering if you have any concerns.  Export insurance is well worth the cost.”

 “At the beginning, we wasted a great deal of time and energy pursuing or quoting on everything that came our way, lured into believing these were all big projects when in fact if was often just a case of smoke and mirrors.  It is important to find the right contacts and right network in order to determine the legitimate projects and the real decision-makers”.

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