Programs encouraging foreign trade vary widely in the services they provide. Some, particularly those in smaller or less endowed states or regions, may run clearinghouse-style setups in which the officers concentrate on providing comprehensive referrals to the federal programs and private assistance available in their area. Others command an extensive professionally-trained staff which include foreign trade office personnel, economic analysis experts and counselors with an extensive range of functions to provide the company growing its export business. The larger the staff and more extensive its resources, the better targeted its programs may be.
Some typical Program elements and descriptions follow:
Export Promotion Program Elements
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How To Export Guides/ Workshops Workshops vary in length, the more involved requiring several days. While providing an overview of the process and barriers an exporter can expect to address, they may also provide in-depth assistance on licensing, exchange rates and other special topics. Workshops and Conferences have been used by some officials as gateways, providing a venue in which to discern those businesspersons truly committed to export growth, to whom to offer more involved services.
Seminars/Conferences At times these are used to provide an effective overview of export opportunities and market information, but they are more often are used by trade officials to showcase a particular country or region, or particular industry of interest to local businesses.
Special Issue/Documentation Training Often conducted as workshops, these events provide intensive assistance in overcoming hurdles which may be unfamiliar to the staff of companies new to exporting. They are smaller-attendence, focus-audience events geared more to the established exporter.
In-House Consulting This can be some of the most rewarding, results-producing work for the export promotion agency- particularly those whose benchmarks or progress are export sales increase. Nonetheless, unless considerable private sector assistance in such mentoring can be tapped, this can become the most costly and political element in a promotion portfolio. Ideally, this element is aimed at those companies which will pursue export aggressively, and which promise considerable community development benefits. This is the service most likely to be conducted on a fee-for-service basis.
Export Finance For smaller regions and cities, the role of the public official may tend to be one of coordinating access to state and federal funding sources, as well as such banks or private interest may be amenable. Federal funding comes through several primary sources for the non-agricultural exporter.
Trade Lead Programs Nearly all export promotion programs engage in the search for and communication of leads to their area business community. The linking of industrial producers with import companies or interested entrepreneurs in foreign contries can be the best success stories for the export assistance program. Increasingly, electronic and internet media are becoming available to provide such services.
Trade Shows Both at home, and particularly in countries deemed "hot" for selected industries in a promoter's area, trade shows provide exposure for businesses both to aspects of the new market and to the competition. Trade Associations are often effective partners in these efforts. These tend also to be conducted with fees associated.
Foreign Trade Missions Trade missions, in which public officials arrange and often chaperone visits to foreign countries by area business leaders can be the first exposure for a business new to exporting. However, they can also be some of the most heavily criticized practices of export promotion programs. Trade missions tend to be high-profile, politicized affairs which come under public criticism unless the positive results of the event can be demonstrated.
Foreign Trade Offices Also often a high expenditure item, many states maintain several trade offices overseas in strategic locations for their area businesses. Some states and cities have turned to private and even consented to share the services of country experts to represent their interests.
State Matchmaker Programs In this type of program, the trade lead foreign contact obtained for a particular business becomes its primary development partner and counselor as the paired institutions share resources and jointly overcome market penetration hurdles. Such arrangements can be a tremendous boon and inexpensive option in the trade assistance official's agenda for cost-effective export growth.
Foreign Sales Corporations These institutions have arisen in recent years to enable exporting companies to pool their resources in penetrating a new market. They can often make profitable arrangements and avoid import duties by erecting a staging area within a particular target country.
Multi-State Trade Groups Under special circumstances, states partner effectively in promoting the special assets of companies in their region. High tech companies, and specialty merchandisers can benefit from such schemes.
Sister City Partnerships Partnerships with foreign cities often enable long-term significant enhancement of the export opportunities in a particular region.
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