{"id":2456,"date":"2017-09-01T11:50:34","date_gmt":"2017-09-01T15:50:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/?p=2456"},"modified":"2026-01-22T10:22:18","modified_gmt":"2026-01-22T15:22:18","slug":"5-tips-business-across-borders","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/5-tips-business-across-borders\/","title":{"rendered":"5 tips for doing business across borders"},"content":{"rendered":"<header class=\"entry-header has-dark-background-color entry-header--has-illustration entry-header--has-illustration--generic\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__row row align-center\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-lg-7 col-xlg-6 entry-header__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"component component-single-header\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__misc text--subtitle text--uppercase text--small\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/category\/growth-customers\/\" class=\"entry-header__link\">Growth &amp; Customers<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-title-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"entry-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t5 tips for doing business across borders\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"entry-header__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t<div class=\"single-post-details container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2017-09-01T11:50:34-04:00\">September 1, 2017<\/time><\/span><span class=\"reading-time\"> min read<\/span>\n\t\t<button\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\tclass=\"social-share-button button button--icon button--secondary js-social-share-button\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-title=\"5 tips for doing business across borders\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/5-tips-business-across-borders\/\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-text=\"Please read this interesting article\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__share-label\">Share<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-label\" hidden>Copy Link<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\" hidden>Copied<\/span>\n\t\t<\/button>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/header>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-author has-dark-background-color alignfull\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"co-authors\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-author-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"entry-author\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/author\/flannerykeck\/\">\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2017\/04\/KeckFlannery_headshot-350x350.jpg\" class=\"entry-author__image\" alt=\"Flannery Keck\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2017\/04\/KeckFlannery_headshot-350x350.jpg 350w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2017\/04\/KeckFlannery_headshot.jpg 372w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 40px) 100vw, 40px\" \/>\t\t\t\t<span class=\"entry-author__name\">Flannery Keck<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>Thinking about exporting as a small business can seem a bit daunting\u2014there\u2019s a lot to learn, all while finding the time to keep your business journey on track. But lots of US businesses are finding success doing business beyond the border, and there\u2019s plenty of help and advice on hand. Our tips will help you get started on the path to exporting success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Develop your networks. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You don\u2019t have to be an expert to start exporting. Build up your network of people who can help and advise you on tax, licensing and more. The International Trade Administration (ITA) website <a href=\"https:\/\/www.export.gov\/welcome\">gov<\/a> is a good place to start.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Do your research. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Before you take your first steps, find out about local markets, customers, trading options, customs and costs. Try the ITA\u2019s exporting guides as a starting point to learn how to tackle almost any challenge you\u2019ll encounter as you begin exporting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Develop your strategy and direction. Your export plan should include:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Route to market. How will you distribute your services?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Business model. Will you use agents, distributors, a subsidiary or sell direct?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Marketing strategy. How will you promote overseas?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What are your costs and income forecasts?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Select your partners carefully.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Build up relationships and ensure agreements are fully understood. For example, the US has robust laws on bribery, and you could find yourself liable if one of your agents or partners abroad doesn\u2019t comply.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Select your market. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The EU? South America? China? Or even just other states in America? Demographics, competition, costs, distribution networks, legal considerations and taxes may all have an impact on your choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you\u2019ve taken these steps, you\u2019re well on your way to expanding your business.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Thinking about exporting as a small business can seem a bit daunting\u2014there\u2019s a lot to learn, all while finding the time to keep your business journey on track. But lots of US businesses are finding success doing business beyond the border, and there\u2019s plenty of help and advice on hand. Our tips will help you [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":101,"featured_media":2457,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_sage_video":false,"post_featured_image_hide":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[46],"tags":[128],"business_type":[40],"lilypad":[],"context":[102],"industry":[57,53,55,54,204],"persona":[96,97],"imagine_tag":[230],"coauthors":[656],"class_list":["post-2456","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-growth-customers","tag-customer-acquisition","business_type-small-business","industry-financial-services","industry-manufacturing","industry-professional-services","industry-retail","industry-technology"],"sage_meta":{"region":"en-us","author_name":"Flannery Keck","featured_image":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2017\/08\/exportingforsmallbusinesses.jpg","imagine_tags":{"230":"Small business"}},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Sage Advice US","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2456","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/101"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2456"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2456\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/2457"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2456"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2456"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2456"},{"taxonomy":"business_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/business_type?post=2456"},{"taxonomy":"lilypad","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/lilypad?post=2456"},{"taxonomy":"context","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/context?post=2456"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=2456"},{"taxonomy":"persona","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/persona?post=2456"},{"taxonomy":"imagine_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/imagine_tag?post=2456"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=2456"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}