If you have a website to sell your products or services, you have the potential to reach markets beyond your immediate borders! One of the best ways to begin is to visit the U.S. Commercials Service’s Export Solutions at the trade.gov website where you can obtain more information on expanding your business to new countries
West Virginia Department of Economic Development
The NASBITE International Trade Passport website, available through the WV Small Business Development Center, offers on-demand training, local resources, and rapid expert assistance to USA-based small-medium-sized businesses that are focused on international trade as a pathway to business growth. New users can sign up for a free account that provides access to on-demand webinars, live webinars, expert assistance and more.
Exporting to Expand Sales The West Virginia Department of Economic Development also offers a variety of assistance to entrepreneurs looking to build on their business success by exporting to other countries through the Export Promotion Program. Exporting benefits include faster sales growth, job creation, continuous innovation and risk mitigation against economic downturns. Check out this article by the International Division for a great primer on exporting basics!
The WV Department of Economic Development also helps companies smooth their entry into worldwide markets with value-added services, including:
- Offering assistance to attend trade shows and trade missions
- Hosting trade delegations
- Providing international market research
- Identifying best market prospects
- Advising on finance and insurance options
- Working to find customers and partners
U.S. Commercial Service Export Assistance Center
The U.S. Department of Commerce Commercial Service operates the U.S. Export Assistance Center, a network of export and industry specialists located in more than 100 U.S. cities and over 80 countries worldwide. These trade professionals provide counseling and a variety of products and services to assist small and midsized U.S. businesses export their products and services. In West Virginia, you can seek assistance from the U.S. Export Office in Charleston, WV or Wheeling, WV.
Their services include, but are not limited to:
- Business matchmaking with potential partners/distributors/end-users
- Due diligence and background screening of potential international business partners
- U.S. Embassy hosted product and service launches into new markets
- Extensive market research library and customized market research
- Website globalization review gap analysis and digital strategy
- Trade advocacy and to level the playing field for U.S. companies competing for international business
- Unfair trade barrier reporting and resolution
- Worldwide trade events, missions, webinars, and free educational library of archived training
- Foreign Direct Investment research and support for Economic Development Organizations
