UKTI blog

Ten reasons you should be exporting

2016-07-14T08:45:30Z

Get out there and export

Inspired by UKTI's Exporting is GREAT initiative to inspire and support an additional 100,000 businesses to trade abroad by 2020, here are my top 10 reasons to expand your business horizons. It's vital to look for new customers overseas as well as in the UK.

Reach more customers: There are lots of customers overseas so why restrict your market?
Technological evolution: The rapid and relentless improvements in technology make our world an ever smaller and increasingly accessible marketplace with e-commerce providing much greater connectivity. The internet and email are now the norm for people and businesses to communicate and source information. It is easier for every business to trade overseas. But we're ahead of the rest of the world on e-commerce, and that gives you a competitive edge for a while.
Spreading risk: Exporting spreads financial and business risk by widening your footprint and sales across a larger range of markets and customers in different countries.
Reduce seasonality: Exporting evens out seasonal demand by allowing you to provide your products and services to accommodate needs. You can create a sales schedule to maximise opportunities in seasonal markets.
Increase productivity, efficiency and profits: Research shows that exporting is great for businesses of all sizes. It makes them more productive, innovative and resilient to economic downturn, achieving a stronger bottom line, enhancing reputation and profile and ultimately making them more likely to stay in business.
Extend your product lifecycle: Exporting can enhance cash flow and sustainability – an extended range of markets offering an increased number of contracts and clients with subsequent financial benefits. It can also extend the product lifecycle – by catering for the needs of different clients in different parts of the world over a longer timespan based on seasonal demand.
Get a competitive advantage: Exporting helps you to keep pace with your competitors – some of them will undoubtedly be trading overseas – even though you may not know it - and benefiting from doing so.
Encourage innovation: Exporting drives innovation in your products and services as you discover and implement new ideas and opportunities to meet the needs of clients in different countries.
British products are in demand: Exporting can exploit the fact that Brand Britain is in big demand. Around the world, British products are seen to represent quality and luxury and particularly in high-end fashion labels that trade on their ‘Britishness’.
Support is available: Lots of the costs and difficulties associated with exporting have been made cheaper and easier in the last few years: translation of materials, travel, finding and contacting people, documentation. And there's lots of support and advice available from UKTI and others

For all of the reasons above, it’s a good idea to consider exporting – it benefits not only your business but the whole of UK plc through you contributing directly to an improved economic performance by the nation.

Yes, there are obviously challenges and issues when exporting but, for many, selling overseas is just a bit different, not necessarily that difficult. It can be as easy as putting a product in a packet and posting it to someone in another country or for businesses with non-physical products, just selling a licence or sticking an attachment to an email.

So the potential for our region’s businesses to reach new customers and potentially lucrative new markets beyond the UK has never been greater.

UKTI and our partner organisations remain determined to help local companies succeed globally. We’re working with thousands of companies across the region to do just that and are here to help many more.

The world has become an open door and every UK business should be pushing on it.

You can find global export opportunities on the Exporting is GREAT website. Visit the site for export leads, practical support and inspiration for UK companies who want to grow their business through export

US demand is matching UK export ambition

2016-07-04T09:43:31Z

There are some star-spangled opportunities to be had Stateside, with strong support from UKEF and UKTI

The Fourth of July seemed an appropriate time to think about the UK’s trade relationship with the US – as well as to wish all my American friends and colleagues a happy Independence Day.

The US is a market of over 300 million people – five times the size of the UK – and the world’s biggest economy. It is also the UK’s largest single trading partner.

It accounts for approximately 17% of all UK exports, or £88bn worth of trade in 2014. We are actually a net exporter to the US, selling them £36bn more goods and services than they sell us.

Looking at this picture, no one would be surprised that for many UK companies looking to sell overseas, trade with the US seems a natural choice. And the demand matches their ambition.

UKTI has identified a number of focus sectors in the US as huge opportunities for UK exporters, with the potential to deliver nearly £3 billion in export value to the UK economy. These are all areas in which the UK has proven expertise and capability, and in which there is a sizeable demand for high quality goods and services in the target markets.

UK exporters could find a market in sectors such as aerospace, technology, food and drink, automotive, energy – the list goes on. These opportunities certainly exist for large UK exporters, but they are also there for smaller companies.

We shouldn’t just think about sales of finished products, but of products in the supply chain. For example, Techflow, based in Northumberland, which supplies piping and hoses for the oil and gas sector, has sold its products into the US – with some help from the government through UK Export Finance (UKEF).

Like the UK, the US also has a highly developed creative economy. With our strength in technology and the creative industries, we need to export more of our intellectual property – and the US market could be worth hundreds of millions to UK businesses.

The Exporting is GREAT website lists hundreds of buyers in North America looking for UK goods and services right now. With excellent logistics for companies trading across the Atlantic, as well as cultural, historic and linguistic ties to make doing business even easier, North America is filled with opportunity for UK exporters.

This is where UK Export Finance, the UK’s export credit agency, comes in. We have a mission to ensure that no viable UK export fails for lack of finance or insurance from the private sector. We help companies win export contracts by providing attractive financing terms for their overseas buyers; we help them fulfil orders by supporting their working capital; and we help make sure they get paid with export insurance.

And an attractive offer of support from UKEF can also play a part in attracting inward investment to the UK. By investing in the UK and beginning to export from here, companies from overseas are able to access UKEF’s support – and at the same time create jobs and stimulate the UK economy.

One recent example is GE, with whom UKEF signed a co-operation agreement last year. Under the agreement, GE committed to ongoing support for its UK supply chain, and the export finance provision outlined by UKEF could support up to 1,000 new GE jobs in the UK. And we provide export finance and insurance to many others with US parents, including other big names like Fluor and Caterpillar.

It’s true that, when thinking of the sorts of markets where export credit agencies are normally active, highly developed economies like the US do not immediately spring to mind. But with the pace of development of new industries and technologies, there will always be a need for supplemental forms of finance where the private market cannot take on the full risk of a project. For example, in the US’s fast-growing liquid natural gas sector, Korea’s export credit agencies, the Korean Export-Import Bank and K-Sure, last year financed Cheniere Energy Partners’ facility in Louisiana.

UK Export Finance has at least £1 billion in market risk appetite for the US, and we’re keen to support more buyers of UK goods there. And we can also help UK exporters access these major projects, whether through the Exporting is GREAT campaign, UKTI’s network, and our own international business development team.

Another area in which we’re increasingly able to support exporters is helping them secure the working capital to fulfil export orders. Since this trade finance product range was introduced in 2011, we have helped banks provide millions of pounds in cash flow support to UK exporters selling to the US. This includes companies like Vee Bee Filtration, LSN Diffusion, Techflow, Metreel and Winbro.

With so much on offer for UK companies, why not join these companies in realising the world of opportunities presented by trade with the US?

Find out more about the work of UKEF

Find export opportunities in the United States

Supporting Jaguar Land Rover in Brazil

2016-06-15T14:04:13Z

Jaguar Land Rover’s first fully owned factory outside the UK in Itatiaia, Brazil

Yesterday I was at the opening of Jaguar Land Rover’s first fully owned factory outside the UK in Itatiaia, a couple of hours drive from the city of Rio de Janeiro. After 6 years of working with JLR in Brazil, first in Brasilia helping them with issues of market access, and then in Rio focused more on the factory, the opening was a big deal for me. This £240m project, with the capacity to produce 24,000 vehicles per year is a big deal for JLR too. They have bought into the potential of this beautiful, exciting and challenging country.

A lot has happened since the foundation stone was laid in December 2014: prolonged recession; President Dilma being deposed (at least temporarily); the exchange rate jumping from 4 reais to the pound, to 6.3 – and now hovering around 5 (for a company importing from the UK to Brazil, such volatility really matters); Brazil’s biggest (and ongoing) corruption scandal; and Zika. Brazil has seldom been out of the news, largely for the wrong reasons.

JLR’s factory presents a reminder of better times but is also, more importantly, a carefully evaluated bet on Brazil’s future. Brazil’s short term problems are well documented in the FT, the Economist and elsewhere, but the interim government of Acting President Temer is talking consistently about a more business-friendly and international approach. His appointments as Finance Minister, President of the Central Bank and the heads of key state-controlled organisations, including Petrobras have been welcomed by the market. For those of us who care about the country, let’s hope this chink of optimism is well founded.

Brazil is the world’s seventh largest economy and it has the fifth largest car market. Crucially for JLR, little over 3% of that is in the premium sector (compared to 10% in more mature markets). So the potential is huge. JLR’s investment will give their already strong brand and market share a boost. It will also lead to more UK exports, including models that will not be produced in Brazil, more complex components and after sales service.

It has not been a smooth journey. The macroeconomics have been challenging and adhering to Brazil’s requirements for local content has not been easy – worth remembering that local content requirements are not confined to the automotive sector in Brazil. Others, including notably oil and gas, face similar challenges. The British Government team in Brazil have been heavily involved throughout.

In fact JLR provides a good case study of the work we do. We worked with the company on their relations with Federal and State authorities. The factory is in Rio State, but close to the borders with Minas Gerais and Sao Paulo. States have varying level of taxes, different administrations, and present different challenges. Managing relationships and moving components across those borders matters. We’ve also offered support on UK supply chain companies in Brazil. And we’ve worked together on trade negotiations, communications and delivery of events and activities to promote JLR and the UK.

The vast majority of what we (the Embassy in Brasilia, Consulates in Sao Paulo, Rio, Belo Horizonte and Recife, and trade office in Porto Alegre) do is focused on supporting UK companies to export – and Brazilian companies to invest in the UK. We’re here to help, as JLR demonstrates. But companies considering Brazil need to take a long-term view and know the country isn’t for first-time exporters.

I’m delighted that JLR is the latest exciting addition to the British business community in Brazil. I’m also delighted that it means we’ll see ever more Range Rover Evoques and Land Rover Discovery Sports on Brazilian streets

Jonathan Dunn took up his position as British Consul-General, Rio de Janeiro in August 2014. He worked as Deputy Head of Mission at the British Embassy in Brasilia from May 2013 to July 2014. Jonathan was previously the Economic Counsellor in the Embassy and retains a specific interest in economics and trade policy.

An International Trade Expert will see you now

2016-05-20T09:44:48Z

When a client says, ‘you’ve just saved six months of my life’ after a conversation with an International Trade Adviser, you want to know why.

The client in question is ‘Talk to a Doctor’ CEO, Dr Doniert Macfarlane (below). His company provides instant access globally to a UK doctor by phone or online.

The International Trade Adviser in this conversation is Maurice Potts of UKTI London. Maurice first visited ‘Talk to a Doctor’ in 2014 in the days when the company was planning their initial international strategy.

Maurice and Doniert discussed the concept of a 24/7 immediate response service with the provision of round the clock services, potentially using staff in other time zones, via the company’s Remote Medical Support brand.

Since their first meeting in 2014, after Maurice talked about introducing them to UKTI teams overseas, what happened?

During the next 18 months, the company moved ahead with plans to expand. Doniert engaged with the big insurers, expanded services to key travel and expedition organisers, and his company explored the potential in West Africa and Australia.

The time came to mobilise the plan to set up in Australia. The demands of 24/7 services were now starting to impact on resources at the UK end, and so the need for staff in an ‘opposite’ time zone was becoming more acute.

Maurice’s support included providing advice about soft landings and set-up in Australia. He recommended Doniert use the UKTI overseas teams to research and set up meetings with the right contacts in market.

He encouraged a big picture perspective, examining other overseas markets where the company had traction, as well as the emerging opportunities in Health Tourism.

Maurice (pictured left) also connected Doniert with existing organisations in London that could partner in building preparation and post treatment care activities in these markets.

So, out of a seemingly routine conversation about assistance with advice came an emerging plan of reverse revenue from the market and contacts in Australia with a view to setting up there. Maurice helped the client build on a model in two geographic territories, and has assisted them to leverage relationships in London to build activity overseas.

Doniert says: “Maurice has been invaluable in his help with how to approach our overseas expansion plans. His expert advice has helped us focus our overseas targets on those that would mesh best with our current services, and for now to avoid markets with a long lead time to profitability. This has saved us valuable time, effort and investment funds, and is the type of advice that is absolutely priceless to a business like ours looking to expand as efficiently as possible.”

Talk to a Doctor provides instant access to a doctor 24 hours a day by telephone and online to UK doctors from anywhere round the world. Doctors are handpicked for friendliness and trained specifically to answer questions with familiarity about the clients they look after. The company is at the forefront of telemedicine systems for practitioners of both primary and secondary care.

To talk to an International Trade Adviser if you're based in London contact export@uktilondon.org.uk or call 020 7234 3000. If you're outside London, you can find your local UKTI Team here.

Parveen Thornhill
Director, UKTI London

Powered by export

2016-05-17T10:51:15Z

A Rolls-Royce Trent engine - more then 80% of what the company makes is exported

If you’ve flown in a twin-aisle passenger jet in the last couple of years, there’s a one-in-three chance that it was powered by Rolls-Royce engines. At the start of the next decade, it will be a 50/50 bet.

That growth in market share is the result of years of continuing investment in cutting edge research, technology and manufacturing.

It is also the result of thinking globally, and always thinking about exports. It means that today, across our whole business, we have customers in more than 150 countries.

Let me give you a few examples of how our innovative and export-led approach, on a global scale, is paying dividends.

Whilst we’re known as makers of aero engines for large – or ‘widebody’ – civil aircraft, Rolls-Royce’s vision is to be market leader in high performance power systems across multiple markets.

We’re one of the leading producers of aero engines for corporate jets and the world’s second largest provider of defence aero engines. We’re well established in the marine sector, and we have a growing presence in civil nuclear power. Our MTU brand is world-renowned, providing power from everything to the British Army’s new Ajax armoured vehicle to the world’s largest luxury yachts

Exporting is vitally important - to the UK in general, and Rolls-Royce in particular. It powers our innovation. And in turn, innovation powers our exports.

Rolls-Royce contributes a total of £9 billion to the UK economy and today accounts for £1 in every £50 of UK exports. More than 80% of what we make in the UK is exported.

The Government has set British industry a stretching export target of £1 trillion by 2020. Rolls-Royce and the rest of the aerospace industry – backed by continued Government support through the Aerospace Growth Partnership – are at the forefront of helping reach this goal.

We have recently expanded our facilities in Derby, with Government support, to increase capacity and deliver to our customers around the world.

Derby is our global civil aerospace headquarters and it’s where the Trent XWB, which powers the Airbus A350, is made. The Trent XWB is the world’s most efficient large aero-engine and it’s also our fastest-ever selling engine with more than 40 customers around the world.

Rolls-Royce have a long established working relationship with both UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) and UK Export Finance both at home in the UK and in locations across the globe.

So we were pleased to host the Export Hub in Derby recently, at the end of the truck’s week in the East Midlands to promote UKTI’s Exporting is GREAT campaign. As part of the day we ran a seminar with Rolls-Royce apprentices and graduates on the future of civil aerospace, highlighting the role that exports have for Rolls-Royce and the global nature of our business.

We also heard from a Futurist about the future of technology and business, demonstrating what business opportunities there could be in the future if the UK remains at the forefront of science and research. A great opportunity for our next generation of employees to see what their futures could hold.

Our belief in an export-driven future is why we're so pleased to support this national movement to drive more UK businesses to trade overseas. The Exporting is GREAT website is an excellent resource for businesses looking to start exporting. SMEs in the aerospace supply chain can use it to look for opportunities in the sector, and take their first steps to becoming global businesses, powered by innovation and export.

Colin P. Smith is Group President of Rolls-Royce. He joined the comapny in 1974 and was appointed to the Board in July 2005.

He has held a variety of key positions within the Company, including Director – Research and Technology and Director of Engineering and Technology – Civil Aerospace. In June 2012 he was awarded a CBE for services to UK engineering

You can find global opportunities for aerospace and other sectors on the Exporting is GREAT website. Visit the site for export leads, practical support and inspiration for UK companies who want to grow their business through export

A Rocketship-fuelled business trip to the UK

2016-05-12T07:27:27Z

Here’s a story of innovation, inspiration and UK-India collaboration.

What started off as a little experiment with their computer, switching the LEDs on and off, inspired a “eureka” moment for two Indian students. From this beginning, Sanskriti Dawale and Aman Srivastava from BITS Pilani KK Birla Goa Campus, created Project Mudra, a revolutionary Braille learning machine translating speech into its equivalent Braille symbols.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge speak to young entrepreneurs at the gathering in Mumbai

They realised that they could use their knowledge to develop something which could actually be life-changing. And just one year on, these two final year students met Their Royal Highnesses, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at a UKTI-hosted young entrepreneurs’ gathering in Mumbai to encourage the next generation of start-ups in India. Start-Up India indeed!

What brought Sanskriti and Aman to the Duke and Duchess was winning the Tech Rocketship Awards - an initiative by UKTI in India which provides innovative Indian start-ups with expert business advice to land their businesses in the UK, and grow and internationalise from there.

This year, ten more bright Indian entrepreneurs will get access to the best of UK expertise, capital and a firm footing in the UK’s existing tech ecosystem so that they can launch themselves in the UK. Through this campaign the UK is deepening its support for PM Modi’s flagship ‘Start-Up India’ campaign.

A pitch session to VCs during the entrepreneur's gathering

The awards reflect that the UK is a global leader in multiple tech sectors, fintech, clean tech, edutech, medtech and smart manufacturing to name a few, and with the lowest corporation tax in Europe it is easily the best place in the world for Indian tech companies to grow.

Tech Rocketship lets the winners collaborate with UK companies, and puts them in touch with UK based venture capitalists, start-up hubs incubators, IP experts and so on.

This year’s competition will be judged by Chairman and Managing Director of the Mahindra group, Anand Mahindra, T.V. Mohandas Pai, of Aarin Capital, Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, founder of Biocon, Saurabh Srivastava of the Indian Angel Network and young entrepreneur Shradha Sharma of YourStory a leading tech media platform.

On the awards, Anand Mahindra has this to say:

“The UK is a hotbed of technology and we need to deploy that know-how in India. The Tech Rocketship Awards is exactly the platform that can give young Indian entrepreneurs access to the UK’s prowess in this sphere”

Mahindra and Mahindra group already has a very strong footprint in the UK. The simulator of the Mahindra Formula E racing car which the Duke of Cambridge took a drive in is a great example of UK-India technology collaboration - the Mahindra racing team is based in the UK.

At the entrepreneurs’ gathering The Duke and Duchess also tried out a few letters on Sanskriti and Aman’s Braille learning machine.

“We were very nervous and practiced several times how to greet their Royal Highnesses but our interaction with them was nothing short of an out of the world experience and we were very surprised they got the hang of it at the very first attempt” an excited Sanskriti said.

The Duchess types her daughter’s name ‘Charlotte’ on the Braille machine

The young students turned entrepreneurs not only managed to impress their Royal Highnesses but also Anand Mahindra who after hearing their innovative pitch offered to invest in their project.

The next step for Sanskriti and Aman is to commercialise the prototype which has already found interested takers in schools for visually impaired in Goa. They are looking forward to the business trip to the UK. This will be their first visit abroad and what an inspiring journey it will be for the two youngsters - from classrooms to the high-streets, tech-clusters and investors of London.

Applications for the competition are open now and this year the competition gets bigger and better as UKTI looks forward to meet many more inspiring innovators like the two college students, and facilitate more exciting stories of collaborations and success. If you're still not convinced, listen to what Sanskriti has to say about the awards below.

Want to know more about Tech Rocketship Awards? Apply here

Watch video of Award launch by The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge

To find out more about the work of UKTI India, contact us at: uktiindia@fco.gov.uk

Rio calling London!

2016-05-25T11:39:20Z

UKTI Olympics and Paralympics 2016 Sports Market Visit to Rio, August 2015

With less than 100 days to go to the Rio Olympics, Brazil is going to be in the headlines a great deal. The Games will show off Rio’s spectacular scenery and infrastructure to great effect. Whilst most of the infrastructure is completed, there will be more opportunities for London companies to provide services to the Games themselves, the host of sponsors and visitors that will be in Rio during the event.

London played its part in handing over the torch to Rio de Janeiro and continues to develop close businesses relationships to make the most of trading with the world’s 7^th largest economy. Exporting to Brazil is not new, here in the UK, we have been trading with Brazil for over 200 years. The UK-Brazil Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO) took place in October 2015, emphasising cooperation and mutual growth; further strengthening ties between our countries. Last year, Brazil imported £3.6 billion from the UK. £1.4bn of this, you’ll be surprised to hear, comes from the service industry. So there is a significant opportunity for growth in London’s large service sector.

So let me tell you how some London companies from the Sports sector successfully exported to Brazil; how they came to meet key stakeholders in the Rio 2016 Olympics and Paralympics; and how they accessed the right support on the way there:

They all at some point got advice from UKTI London’s Sports expert, Brian Dent, who is a Senior International Trade Adviser in the region. It’s Brian’s job to be focused on opportunities in the sector. He is our go-to person here in London, for companies to find out about opportunities; and he did this for both the 2014 Football World Cup and the 2016 Rio Olympics and Paralympics. He has taken more than 70 companies on Market Visits to Brazil and helped them maximise the potential to win contracts. Brian’s advice is clear:

You can only do business in Brazil if you are prepared to do business on Brazil’s terms – that means visiting the country (and committing to be there regularly).
Working closely with your customers and local partners to identify what your true unique selling features are in this country.
Managing the bureaucracy and extended time-lines that are a part and parcel of doing business there.

So how does Brian get the companies export ready? He cites three important factors:

Ensure companies understand the business environment: by providing intensive briefings with the experts and partners, both in the UK prior to visiting Brazil. This gives companies an understanding of Brazil’s legal and cultural uniqueness and how to navigate both. Brian’s role, as an International Trade Adviser, is to assist companies to prepare well before they attend a Market Visit.

Identify and introduce UK companies to the right contacts in Brazil: our overseas teams get access to people that you are unlikely to reach on your own. Brian worked with his locally-based colleagues in Brazil to provide support before, during and after the visit.

Network and learn from others: on trade visits, you get to travel with other UK companies. You share ideas and learn from others’ experiences, both on the visit and afterwards. Brian ensured the London companies followed-up after the trade visit to help them convert the leads gained into real business.

Brazil is the World’s 7^th largest economy, covering a land-mass bigger than Europe, with a proud history and ambitions to enhance the living standards of its 200 million inhabitants. Brazil doesn’t come to you – you need to go to Brazil. Or, on this occasion, Brazil comes to London!

Brian says, “travelling to overseas markets is always expensive and time-consuming, so having the opportunity to meet with representatives from our overseas teams here in London is an excellent first step. It will help you understand whether there might be a real opportunity for your product or service in their country; and get some pointers as to what it might be like doing business there.”

Brazil is the largest economy in Latin America and is looking for UK companies to provide expertise in a number of sectors including Financial Services and Healthcare. The Brazilian government is currently placing an emphasis on improving health. 25% of drilling royalties the Brazilian government receives (from oilfields in the “pre-salt” layer) will be invested in health. And there are currently 12 hospital infrastructure projects in Brazil that London businesses could be working on. You can find out more about these opportunities in Brazil and others, without even having to leave London.

On May 17^th we have experts right here in London from Brazil and 11 other Latin American markets. The UKTI event (supported by supported by Santander) will provide you with the opportunity to talk about live export opportunities, face to face. The sectors you can directly speak to someone about are: Healthcare, Education, Oil and Gas, Marine, Infrastructure, Financial Services, Automotive and Mining. Register today for the chance to take part in group discussions and book 1-2-1 specialist meetings on doing business across Latin America.

Pick your Market of interest from: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, Peru and Venezuela!

Parveen Thornhill

Director, UKTI London

A global reputation is everyone’s business

2016-05-11T10:33:12Z

What the papers (and the tablets) say : it's important to monitor your reputation as it develops globally

Whether you are just starting out, building your business or have reached a level of maturity, reputation is critical. No more so than when you are looking to export, move your business beyond the markets you started in and start operations in new territories around the world.

The ‘Exporting is Great’ campaign can provide ideas and opportunities for exporting but you have to be able to exploit them. This means, quite simply, being in a position sell to your company, as well as your products or services.

But what is the first thing that any of us does when we meet a new business contact or are looking to do business with a new company? We do an internet search. We look at their website, social media profiles and what has been said in the news about them.

Yes, according to studies, reputation contributes to shareholder value but it also ranks highly in why we do or, critically, do not do business with certain people or organisations. That may come down to a lack of trust or might come down to not wanting to be tainted by association. We are worried about how someone else’s reputation could impact on our own. We want to be associated with ‘winners’ and distance ourselves from ‘losers’.

The same thoughts will apply to anyone who might be thinking of doing business with you or your company.

There are, of course, always competing priorities both in times of attention and also finance as well. So here are a few straightforward steps you can take to protect and build your reputation. These apply to any organisation, of any size, whether they are new to exporting or more established players.

Keep an eye on what people say about you

This could be in the media, in online reviews and even in Parliament. These are the types of comments that everyone can find and take notice of and are all the things that people will check if they are doing any due diligence on you. You need to support the positive and rebut the negative. Do not let untruths go unchecked and if you have failings deal with them quickly, explaining the actions you have undertaken. The mention could be in a national paper in New Zealand, or the Parliament in Brazil. You should be aware of what is happening in all your bases.

Know that everyone can help

Reputation is not just the preserve of senior management. Consumers are often viewed as champions but what about employees as well? They are often under-utilised in helping to develop and defend a reputation. If your team aren’t prepared to stand up for you then who will? These people might exist at home, where you have operations or manufacturing plants, or in your new markets.

Bad news - be prepared

If the worse does happen and a crisis hits, could you cope? That can be even more of a pressing issue if you are dealing with export markets around the world. If you are UK-based, what happens if the problem arises on the other side of the world? If your HQ is in Manchester and Australia is a major market and something hits the papers or the net overnight, do you have a strategy in place to cope? It is how you are seen to deal with a problem and what you say and do in the immediate aftermath that can make or break a hard-earned reputation.

Do you know the people who can impact on your reputation?

Just who are your key stakeholders? They may champion what you do and talk about you publically. The more others say good things about you, the stronger your reputation will become. These type of independent voices are more trusted. They often have to be local as well – someone from the UK parachuted into speak about a problem in China will be less respected and carry less weight than a local voice.

Do you know where the future risks could come from – at home and abroad?

With knowledge comes the ability to take action. Reputations really take a hammering particularly when an organisation doesn’t do what it says it does, in other words it does not live by its own rules let alone those set by others. If you have weaknesses then be prepared to identify them and take action. These could be in a supply chain or in existing relationships. Again, the power of your whole team is critical as they can help identify such problems especially as you get used to operating in new markets in India or the Far East.

My experience in dealing with the organisations of all sizes and those exporting, sometimes for the first time, is that reputation is often thought about as something to be considered when they reach a certain large size. That is though often too late. The earlier that reputation is considered the better.

There are real business-focused reasons for spending time and effort in building and managing a reputation, not least when looking to exploit opportunities to export.

Proud to be a part of the Northern Powerhouse

2016-05-10T10:50:53Z

Being the managing director of a North East-based company, which exports all over the world, is such a rewarding role. I travel a great deal and that gives me the opportunity to rave to anyone who will listen about how great we are in the North of England; both the people and the businesses.

Blue Kangaroo Design has been operating for over 10 years, and during that time, our home has always been in the North East. We’re a creative agency that produces work which delights, excites and inspires. Our talented team works on projects from packaging and illustration through to POS, exhibition and print for a number of clients in the licensing sector, both here in the UK and oversees, in countries including the US and India.

From humble beginnings when first setting out, our client list has grown to read like a who’s who of the entertainment world, with brands such as Disney, Pixar and Mattel on our books to name but a few. From those first initial meetings with huge household names, we now enjoy long-term relationships with these clients based on the high quality of the work we produce, our creativity and of course, customer care.

Yet you see, whenever I talk to our international clients, they always talk about London; it’s as if everything we produce in the UK comes out of that one place alone. Granted, it’s our capital city and I am very proud of that, but take a look further up the country and you will come into contact with some amazing companies. Indeed, GVA of the digital economy in the North of England is second only to London.

There has been a lot said about the Northern Powerhouse, will it work or won’t it? Well, this might come as bit of a surprise, but up North we have always worked together in order to better our regions; not only local councils, but also private businesses, working together to win business.

Let’s be honest, the more we do together, the more it benefits us all. These alliances have already benefited the North; we have seen huge growth in areas like Newcastle, Leeds, Manchester and Liverpool. In fact, the North is giving London a run for its money, with the region emerging as a creative cluster, providing services from IT all the way through to digital marketing.

We have just as good a skill-set as the folks down South, and in my experience, have the ability to charge for our services at less cost than many businesses based in London. This competitive value for money is certainly something that is appealing to our customers. And the reality is that our customers don’t mind where their agency is based. They just want the best agency. And here in the Northern Powerhouse we certainly have the talent and skills to lead the way.

Sadly, as a country we have seen a decline within heavy manufacturing industries; the North East was synonymous with ship and tank building for generations. We were once known around the world as one of the best places to build heavy industry. These are the industries that built our great nation, and attracted contracts from around the world.

But with the emergence of creative clusters outside of London, rather than exporting coal, we’re now exporting code and other creative concepts. Our region has a range of digital sector expertise, from games in Liverpool, healthtech in Leeds, software development in Hull and e-commerce in Newcastle.

There are also growing communities in areas like Bradford, York and Cheshire. Having being born and raised in the North East, it was a natural progression to launch Blue Kangaroo Design in the place that I call home. The bright lights of London never tempted me away, and I’m immensely proud to be part of the burgeoning creative scene here in our region.

There are plenty of positive things happening in the UK; as a whole our country was the second fastest growing export market in Europe in 2015. The north east of England was the fastest growing exporter in the UK for the same period.

The digital age has taken a hold of the region, from our colleges, universities, and new start-ups to established businesses. We are certainly a very talented bunch in the North East and know how to play to our strengths – just look at the number of start-up digital businesses launching in the region – it’s beginning to rival Silicon Valley state-side and Shoreditch down South. Now, digital companies account for around 17% of businesses in the region.

At Blue Kangaroo Design alone, we have seen a huge increase in both new business as well as existing business from repeat customers. We have seen a steep increase in turnover, which has enabled us to take on more employees and grow our business further. Our exporting work to the US has certainly played a part in our success. And because we’re continuing to grow, it means we’ve also been able to give our suppliers more work, who as you will have guessed, are all Northern based companies too.

Our success has been done without huge fanfare or us constantly banging the drum. You see, up North we are fairly modest and tend just to get on with things. We love to share our successes and to work with other local companies to show the world that the North is the place to be. Yes, we need to look at our infrastructure and the modernisation of the roads and the railways, but that’s only a small part of the bigger picture.

There are currently over 283,000 people employed within the North East digital sector and that is just a small part of the Northern Powerhouse. So if you’re asking me what I think, I think the Northern Powerhouse can only continue to grow and become more powerful.

https://youtu.be/1Dr0JYpcFtw

So what’s your Export Story?

2016-05-25T11:08:10Z

I hear great stories. Export is a bit of an adventure.

We have intrepid entrepreneurs setting off into unknown international territories, facing conflicts along the way and emerging victorious with exciting opportunities for the taking. And it is great to play a part in that story. UKTI’s role is finding and showing the way to the opportunity, helping to overcome and avoid the obstacles and connecting the right characters to achieve that success.

The story however, begins right at home, perhaps in front of your laptop, somewhere unassuming like a basement conference room or a simple conversation with a wise person.

We saw another successful Exporting is Great Week in April, across the UK, during which I was privileged to see many export stories developing. Here in London, we welcomed over 600 companies at a series of events. Many of the people I spoke to at ‘Explore your Export Potential’ were completely new to export.

London companies at a UKTI masterclass event during the Exporting is GREAT Week

However, what they all had in common was that they were all entrepreneurs. One day they had a good idea and decided to make money from it and work for themselves. Today they were on the brink of deciding whether to pursue the prospect of selling overseas.

So what role does UKTI play in their story? For us in the English Regions, it’s ‘Exporting is Great Week’, every week. We help with the building blocks. One of the delights of helping people on their export journey is seeing the lightbulb moments flash across someone’s face as they are guided through the first, simple steps. Often people don’t know what the first step is, that in itself needs some research!

It can begin with a conversation with an International Trade Adviser. These are people who have been export managers themselves, or have run their own business. So they ask the incisive questions that need to be considered, with tacit knowledge of your sector and direct contacts to international industry. Our Trade Advisers help you work out what you need to do first. How you should go about it. Where you go and which countries you should consider.

Making a small investment of time, talking about what you need to know, planning to do some desk research on your export potential will save you time and money in the future.

All of this reduces risk and maximises opportunities. If you start to do your research and gather evidence, it will help you to make successful commercial decisions and help you find new customers.

So let me finish with a story about a company that thought they didn’t have anything to export and how this changed when they spoke to Deborah, an International Trade Adviser.

"It started with an apology. In a small design studio, on a bright June day, there was some embarrassment that there were no spare chairs to sit on. I would have to sit on a stool. From then, with a coffee in hand, our conversation moved from the personal – the journey that had taken the Founder / Designer to grow their business – to one where we could talk over where they wanted their business to grow, and where they saw their future."

"Having travelled a lot personally, but not traded overseas, this Director felt a little overwhelmed by the amount of decisions the company would have to take, for them to start exporting seriously. It was a matter of knowing where to start, and whether they were ready to take the ‘leap’."

"The first step, was to reassure the company that my role was to support them as they grew, and to work at a pace that they could accommodate. I needed to convince them that with the experience of other design-led companies, there was both a market out there for their designs, as well as some easy steps they could take from the outset to both prepare for exporting and start to research where best to go, and how."

"At that first meeting, we talked over what the USP was for what they did – exactly how they defined what they did, and how it was different and better to other companies operating in the same field. We talked over how they marketed themselves in the UK, and also what their financials looked like. We moved on to working on a rudimentary plan of action, of how, with my help, they could develop themselves into an active exporter. And it went from there."

"Ultimately, the company wanted reassurance that there was someone there that they could turn to for support as and when they needed it, as they grew both in turnover and exporting confidence."

The key concerns about export for this company were where to start and how to start; whether the company was ‘export-ready’; and whether there was any market for what they did. They needed somebody who was ‘on their side’ and for that person to ‘not be selling something’ only to give impartial advice.

On this occasion, that person was Deborah Lynch-Doyle, an International Trade Adviser based in London Region. Deborah has a strong marketing and business development background gained since her early career working on Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) drinks brands and new product development. She went on to work with a range of global corporates (Texas Utilities; Veolia) and UK organisations working multi-nationally (VisitBritain and NATS).

Deborah has led new business development projects of up to £40M, as well as large teams both nationally and internationally. She is a Chartered Marketer and member of senior marketing groups including the Marketing Society.

To find out if UKTI can help you export your product or service, and you're based in London email export@uktilondon.org.uk or call 020 7234 3000. If you're outside London find your local UKTI Team.

Parveen Thornhill is the Regional Director for UKTI London, helping local companies to export.