Enterprise Ireland in association with the Local Enterprise Offices, launched its second Export Compass Series. The series aims to help companies explore ways to overcome the present economic challenges, by understanding overseas business cultures, building digital capabilities for selling, and developing customer, distributor and partner relationships. The webinar workshops will take place between Tuesday 7 September and Tuesday 5 October.
Featuring interviews with Irish companies who have successfully exported, Local Enterprise Office and overseas Enterprise Ireland staff, the series will address the key ingredients to a successful export strategy:
1. What is the basis of your export plan? Where in the world might you export to?
2. Who is your ideal customer? Culture and doing business in other countries.
3. How to win export customers in a digital world.
4. How to finance your export plan.
5. Roundtable Q&A with exporting companies and advisors.
Attendance is complimentary for all micro and SME companies that are taking their first steps on their export journey.
Commenting on the launch of the webinar series, Minister of State with responsibility for Trade Promotion, Digital and Company Regulation, Robert Troy said, “Ireland is an exporting nation that performs excellently in virtually every market in the world across a range of industries. We have a wealth of SMEs and start-up companies that have the products and services to export but may lack the know-how on where and how to start on their export journey.”
“The Export Compass Series is an opportunity for these businesses to get simple, free advice from market experts as well as hear from successful exporting companies on their experience and learnings. We are still living in challenging times but our focus is on building a stronger and more resilient economy and increasing our trading capacity will be pivotal to this, so I would encourage business owners and leaders to consider all options open to them to grow their businesses while continuing to access the supports available.”
Keelin Fagan, Head of Central Services Exporter Development & Core at Enterprise Ireland, said, “the Export Compass Series is the all-important ‘first step’ for any company even considering the possibility of exporting, or indeed if you’re in the early stages of your export journey. The aim of Export Compass is to inspire more small to medium-sized businesses to look at the opportunities afforded by exporting. Participants will finish with a clear idea of the right place to look for support with their export plan, and how to reap the many rewards available in the export market.”
Emmet Dunne, Managing Director of web design agency Kooba, will be speaking during the series, and said, “from the first day Kooba set up an office in Germany, it has been a steep learning curve. We are looking forward to sharing this experience and the learnings from our export journey with the businesses attending the Export Compass Series. With Enterprise Ireland’s support, we have secured work on exciting new digital solutions for companies including Decathlon and Holoplot. However for the best chance of success, companies must from the outset carefully consider the factors that will influence their export journey and what’s right for their business. We look forward to sharing our experience.”
The first edition of The Export Compass Series took place earlier this year. Over 100 SMEs attended. Enterprise Ireland and the Local Enterprise Offices continue to support these businesses as they execute their export strategies.
The webinars in the series take place every Tuesday at 10am, 7 September – 5 October inclusive.
