Businesses consider exporting for a number of strategic and financial reasons from diversifying markets to increasing competitive advantage – and there are often government incentives. This is true for small businesses in the Greenbrier Valley. Whether product or service based we invite your business to join us for a workshop June 3rd. Read on to find out more from the three agencies we can rely on for export assistance and expertise.
We posed some questions to our partners at US Commercial Services, the WV Department of Economic Development Export Promotion Program, and the WV Department of Agriculture, about the resources businesses can access in our region.
What export services are available for small businesses in the Greenbrier Valley?
There are a variety of export assistance programs available from federal and state agencies.
- Export counseling: Identify entry strategies to other countries, including preparing documentation, exploring regulations, navigating export controls and compliance, and find trade financing options
- Market intelligence: Gain market analysis for the best prospects, laws, and cultural issues for the market, and conduct background checks on potential buyers and distributors.
- Business matchmaking: Connect with pre-screen potential buyers in export markets, attract international buyers at international trade shows, meet with international industry and government decision makers in your target industry.
- Commercial diplomacy: Overcome trade obstacles to successfully enter international markets with export assistance.
- Grant funding for export promotion: Apply for funding to offset export marketing activities such as foreign travel, website updates, trade show expenses and more.
- Trade missions- Participate in government-led trade events to enter new international markets.
Can you help identify the most promising new markets for products?
We offer customized market research to help you find global opportunities and potential buyers. These reports are tailored to your specific product or service and target industry. Learn more. We also know what kinds of products are in demand and organize events around those company in our state. For instance, the WV Department of Agriculture, has recently focused efforts to target new exports for our state’s wood products.
What if I offer a service?
We also support West Virginia service providers—like software, engineering, education, and tourism—in expanding to international markets.
What is a trade mission?
Trade missions are organized trips led by U.S. government experts to help U.S. companies connect with potential buyers, distributors, and partners abroad. Face-to-face meetings, especially when facilitated by senior U.S. government officials, can make a good impression with foreign buyers. See upcoming events and missions here.
Is now a good time for exports? International markets seem uncertain.
Despite global uncertainty, most of the world’s consumers live outside the United States and the demand for U.S.-made products and services remains strong. U.S. small and medium-sized companies—firms with fewer than 500 employees —account for 98 percent of the exporting businesses. With the help of U.S. government export programs, businesses can identify the best international markets based on current trade conditions. Explore why exporting makes sense.
Do you help with logistics and compliance once deals are made?
Yes, we can offer trade counseling to help businesses navigate logistics and export compliance. We also organize virtual and in-person training events on the different aspects of the exporting process.
What are the most common challenges small businesses face when exporting, and how do you help overcome them?
Becoming an exporter has a learning curve, but the best way to mitigate risk is to utilize the state and federal government export resources to identify solutions to market research, finding quality buyers, payments and financing, documentation, US. and foreign regulations and more. In many cases the main challenges small businesses face is lack of knowledge or commitment to exporting.
Do you offer guidance on pricing strategies, payment terms, and currency exchange for international sales?
Yes, we offer export counseling and organize a lot of export training events. Learn more about our events here.
Can you share examples of small businesses you’ve successfully helped enter export markets?
Yes! Check out these success stories of WV businesses below:
Echo-Lit – Charleston, WV
Little Plants – Pipestem, WV
Extreme Endeavors – Philippi, WV
What are the fees or costs for export assistance?
Trade counseling is free, as well as market intelligence and export training articles and videos on our website trade.gov. The WV Department of Commerce offers an export marketing grant as well as various subsidies to pay for trade events and market research. Agriculture businesses, including wood products, can work with the WV Department of Agriculture to utilize the Southern United States Trade Association for export marketing funding.
Customized matchmaking and market intelligence services have a fee, many from $350 to $950, but businesses can tap into grant funding to offset these costs.
Where do businesses start?
The best place to start is to visit all three experts at our upcoming export workshop at the Greenbrier Valley EDC on June 3rd.
Or reach out to these experts directly:
WV Department of Agriculture
File the form at the link above, or contact WVDA Business Development Planning Coordinatory, Ashley Amos, aamos@wvda.us.
WV Department of Economic Development
Export Promotion Program
Hanna Kruhlova, Manager, International Trade, hanna.kruhlova@wv.gov
US Commercial Services & Appalachian Rural Export Center
Enybe Diaz, International Trade Specialist , Enybe.Diaz@trade.gov
We want to thank our great partners for this conversation and we hope to see many businesses on June 3rd for our exporting event.
