Sample Export Plan

Sample Export Plan

An international business plan helps you anticipate future goals, gather facts, identify constraints, and formulate a plan of action. A clear timeline and milestones should be established, as well as specific objectives. In order to succeed in the global marketplace, you must have a strategy for entering or expanding into targeted markets.   

Assess how exporting will affect your company's operations by conducting an audit. You need to think about the management issues for exporting, approaches to exporting, distribution channels, and other factors that will affect your business. 

Learn the key components of an effective, actionable export plan. There is no one-size-fits-all export plan, just as no two companies are alike. Your export plan should be an extension of your overall business plan, if not incorporated entirely into it. Your domestic sales plan will require many of the same questions as your international sales strategy. 

Have a clear idea of the information you need to collect and sources where you might find that information.  

In order to identify your company's current status as well as internal goals and commitments, you need to create an international export plan. An export financing plan is also essential. Create a plan before requesting bank loans. It will save both time and money.  

Sample Outline of an Export Plan 


Part I: Export Policy Commitment Statement    

Part II: Situation or Background Analysis 

  • Product/Service for Export 
  • Export License (if needed) 
  • Personal Export Organization 
  • Products/Services to be Exported 
  • Products that Qualify Under FTAs 
  • Outside Resources 
  • Structure, competition, and demand operations of the industry 
  • Compliance with Export Controls 
  • Classifications of products 
  • Resources within the company 

Marketing Component: Part III 

  • Finding, evaluating, and selecting markets 
  • Pricing and Product Selection 
  • Methods of distribution                                             
  • Internal Organization and Procedures 
  • Sales Goals (Profit and Loss Forecasts)                
  • Terms and Conditions 
  • Pricing with Consideration of Duties, Taxes   
  • Freight Costs, and Logistics Included  

Part IV: Tactics—Action Steps 

  • Primary Target Countries 
  • Indirect Marketing Efforts 
  • Quarterly Accomplishments 
  • Secondary Target Countries  
  • Part V: Export Budget 
  • Pro-forma Financial Statements     
  • Marketing Materials 
  • Travel       
  • Website Enhancements 
  • Trade Show Visits 
  • Other Costs 

Part VI: Implementation Schedule 

  • Follow-up 
  • Periodic Operational and Management Review (Measuring Results against the Plan) 
  • Addenda: Background Data on Target 
  • Basic Market Statistics (Historical and Projected) 
  • Background Facts 
  • Competitive Environment