It was the joint BLA/UKTI event on “International Opportunities for Learning and Development UK” last Wednesday.    I went, as did a couple of accredited providers (Kit Sadgrove from the Learning Institute, and Will and Jenny Gibbs from KLC).

Although I came to it as a British Learning Association (BLA) event, the star of the show was UKTI (UK Trade and Investment;   an arm of HMG).    It wasn’t just that UKTI sang its own praises;   it was that the services they offer seem to be of real value, and that those who have used it in the past spoke highly of it.

Their role is to develop and encourage exporters;   anyone who wants to do business overseas.    They focus particularly on SMEs, on the grounds that the big boys can do it for themselves, though that doesn’t stop companies like Tesco using UKTI’s services.    Through schemes like “Passport to Export”, and a group of regional offices (probably the best way in for most providers) and sector specialists (including education and training) they offer everything from consultancy and advice through to in-country intelligence and contacts.

As with any bit of government, there are rules.    If you want the full, freebee service, you have to be able to show that not more than 10% of your current business comes from pro-active export projects, and not more than a further 15% from reactive marketing overseas.    But even if you exceed these limits, you still have access to the full range of services, just not the financial support.   

Also strongly recommended, both by the UKTI speaker and by those who had used it, was the Export Marketing Research Scheme from the British Chambers of Commerce.    It too has rules (you have to have less than 250 staff, for example) but sounds potentially very useful.

And there was lots of advice, both theoretical and practical, for those looking to develop overseas markets; much of it sensible if unstartling.    For example:

1. get your product right in the UK before you venture overseas;
2. start with Europe; it’s on our doorstep;
3. do your homework thoroughly;   insufficient research was cited as a major cause of failure;
4. find the right agents / partners;
5. expect long lead times;   for example, two years was quoted as the average period between starting to explore India as a market, and signing the first agreement.    Equally, make sure you have enough venture capital in place to cover all the upfront costs;
6. always translate and localise;   it’s not just a matter of getting the product right for the market;   its also a matter of understanding the nuances of how to do business in Bangkok, Bahrain, Berlin or wherever.    In India, for example, according to one speaker, they never say no.    So maybe means no, yes means maybe.

Sources:    UKTI
BCC
Papers from the meeting