Export Strategies, Tools and Techniques Seminar, March 10

Have you been considering exporting but don’t know where to start? Are you an established company seeking new markets?  Do you have products with big potential?  Have you been considering exporting but don’t know where to start?  If so, the U.S. Export Assistance Center, U.S. Department of Commerce, the U.S. Small Business Administration, Oregon Small Business Development Center Network and the Oregon Business Development Department would like to see you at a day-long seminar dedicated to taking the guesswork out of international trade. This seminar is to help established businesses develop an export marketing plan and strategy, to provide occasional exporters with tools to grow their international business, and to provide current exporters with a forum for special issues and staff skill building.  Topics to be covered include:  Developing an Export Plan and Export Pricing which assists your company in constructing the key elements of an international business plan and in formulating export product pricing by examining the additional costs associated with exporting that should be reflected in your product pricing for international markets.  Identifying and Selecting International Markets and Partners to help you examine and evaluate international markets and to make informed selections about appropriate export markets.  We will help you understand the important elements of international distribution agreements and provide experienced advice concerning the characteristics of effective international business partnerships.  Export Finance and Payment Options where we will introduce you to export finance terms, payment options and other tools to help your company create its negotiating strategy.  We will discuss SBA export loans, the development of a credit policy and due diligence methods; with a focus on practical advice we will look at risk assessment, the importance of working capital adequacy and competitive sales terms. Finally, tips for how to establish positive bank relationships are provided.  Export Shipping and Export Controls/Compliance where practitioners will provide information on how to select a Harmonized System (HS) Code for your products, completing the Shipper’s Export Declaration through new federally-mandated AES electronic filing, guidance on preparing other export documentation, and a detailed overview of U.S. Government Export controls and related compliance issues.  A fee of $100 per person covering the seminar, materials, breakfast and lunch will be charged. Seating is limited.  Preregistration at http://www.bizcenter.org/exportevent is required to insure seating availability and materials.  The workshop will be held at the Garibaldi House, 502 Garibaldi Ave., Garibaldi Oregon from 8:30 am – 4:30 pm on Thursday, April 17, 2014. Contact the Southwestern SBDC at 541-756-6445 or email Arlene Soto asoto@socc.edu for more information.