SMALL BUSINESS | EXPORT IMPORT | INVESTOR DIRECTORY

Build Your Small Business Credit

2010-06-09T18:30:00.000-07:00

Building credit for a small business is quite simple. The credit market has been paralyzed by the recent economic turmoil. Businesses that plan ahead can still build up their credit history with the credit bureaus and acquire the financing that they require.

First it is important that your business have some type of formal structure. This could be either an LLC, S-Corp, or Corporation. Being a sole-proprietor allows for unlimited liability. In addition one may be criticized for not spending a small amount of money on the business structure before going into business. Make sure to have a physical address whether it be a home office or an office building. Also register a land line phone for your business so that an account is started with the phone company.

Second begin to spend. Ideally you should be able to acquire a small loan backed by capital. When you are attempting to build small business credit you should attempt to receive the loan from a major business credit reporting agency. The major credit reporting agencies for businesses include Dunn & Bradstreet and Experian. These agencies will build the credit that you need in order to make larger purchases in the future.

There are some businesses that say that they specialize in selling references or credit histories for businesses. Do NOT purchase these. Any company that sells anything related to credit references is most likely committing fraud. The credit bureau will investigate these false credit files and will purge them from your credit history if they are discovered.

The best method to build small business credit is to first take out a small secured loan. This loan should be only one or two thousand dollars. The lending institution may or may not be willing to distribute this loan without any collateral. When you attempt to acquire small business credit try to contact the financial institution you already do your banking with. They may be more interested to work with you than a bank that you have never had an account with before.

Finally make sure that you have a written business plan. A well written business plan can allow a lender to see where you would like to take your business. Small business credit does not have grow overnight. It takes a period of time as well as a large amount of energy. A business that is successful will receive a better credit rating.

Discover The Shortcut To Getting Access To The Money You Need To Start And/Or Grow Your Business and Build a New Credit History. If you've been struggling because you don't have the money and credit you need to make your business succeed, get this Free Report on the 3 Steps To Building Business Credit Fast.

Build Your Small Business Credit

By E. Santos

How to Build Your Business Credit

2010-06-09T18:29:00.000-07:00

When you first start your business you may want to stay as far away from debt, loans and credit as possible. Many new business owners are trying to fund their ventures on their own, devoid of any credit what so ever. However, this is not always the best idea, especially as your business grows. Many people are starting businesses for conscious reasons and are very committed to advancing their causes, due to the passion behind it. For these business owners, money usually does follow and quite quickly. You may now need to consider more space, more employees and more money, to help advance your cause. What if you are in business to be a millionaire, well you too will definitely want to build your business credit. Let's look at some ways you can do this.

First you should recognize that your personal credit and your business credit are and should be two different things. If you are a sole proprietor working under your own social security number, you'll want to change that as soon as reasonably possible. This is the first step to differentiating you from your business and letting your business establish credit on its' own. You can do this by forming an LLC or a Corporation of one type or another. A bit of research on the governments website irs.gov can also be very helpful in doing this. Make sure to read up on processes you can handle yourself and never pay someone else to complete these services for you.

Now you'll want to make sure that you streamline your debtors to the bare minimum. What does that mean? Well your business may be able to function quite successfully without the latest and greatest in new software and technology. Make sure that anything you buy on credit or lease is an absolute necessity. This is important because the fewer bills you have, the more bills you can pay on time. This is key to build your business credit toward the positive end of the spectrum. It might seem like a no brainer, but often times new business owners are so enthused about their new endeavors and success that they want to purchase everything someone recommends, which can put you in debt to many vendors. This can make it hard to pay all your bills on time when times are slow and as any business owner will tell you, there will be slow times.

You'll want to make sure that you register your business with the credit reporting agencies that play a key roll in lending. Many business owners don't know that they need to take this step. Especially if you have a business office and pay utilities and other bills you'll want to make sure that the major agencies such as: Equifax, Experian, D&B and TransUnion, are aware of how promptly you pay your bills. Don't take this for granted. You may be hesitant, thinking that registering your business will put in the line of fire when things may not be going well. Don't be fooled, whether you know it or not, these agencies may already have a file on your business.

Make purchases that show your fiscally responsible and have a great head for business. Buying vacations with your business card is not a good idea. Follow these few rules and you'll have a great business credit score in no time.

How to Build Your Business Credit

By E. Santos

How to Build Small Business Credit Fast

2010-06-09T18:16:00.000-07:00

Whether it's small or large scale, every business needs a steady and consistent source of funding. The easiest and best means to achieve sufficient funding before start up is to build business credit fast.

The first and foremost consideration should be to separate your personal life from your business life. This is done effectively by keeping personal and business accounts totally separate for the lifetime of your business. Doing this will serve to protect your personal credit should your business fall on rocky times and its credit worthiness declines.

To establish business credit fast, you will need to do all of the typical necessary tax related items such as acquiring any permits, licenses as well as an Employer Identification Number. This will prevent you from having to input your own personal social security number into credit applications and again will protect your private identity from anyone who might seek to exploit your personal information. Many take the extra step of incorporating their business so that credit can be obtained without having to endure the rigors of a personal credit check.

After you acquire business credit, the next thing to do to get your credit truly established is to begin using it. As you obtain, use, and faithfully pay on your business credit account each month, you are building a reputation as a safe business credit risk and will be more likely to be offered even more attractive credit offers.

One advantage of business credit is that creditors tend to extend higher limits of credit. There are also many other perks which can be enjoyed such as cash back incentives, and travel discounts. These incentives may be accumulated over time and used by the business owner as he or she wishes.

You can seek to establish credit by means of credit cards, loans from banks or other funding sources. Before applying for business credit from any one of theses sources, you should make an inquiry as to what the creditor will require before approving to extend your company a line of credit. Most banks will require standard business documentation as well as a basic business plan. Have all of these documents on hand and ready to fax before you make your first inquiries. This will prevent any delays in getting approved and in most cases will answer the most basic questions that the lender will likely need answered.

As you build your credit, make a consistent check with the credit bureaus to ensure that your lenders are reporting accurately and in a timely manner. The important thing is to build business credit fast. By employing the aforementioned tactics, your business should be well funded.

http://www.freebusinesscreditguide.com/

How to Build Small Business Credit Fast

By E. Santos

standby letter of credit, type bill of lading

Type of Bill of Lading

2010-06-09T11:03:00.000-07:00

In the previous discussion is discussed about the bill of lading terms ever in the post this time will be explained a bit about the kind of - kind of Bill of lading are.
Here is a type of B / L which is the document in the marine transportation:
1. One. Shipped Bill of Lading (pengertian Klik disini) Bill of Lading shipped (the sense Click here)
2. Received For Shipment Bill of Lading (pengertian Klik disini) Received For Shipment Bill of Lading (understanding Click here)
3. Through Bill of Lading
4.Combined Transport Bill of Lading
5. Intermodal Bill of Lading

that's some kind of B / L as for the function of B / L itself will be discussed at the next posting.

Build a Business Credit Profile

2010-06-07T20:49:00.000-07:00

Building business credit can be a major step towards securing your future as a business. Starting and running a successful business can be one of the hardest things in the world to do, but it can be done. There are many different challenges that one must overcome to have a successful operating business. You can learn many different techniques to over come any challenges and build your business credit to its maximum potential.

One of the best ways for any business to build their credit is to of course open a credit card account that is a business card. These kind of credit cards work just like normal credit cards, but come with certain features that are designed especially for businesses. This can be an awesome start to the successful building your business. This is a great way to separate your business money from your personal money. You will get statements regarding your business finances separate from your personal.

Another way for you you to build business credit is establish an excellent credit history for your business. You are going to need to apply for a business license and maintain it with great records so it shows the history of your business. You will also need to apply for your Employer Identification Number do you can file your taxes at the end of each year. This is a very important step for any business. This is going to signify you as a real and legitimate business in your state that you are operating.

The last thing that you will need to do in order to build your credit for your business, is to register with a business credit tracking company. Registering with one of the best companies is a great way to track all your payments and transactions that you make along with properly reporting all of your information when it comes to your businesses credit. In order to get the most of the credit reporting, make sure the business credit card that you take out is reporting your payment history to the credit agencies.

Starting an running a successful business can be very hard for some people and easy for some others. In order to maintain your business in the highest standards you are going to have to make sure your credit history stays good and intact at all times. It is important to keep all personal information and money separate from anything that has to do with your business. Building and keeping your businesses credit is a very important part of running a successful business. Try as hard as you can to everything as perfect as possible to your abilities. That is one of the best ways to have the best business and credit that you could ever have.

http://www.freebusinesscreditguide.com/

Build a Business Credit Profile

By E. Santos

Source: EzineArticles.com

Catering Menu Ideas and Advice

2010-06-07T20:47:00.000-07:00

Developing a selection of menus for your catering business can be challenging. To a certain extent you can question the client as to their preferences but from there you are on your own. You will have to come up with your own menu creations that also fit in with the client's requirements. Some clients may not know what they want at all and you may have to show them a variety of menu options.

Here are some catering menu ideas for you to consider as you proceed to put your own menus together.

Type of Event

Think about the people who will be attending, the kind of food they might like and what kind of volume they may consume. Things that you may have to think about here include age, gender, culture and socio-economic background. Will the event be formal or casual?

Timing of an Event

This is an obvious one really. Whether you serve dishes suitable to a breakfast, lunch, dinner, supper, morning tea or afternoon snacks will depend on what time of day a catering event is scheduled.

Theme

Clients may have a theme in mind for an event and want you to work in with it. Even if they don't it is quite a marketable concept to have menus in themes that tie in with table decorations and server uniforms. Regional themes work best for food such as an Italian or Asian theme.

The Client's Budget

This is going to have a large impact on what is possible in terms of a menu and your catering services. The budget will determine the ingredients that you can use, what dishes you can serve and in what volumes you can serve them.

Number of Guests Attending

Working out an average amount that you expect the guests to eat will help you to plan a menu. You have to make sure that you prepare appropriate servings that give everyone enough to be satisfied without having too much left over food that may go to waste.

Some catering companies have rough guidelines for the amount of food required per head. For example, caterers may estimate that the average adult will eat 180 grams of meat, chicken or fish, 180 grams of carbohydrates (potatoes, rice or pasta), 160 grams of vegetables and 80 grams of salad. Every catering business owner has a different opinion here so adjustments can be made once you know what you are doing.

Where will you be Preparing the Food?

This will determine what equipment you have access to and thus what dishes you will be able to create. If you are preparing the food onsite then you won't have the hassle of transporting it to the venue. If you are preparing it from your own commercial kitchen then you may be able to do more much more than if you are using facilities that you are not familiar with.

Good Menu Combinations

Foods should go together on serving trays or plates in a way that they will compliment each other with regards to taste and visual appeal. Menus for an event should also be planned out in the right combinations so that the overall menu has the right balance of meats, dairy products, fruit, vegetables, carbohydrates and fats and oils.

Wherever possible you should give people variety. Let them add their own salad dressings, sauces or condiments.

Catering to Dietary Requirements

When consulting with a client you should ask them if they would like you to include dishes in the menu that cater to specific dietary requirements. You might include some vegetarian or vegan dishes and others that may be specifically for people with food allergies.

Having certain dishes that you can say are low fat or low in carbohydrates is a good idea for catering to those who may be on diets.

Contemporary Food Trends

People expect something special from a catering business these days and you have to give people new and exciting dishes. Depending on the client and the guests the best way is usually to balance some modern cooking styles with classic dishes.

What Foods Make Good Business Sense?

It is great if you can work out which dishes and food items allow your catering business to make the most profit? You need to understand a lot about the current market prices for all commonly used ingredients. Some foods are seasonal and are therefore usually only profitable when they are in season.

When presenting a client with a variety of menus that your catering business offers give them the chance to upgrade to more expensive options involving more expensive ingredients.

The Number of Courses

The more courses you include, the more service staff you will need and the more dishes and cutlery you will need to bring. Remember that some ingredients should feature only once in a multi-course menu. You wouldn't want to have a chicken soup on the menu if you also had roast chicken as part of the main course for example.

Study Menus at Restaurants

Whenever you are eating out at a restaurant or at a catered event, seek inspiration from menus that have been put together by other people. More importantly, judge the reaction of the people who are being served and eating the dishes in question.

Over time you can improve your menus by taking note of which dishes were popular and which were hardly touched. Drop the losers and go with the most popular dishes while testing new dishes from time to time.

You will also notice that once you get started you will get numerous new catering menu ideas popping into your head and through customer feedback.

Planning your first set of catering business menus doesn't have to be a nightmare if you go about it in an organized manner. Just pretend that you are having 120 guests over for a dinner party!

For articles on preparing a catering business plan as well as many other topics visit -

Starting a Catering Business

Source: EzineArticles.com

Internet Marketing For Small Business

2010-06-07T20:46:00.000-07:00

Internet Marketing for Small Business - The Basics
If you aren't already familiar with internet marketing for small business, it is important to know just the influence it can have for your business in generating a larger consumer base. The processes involved in web marketing are a bit different than that of traditional marketing, but offer a much stronger approach. The actual impact web marketing campaign can have for a small business is well above that of traditional marketing, allowing small businesses to target the most consumers with ease and great management of the venture. Marketing through the internet provides a highly effective management of the marketing attempts and provides several tools and resources that are also quite effective in marketing any small business to great heights.

Internet Marketing for Small Business - Creating an Optimized Site
The first step to any internet promotion venture is to ensure that there is an optimized site. Search engine optimization (SEO) is becoming a large figure in marketing today, and involves several processes that must be performed appropriately.

Keyword research and development
Keyword placement through text, tags, and descriptions
Back linking and link exchange
Registration with search engines

From the very moment you choose a site, SEO should be on your mind. Internet marketing for small business is a powerful venture but even the start must be appropriate.

Internet Marketing for Small Business - Targeting the Audience through the Search Engines
As you begin your internet marketing venture, you will realize that you are considering your audience in every step of the way. You choose keywords that are likely to be searched by your target consumers, and you are exchanging links with other sites that your target consumers are using. The thing is, internet marketing for small business has another target in mind: search engines. The most popular search engines include:

Google
Yahoo
Bing
MSN

SEO should play a key part in your internet marketing for small business efforts. You are targeting these search engines as well, seeking to be indexed as much as possible, receiving the highest search engine ranking possible. Why? Mainly because your target consumers get online and choose one of these search engines to search for what they need. They type a few words in the search bar and there is a search engine results page that shows up and you want to be at the top, because 9 times out of 10, your target consumers are choosing between the first 10 sites as the business for their needs.

Internet Marketing for Small Business - Social Networking is exceptionally effective
More and more these days, internet marketing for small business is performed through social networking. There are several different types of social networking sites including blogs and forums and networking sites such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and others that are becoming popular, in which an entire community gets together in order to discuss services or products, and you want your business to be in the discussion.

Through the use of keyword rich blogs and articles, you can communicate with your target consumers, providing them with solutions they may need in order to gain their trust in your services or products. These blogs can contain links to your pages, but most importantly should assist in building an email list through opt-ins and subscriptions.

Internet Marketing for Small Business - Summary
If you have not started already, now is the time to focus a major part of your marketing efforts on the web. Internet marketing for small business is a strong force in growing a large consumer base. Marketing locally or even globally is possible, and most effective with the appropriate keywords. You will learn through time that the more quality your keywords and link exchanges hold, the more power your web marketing has, allowing you to generate high quality traffic and build a much larger consumer base. The use of web based marketing strategies has never been so easy and manageable, putting more power into the efforts without as much of the cost as traditional marketing measures to bring forth even similar results. Internet marketing for small business is a must if you want to ramp up your business and income to the next level.

Darren Brunson invites you to discover new ways of making the most out of your business by utilizing the power of the internet. Before you flush away your money hiring an internet marketing company, please watch this short, eye-opening Video Presentation Now!

Internet Marketing For Small Business

By Darren Brunson

Source: EzineArticles.com

Best Small Business Ideas

2010-06-07T20:44:00.000-07:00

If you seriously do not believe that the world owes you a living and you are willing to work for your money then why on earth would you want to work for someone else? I have included some of the best small business ideas for you to consider below:

1: Running a website or a internet based business - this does not mean you have to be a web guru. You do not need to be an expert in information technology, computers or how to build and manage websites. You want to identify exactly what it is that you are good at, what you enjoy doing and then focus your mind on ways to generate money from it. You can learn from experts or you can find someone who has already built a internet based business and is seeking to sell it on. You may even consider an online franchise type business where much of the work has already been done for you and which can enable you to get up and running a lot sooner.

2: Writing articles for websites - once again you do not have to be a creative writing expert or a published author to write articles for websites. You don't even have to be particularly good at writing at all, let alone being adept at spelling and grammar! There is a demand for putting things together like useful resources, browsing through websites and compiling a list of the best small business ideas for example and various other opportunities that don't require a degree in writing!

3: Buying and selling products you use or are familiar with like clothing, shoes, antiques, auto spares and so on. You could learn how to use auction sites like Amazon or eBay to use for your small business venture. You could pick up things inexpensively at car boot sales or garage sales and then sell these for a profit on an auction site!

4: Convert your hobbies or skills into a small business idea by working from home whether you use the internet or not. These could include small business ideas like:

* Pet Grooming
* House-sitting Holiday Homes
* Craft Work, Painting, Pottery, Sewing
* Baking, Cooking
* Child Care
* Proofreading, Reading
* Translating Languages

5: Think of local opportunities where a skill or service isn't being met. More often than not where a service is not being met there is no competition, which means consumers are likely to pay higher if this service is addressed locally. There could be a need for the following in your area:

* Dry cleaner
* Home & Commercial Cleaning Services
* Window Cleaning
* Recycling Service
* Pet Walking
* Web Design

Once you have given careful thought to what kind of small business you would like to invest in, remember to do your market research and due diligence before making final decisions and committing yourself to any business. For one recommended and personally proven business idea follow this link for further information.

Zurieka works at home together with her husband in online business. Their business model affords them the opportunity to choose their working hours and where they would like to work on any given day. They are dedicated to helping others quit the rat race enjoying a better quality of life too. Business Videos.

Best Small Business Ideas

By Zurieka Model

Source: EzineArticles.com

Small Business Marketing Strategies - 3 Key Strategies For Maximum Visibility of Your Site

2010-06-07T19:40:00.000-07:00

There are several small business marketing strategies that can provide optimal success when choosing the web as your marketing venue. Small businesses today are at a great advantage with the internet providing several tools and resources for internet marketing and traffic generation. Knowing what these small business marketing strategies are and how to use them in order to locally market your business properly is very important before you get started.

1- Business Marketing Strategies: Start with the Site

When you want to employ top small business marketing strategies online, you want to start with the site because you just cannot get anywhere without your base. This site will be where you are directing your target audience in order to find out more about your business or purchase goods and services from you online. This site should consist of several elements to ensure that there will be a high search engine ranking such as:

Appropriate Locality Related Keywords
Keyword Rich Content
Use of Meta Tags and Descriptors
High Quality Graphics

You want the page to which you refer your target audience to consist of a landing page with the necessary information and elements to ensure they are able to catch the scope of your offering and get right to where you need them to be.

2- Business Marketing Strategies: Build an Email List

Once the site is in motion, you want to build an email list of subscribers to which you can email information to direct them to your site, to your business and what you offer. Building the list can be quite simple with some key business marketing strategies. There are several ways you can capture an audience to build your email list such as:

Adding sign-ups to home page of site
Blogging sites
Opt-ins upon site entry

Building the email list allows you to share pertinent information with your audience, thereby getting them to be part of your business dealings and, as a result, more likely to convert to customers and ongoing loyalty.

3- Business Marketing Strategies: Blogging and Article Writing

There is a strong force behind blogging and article writing that many business owners have found to be extremely beneficial to employ in their small business marketing strategies. The key picture here is getting extreme exposure so you are found by the search engines, target consumers, and everyone else who inquires within your niche. Starting up a couple blogging sites can greatly increase your visibility, as well as traffic generation to your site.

As you provide relevant information that is sought out, you are building a special relationship with your readers, allowing them to trust your services and products. When it comes to small business marketing strategies, writing articles and posting on your site or on third party sites can also greatly enhance your visibility online and are therefor proven traffic builders.

There are various strategies that can be combined with others to offer high volume traffic generation, allowing your community and all that you wish to become your consumers to see and be well aware of your business and all you offer. Using the right small business marketing strategies means understanding what it takes to get the exposure that is needed exceed expectations.

Darren Brunson invites you to discover new ways of making the most out of your business by utilizing the power of the internet. Before you flush away your money hiring an internet marketing company, please watch this short, eye-opening, Video Presentation for Small Business Owners Now!

Small Business Marketing Strategies - 3 Key Strategies For Maximum Visibility of Your Site

By Darren Brunson

Source: EzineArticles.com

Vending Machine Business Start Up Costs

2010-06-07T19:37:00.000-07:00

One of the great things about starting a vending machine business is that it is possible to do it with minimal startup costs. If you do have access to considerable funding though you could also choose to purchase existing routes or jump straight into your own more professional set up. Depending on how you want to kick off your venture into vending, getting started could set you back anywhere between a few thousand dollars and several hundred thousand dollars.

A vending machine business can be started on a really low budget so it is best to start off slowly and take on less risk. You can then invest more heavily once you start earning some profit and decide that vending is definitely a business that you want to be in.

When it comes to determining the amount of capital that is required to start a vending business you need to take more into account than just the costs that you will face up to the point where you start doing business. You also need to consider the operating expenses that you will have over the first six months while your profits are still low.

If you start out full time then you may also need to set aside funds to cover your living costs for a period of six to twelve months until your business becomes profitable.

Let's take a closer look at some of the vending machine business startup costs that entrepreneurs in this industry typically face.

Vending Machines

The amount of startup funding needed will vary greatly depending on the kind of machines that you want to start off with.

One trick to starting off on a shoestring budget is to start with candy vending machines which can usually be bought very cheaply on online auction sites for around US$150 or less each. These machines are cheap, simple to operate and candy and gum balls offer a great profit margin for little effort. Buy them in lots of one, two or three at a time and slowly grow your business as you find suitable locations.

If you do want to start out with larger, electronic vending machine equipment that vends snacks and hot or cold beverages then you are looking at much larger startup costs. New machines for vending food or beverages range in price from around $2000 up to $6000 per unit. As an inexperienced operator you would be crazy to buy new machinery and would be much better off leasing some machines for a period while you test out a variety of locations. Buying quality second hand machines is also one way to lower your initial outlay.

Other startup costs associated with vending machines include, security locks, tools for a maintenance kit and extension cords.

Don't forget to allow for machine parts and repairs if you are reliant on hiring a technician when the need arises.

Rent for Business Premises

Most operators start a home based vending business and therefore don't have the overhead costs associated with leasing commercial premises. If you have a spare room for an office and some space in the garage for storing machines you should be fine. Otherwise you can look at renting storage space.

Office and Administration

Depending on what equipment you already have and the scope of your plans you will have to spend a certain amount on kitting out your home office. You will likely require a desk, filing cabinets, a PC, printer, Internet connection, phone connection, stationery and possibly other office equipment as well.

Vehicle Expenses

To service your route effectively you will need a suitable vehicle. Depending on the kind of machines that you operate you may not be able to get away with using your own car and you may have to consider leasing a vehicle. You may require a larger van or light truck for transporting machines and stock and you might even require a vehicle with a refrigeration compartment.

Professional Fees, Licenses and Permits

You will be applying for licenses and permits in order to set up a legal operation that is in compliance with local regulations. You may also require the services of an accountant, an attorney or other professionals during the process of setting up your vending business.

Stock

Don't forget that most of the time the machines that you are likely to purchase are empty and you will therefore need to buy stock for them. This can represent a considerable startup cost at first as you will certainly be looking to buy your inventory in bulk in order to save money.

Marketing and Branding

In order to get started making money with vending machines you will need to secure your first few locations. The initial marketing of your vending business may require some spending on advertising. At a minimum you will want to get a logo designed and have a set of business cards made up. Your initial marketing efforts will most likely involve making phone calls and pounding the pavement and the major cost here will only be your time.

Other Startup Costs and Operating Expenses

You will also have to figure in other startup costs and operating expenses such as market research, insurance coverage, cell phone costs and possibly commissions.

Don't forget to make an allowance for unforeseen expenses and price changes. Your forecasts may be inaccurate and prices often rise over time or end up being higher than you first anticipated.

For more vending business tips and to compare some of the top guides that are taking people to success with their own vending machine businesses visit -

Start a Vending Machine Business

Vending Machine Business Start Up Costs

Source: EzineArticles.com

Small Business Finance - Finding the Right Mix of Debt and Equity

2010-06-07T19:35:00.000-07:00

Financing a small business can be most time consuming activity for a business owner. It can be the most important part of growing a business, but one must be careful not to allow it to consume the business. Finance is the relationship between cash, risk and value. Manage each well and you will have healthy finance mix for your business.

Develop a business plan and loan package that has a well developed strategic plan, which in turn relates to realistic and believable financials. Before you can finance a business, a project, an expansion or an acquisition, you must develop precisely what your finance needs are.

Finance your business from a position of strength. As a business owner you show your confidence in the business by investing up to ten percent of your finance needs from your own coffers. The remaining twenty to thirty percent of your cash needs can come from private investors or venture capital. Remember, sweat equity is expected, but it is not a replacement for cash.

Depending on the valuation of your business and the risk involved, the private equity component will want on average a thirty to forty percent equity stake in your company for three to five years. Giving up this equity position in your company, yet maintaining clear majority ownership, will give you leverage in the remaining sixty percent of your finance needs.

The remaining finance can come in the form of long term debt, short term working capital, equipment finance and inventory finance. By having a strong cash position in your company, a variety of lenders will be available to you. It is advisable to hire an experienced commercial loan broker to do the finance "shopping" for you and present you with a variety of options. It is important at this juncture that you obtain finance that fits your business needs and structures, instead of trying to force your structure into a financial instrument not ideally suited for your operations.

Having a strong cash position in your company, the additional debt financing will not put an undue strain on your cash flow. Sixty percent debt is a healthy. Debt finance can come in the form of unsecured finance, such as short-term debt, line of credit financing and long term debt. Unsecured debt is typically called cash flow finance and requires credit worthiness. Debt finance can also come in the form of secured or asset based finance, which can include accounts receivable, inventory, equipment, real estate, personal assets, letter of credit, and government guaranteed finance. A customized mix of unsecured and secured debt, designed specifically around your company's financial needs, is the advantage of having a strong cash position.

The cash flow statement is an important financial in tracking the effects of certain types of finance. It is critical to have a firm handle on your monthly cash flow, along with the control and planning structure of a financial budget, to successfully plan and monitor your company's finance.

Your finance plan is a result and part of your strategic planning process. You need to be careful in matching your cash needs with your cash goals. Using short term capital for long term growth and vice versa is a no-no. Violating the matching rule can bring about high risk levels in the interest rate, re-finance possibilities and operational independence. Some deviation from this age old rule is permissible. For instance, if you have a long term need for working capital, then a permanent capital need may be warranted. Another good finance strategy is having contingency capital on hand for freeing up your working capital needs and providing maximum flexibility. For example, you can use a line of credit to get into an opportunity that quickly arises and then arrange for cheaper, better suited, long term finance subsequently, planning all of this upfront with a lender.

Unfortunately finance is not typically addressed until a company is in crisis. Plan ahead with an effective business plan and loan package. Equity finance does not stress cash flow as debt can and gives lenders confidence to do business with your company. Good financial structuring reduces the costs of capital and the finance risks. Consider using a business consultant, finance professional or loan broker to help you with your finance plan.

Frank Goley works for ABC Business Consulting as a business success consultant. He has extensive experience in business finance and has over twenty years experience as an expert business planner.

Source: EzineArticles.com

Why is a Business Plan So Important to Your Success?

2010-06-07T19:33:00.000-07:00

A good business plan is the most important but often overlooked part of running, starting and expanding a successful business, and obtaining finance for a business. If a plan is written properly, running a business and obtaining finance is much easier, leaving less room for error and failure. While you cannot predict everything that can happen in a company's future, a good plan helps you avoid certain pitfalls and overcome obstacles, while anticipating and creating opportunities.

There are different plan formats for various circumstances. A comprehensive plan will help you run your business venture or project more successfully. There are also specialized plans for various purposes, such as a funding plan for a bank, investor or venture capital firm.

The business planning process is very important. It is a building block system that is continuous, systematic and comprehensive. It involves the entire company, produces effective decision making, and executes those decisions effectively in a strategic plan. A good plan also measures the relationship between expectations and performance. It evaluates your company's progress or lack thereof.

It is said, writing an effective business plan is more art than science. It is good to have a proven process and format, but you can't just fill in the blanks on a master planning program or document. It is a matter of asking yourself the right questions within the proven process and format that brings about a successfully written business plan.

The comprehensive plan that I develop has eight sections: the executive summary, company overview, management and operations, marketing strategy and plan, strategic and sales plan, financials and appendix. I amend the eight section plan for specialized plans, like the funding plan.

The organization of the business plan is quite important. The eight section business plan is in a specific order from which each section builds on the previous section. There is fluid thought and reasoning employed to achieve a business plan which reaches its specified purpose. Although I wrote that the executive summary is the first section, it should be written last. All the other sections should be written in the order they are listed. A plan contains a very precise and concise format and is organized into numbered sections and sub-sections, which contain specific information in short, paragraph form.

A business plan is a dynamic document, as it changes on a daily, weekly and monthly basis. By being able to access it on your company computer network and online, various key people within the company can use and update it easily and effectively. For a Business Plan to be successful, it must be intertwined into the fabric of your business, have a detailed implementation schedule and be carefully tracked.

A well written and implemented business plan can do a lot of things, including: running, expanding or starting a successful business; be readily changed, adapted and updated to suit market conditions; be a fantastic sales tool; obtain funding; react quickly to market changes; give you the ability to make realistic forecasts and projections; seize market opportunities; establish and sustain your competitive advantage; and more.

Always consider hiring an experienced business consultant and planner to help develop, write and most importantly, implement your business plan.

Frank Goley works for ABC Business Consulting and is an expert in business planning and developing and implementing marketing plans and strategic plans. Check out his free e-books and articles on business plans and business finance.

Why is a Business Plan So Important to Your Success?

By Frank Goley

Source: EzineArticles.com

A Winning Marketing Plan For Business Success

2010-06-07T19:31:00.000-07:00

Developing, writing and implementing a successful marketing plan starts with solid industry and market analysis and concludes with an implementable marketing strategy and program. A marketing plan is not developed and implemented independently; rather, it should be developed in close coordination with your company's products and services and ultimately implemented through a strategic plan.

There is a certain approach and building-block process to developing a marketing plan. The place to start is analyzing your industry: its current state; who the major participants are; changes in the industry; opportunities; economic modeling forecasts; and examining who else may enter the industry. Then move toward determining how distribution works in your industry and how technology affects its distribution systems.

After your analysis on the industry level is complete, it is time to narrow your focus to analyzing and defining your market segments. Some example determinants are demographics, geography, customer needs, buying pattern and psychographics. With these segments defined and analyzed, analyze each market segment and determine how the market needs lead these identified groups to buy your products and services. Focus not on what you have to sell but more importantly, on the buyer needs you satisfy. Determine why customers buy from you.

You can now narrow down your target markets, determining what market groups are more important to your operation, along with, the market niches you can effectively target. It is vital to determine what your target customers' needs and characteristics are, along with, what makes certain target groups more advantageous to market than others.

The next step in the marketing plan development process is to analyze market trends from a strategic standpoint. Look at market trends as a way to get ahead of the market direction, knowing with a probability of certainty where it is going. You can now realistically project your market growth and specific growth rates. The growth rate projections should identify in detail the relationship between your potential customers, sales, revenues and ultimately, profits.

Explain the nature of your competition, why customers choose one provider over the other, and why customers will buy from your company instead of these competitors. Provide a detailed competitive summary of your products' and services' variables, ranking them in comparison to your competition. Example variables include pricing, sales, trends, positioning clarity, quality, value, reputation, packaging, advertising, customer service, target market focus, innovation, brand awareness and so forth. Determine your top five competitive strengths and weaknesses, as well as, identifying your top competitive gap threats. Finally, determine how competitively positioned your company will be in the market.

Two parts remain: your marketing strategy and marketing program. The marketing strategy consists of positioning statements, pricing strategy, promotion strategy and distribution strategy. These are closely linked as your marketing programs will implement the marketing plan's underlying strategy- the program puts the strategy into action, bringing "life" to your marketing plan.

A great marketing plan development process understands it is a companywide endeavor between product and service development, market analysis, marketing strategy, marketing programs, the marketing plan, the strategic plan and the sales plan. This all adds up to happy customers and financial success.
Consider hiring a marketing pro to help you develop the best marketing strategy and plan for your company and don't forget the online marketing component! Online marketing can be highly targeted and cost effective per customer acquisition, with high profit margins and tremendous growth possibilities.

Frank Goley works for ABC Business Consulting and is an expert in developing and implementing business plans, marketing plans and strategic plans. Check out his articles on cost effective online marketing and marketing plans.

A Winning Marketing Plan For Business Success

By Frank Goley

Source: EzineArticles.com

Strategic Planning Process For Business Success

2010-06-07T19:30:00.000-07:00

A strategic and sales plan puts your marketing plan into action and is the implementation work horse of a business plan. This article on the strategic and sales planning process is divided into ten sections, which are presented in a particular, building-block order.

Potential Problems and Company Objectives: First identify and rank your potential problems in your company operations. With your problems identified and ranked in importance and severity, you can develop company objectives to minimize and manage the identified problem areas, emphasizing your company's strengths.

Risk Analysis: When are Problems likely to occur? What can you do to mitigate the potential risks and problems? How will you deal with these problems? The risk analysis looks at how you can turn problems into opportunities, which parlays into the next section.

Company Strategy, Strategic Tactics and Programs: First develop your strategy, then the relating strategic tactics and then the resulting strategic programs. Strategy is focus and consists of key factors that distinguish your company and are most expected to contribute to your success. It is important that your company strategies complement each other so you are not sending your business in separate directions. Strategic tactics are used to implement strategies and relate to a specific strategy. Strategic programs are specific business activities which have concrete dates, assigned responsibilities and developed budgets. Programs relate to specific tactics of a specific strategy.

Sales Strategy: Develop the sales strategy as it specifically relates to the marketing strategy. Establish the different sale methods and channels. Determine your sales process and goals.

Sales Program: The sales program addresses how your sales strategy will be implemented. You should have systems in place to measure the strategy implementation and to support your sales efforts.

Strategic Alliances and Joint Ventures: Define your keystone alliances and partnerships. Develop cooperative marketing and development opportunities. Identify any inherent risks.

Rolling Basis Operating Budget: The operating budget is a planning and control mechanism which helps you develop the sales forecast. It should be on a rolling basis, outward looking for one year, and the format on a monthly basis. It is important your operational budget reflects your strategic planning goals.

Sales Forecast: Based upon your sales strategy and programs, and considering your operational budget, develop a three to five year projected sales forecast. This sales forecast will be used to develop your detailed profit and loss statement of your business plan. It is very important to correlate how your sales forecast relates to your market analysis, market segments, marketing strategy and sales strategy.

Milestone Table: Provide your future company goals, milestones and corresponding strategies, along with your marketing and sales program rollout.

Control Mechanisms: What mechanisms for control of each critical skill and resource are available to you? Is direct ownership necessary for your resources and skills or can they be outsourced and at what cost savings? These are just some of the questions to address when identifying control mechanisms for your strategic plan's resources.

Strategic planning is such an important part of running a successful business, I highly recommend retaining an experienced business consultant, ensuring your strategic plan is effectively developed, and most importantly, effectively implemented throughout your company operations. After your strategic plan is implemented, an experienced business consultant can also help you ensure the strategy stays on track, reaches its goals and is adjusted as necessary due to market changes and unforeseen problematic events.

Frank Goley works for ABC Business Consulting and is an expert in developing and implementing business plans, marketing plans and strategic plans.

Strategic Planning Process For Business Success

By Frank Goley

Source: EzineArticles.com

Professional Planning Services

2010-06-07T19:26:00.000-07:00

Business Planning is one of the most inherent and yet often ignored aspect of managing a business. It should be the first step to starting a business and should also be reviewed every successive year, taking into account any unforeseen events that may have occurred and also the current progress.

There are many types of business plans. You can begin with a complete business plan which takes into consideration every facet of the business, and the individual plans to cover the various different sections of the business. Each plan should be comprehensive and systematic. It should show the path to greater efficiency and growth in the company and have sections which deal with any pitfalls that may arise and with any changes in the economic scenario.

Since a Business Plan often forms the foundation of any good business, it is important to get good professional help in formulating this plan. There are some guidelines and processes which are standardised, but there are also many distinct factors which impact a specific business plan. Business Planning Services are experienced in all aspects of planning, and can provide the building blocks for growth and evolution. They can also correlate expectations and execution. A good business planner will be able to chart out the strategies for dealing with inter-department issues, with day to day decision making processes and above all it will map the progress expected and also any lack of progress.

Another important Plan for any business is the Marketing Plan. It does not stand in isolation, but works in coordination with a comprehensive business plan. When it is being formulated it should take into consideration a thorough analysis of your industry. A professional Marketing Planner will be able to look at all aspects of your industry, ranging from the existing distribution networks, to the new technologies which affect this network. The planner will also be able to analyze your specific market segments, and also all the determinants of these fragments. They will also analyze the market trends, and develop strategies which will incorporate these trends into your long term plans. An experienced Marketing Planning professional will be able to draw up pricing and positioning strategy, in relation to the overall all inclusive scenario, rather than one which is only based on your organization's individual requirements.

Strategic Planning is another segment of planning which is crucial in the overall planning process of any organization. The first step in strategy planning involves chalking out the organization's strategies, then the strategy tactics and then the methodology that shall be followed. A professional strategy Planner will be able to focus on the core competencies of your company, and how those can be augmented further. They will draw out a blueprint which will encompass all the segments and they will also be able to guide you on how the mapped out goals are going to be achieved.

As is evident, not only are business plans important, but they also need to be drawn and elucidated carefully. They impact every aspect of your organization, hence they need to be well planned, and clearly expounded. Professional services in the planning segment can prove immensely beneficial and lucrative for the growth of the company.

Frank Goley is an expert in business and marketing plan development and works for ABC Business Consulting, check out his articles about Effective Business Planning.

Professional Planning Services

By Frank Goley

The Top 10 Businesses to Be in During a Recession - Real World Recession Strategies

2010-06-07T19:24:00.000-07:00

Top Ten Businesses in a Bad Economy

According to One Coach the following businesses tend to succeed during a recession:

1. Business Coaching

2. Business Networking

3. Alternative Fuels

4. Environmental Services

5. Health Care

6. Nail Salons

7. Discount Retailers

8. Luxury Products

9. IT and Technology Services

10. Credit and Debt Management

It is debatable whether Nail Salons and Luxury products truly do succeed in a recession. Item #9 in my view should be ranked higher in the list as businesses utilize technology to become more efficient and profitable during tight, recessionary periods. #3 and 4 are great forward looking businesses, but they carry a premium and subject to positive government policy and regulations. Just know you need to be prepared for the long haul with Alternative Fuels and Environmental Services as demand will ebb and flow directly associated to the whims of the White House and Congress. In addition, during down economies, you will need to aggressively sell how much these businesses can save consumers and businesses money in a significant, quantifiable way, since the offering will be products and services that carry a price premium. Glad to see my business at the top of the list! Businesses find out they need a business consultant and coach during downtimes-the smart ones know this before they get in trouble!

Real World Business Recession Tactics and Strategies

Some areas which Sara Wilson keyed on in the December '08 Entrepreneur Magazine Article, "Trend: Economy", which makes a lot of sense in this Economy:

1. A Business Idea that is Working right now: CouponMom

a) Stephanie Nelson started a website that teaches consumers how to save money buying groceries using coupons.

b) 2008 Revenue has doubled and the site had over 1 million unique users in July.

2. Local Scope: Due to financial pressures and an uncertain economic outlook, consumers are spending more time at home and closer to home.

a) Consumers are frequenting local restaurants and entertainment establishments, which are more low key and less expensive.

b) Instead of traveling to Disneyworld, families are utilizing "staycations", enjoying local area parks, lakes and beaches.

3. Green Business: Organics are and have been exploding in growth and the outlook is very good. People want to eat healthy and feed their family healthy food even when things are tight financially. Green conservation is another growing business niche.

4. Web Business: Why spend large start up dollars on a brick and mortar Business, when you can run the same or similar business from home, utilizing the internet?

a) Web businesses are very competitive and the learning curve is significant if you aren't familiar with web marketing techniques.

Sara Wilson had another good article, "How are Franchisees Dealing?" in the January '09 Entrepreneur Magazine that interviewed four different franchise business owners on how they were dealing with obstacles during this current economic slump:

1. Floyd's 99 Barbershop: The franchisee, Jay Palmer, couldn't find a loan for a new store. He tried using his home and his parent's home as collateral and no luck with banks, including trying to obtain an SBA or Corporate loan.

a. The Solution: Mr. Palmer found a personal investor (Angel Investor). The investor came into the shop for a shave and a haircut when Mr. Palmer wasn't around so he could get a good feel for the business. He ended up investing $150,000 after seeing a steady stream of happy customers and happy, energetic employees. This was a great move on Mr. Palmer's part, using a track record of success and clearly showing a sharp investor the real deal behind the potential success of his future business opportunity: great service, great product, happy customers and content, energetic employees. In just one site visit and the positive experience with the business' services, the investor was ready to supply the needed capital even after multiple bank turn-downs.

2. Kitchen Solvers: Franchisees, Carrie and John Borden Kircher, customer niche based changed. Their customer market became price orientated, and the business offers premium kitchen and bath remodeling. Leads dropped 19% and sales are down 25% over the last two years.

a. The Solution: Their solution is rebrand their vans, get new signs; increase letters to past customers; leave a gift with a customer after a job is complete; and working with their franchiser on the operational side of the business. Ok, as a Business Consultant I am going to give my two cents on the Borden Kircher's proposed solutions:

i. Rebranding Vans and New Signage: In my experienced opinion, this is a waste of money. I would instead spend this money on a new Marketing Plan which concentrates on two areas:

a) How to target higher wealth clients in the market area.

b) How to sell price based customers on why premium services and products can save them money in the long run. Once the new Marketing Strategies bring in profits, then it is a good time to upgrade signs and re-brand with those growth dollars.

ii. Increase Letters to past clients: Ok, but what is the purpose of a letter? The time to ask for referrals is the day the job is completed. When the client is happy with their new Kitchen or Bath. A newsletter with examples of completed jobs and customer testimonials, along with a preferred customer discount coupon, may be more effective in obtaining an add-on sale with an existing customer. A newsletter can also be a forum to introduce other services to current customers which they may not be aware, such as, having an article on the Design Services that Kitchen Solvers offers. The most cost effective, normally highest bang for your marketing buck, are continuing sales to existing customers.

iii. Leaving a Gift Basket with a Customer Post Job Completion: The Borden Kircher's are looking to implement better customer service and they believe customers are looking for the "Wow" factor. Leaving a gift is not customer service, and the wow factor should be as a result of a beautifully completed job. A Gift Basket will get neither. Customer Service starts at the Sales and Design Stage and continues throughout the job. The business owners showing up on the job to check on things and talk with the client is good customer service. Meeting with the customer in person after a job is completed to go over everything and ensure the client is happy is good customer service (and a great time to drop off the latest company newsletter and ask for several referrals). Customer Service is showing up on the job when the client is unhappy with the contractor's work. This type of highly motivated customer service will create the Wow factor for Kitchen Solvers, along with a quality, premium, beautiful look in the finished kitchen or bathroom, leaving a lasting impression.

iv. Work on the Operational Side with the Franchisor: This is one of the fantastic advantages a Franchisee can leverage: utilizing the experience and resources of the Franchisor. Some Operational Tips I would make as a Business Consultant:

a) Analyze product costs and see where you can cut costs yet still retain a premium, high-end image with quality products and value added results.

b) Work on a Supplier Business Plan which strengthens your relationship with your suppliers, tapping their assistance, experience, resources and expertise to bring better product offerings to your customers.

c) As previously stated re-work the Marketing Plan, along with making the resulting key changes in the Strategic Plan to better anticipate future market trends and adapt operations more proactively to those indicating trends.

d) Examine the Operational Aspects of the Business Plan to see how you can better bridge the gap between the design sale stage and the install. Customers are more prone to pay a premium for a smooth, effective transition from concept and design to install and completion.

e) Incorporate add-on selling into your Strategic Sales Plan for existing customers. A happy customer is more apt to stick with the same company to continue remodeling, so be sure to have a built in process which engages customers and shows them other remodels you can accomplish for them. Add-on selling takes very little marketing cost for a big return and ties in well with solid customer service.

f) Have the Franchisor witness some sales and installs to see if areas for improvements can be identified. Incorporate these improvements into your Business Plan.

b. My Best Advice: Find a way to sell a premium product and service to higher wealth clientele and offer a product/ service which has a premium look and finish, yet appeals to price conscious customers. Search for innovative suppliers who can help accomplish this mix. Follow-up this new business model with strong customer service throughout all the sale and install stages. Concentrate on a post-completion walk-through which asks for referrals and start the add-on sale process. Follow up with a monthly newsletter which contains add-on ideas and offers a loyal customer discount. The Borken Kircher's have a lot of challenges in this economy, and as they said, "you can't just sit around waiting for people to call." Use this rough patch as a learning experience in staying ahead of changing market trends, analyzing costs and making new plans for future success. A premium product + great customer service + a quality install + great value = a viable business model in any economy. Just don't wait two years to make changes.

3. The Melting Pot Restaurant: The challenge Franchisee Michael Frampton was facing during the Real Estate Crash in California was establishing the restaurant in a new shopping center when 10 other centers in the area were all opening at the same time. On top of this significant challenge, property taxes went up from $500 a month to $2,500, which meant $2000 a month cost comes straight off the bottom-line, never being budgeted for.

a. Solutions: Mr. Frampton shows why he is going to be a successful business owner. Clear steps and strategies to overcome the current situation:

i. Loyalty Cards: This is a fantastic move. Appreciate your regular customers during the hard times, and they will keep your doors open.

ii. Mass Mailing: Targeted within a 10 mile radius as there are so many competing restaurants in the immediate area. Targeted mailing is measurable, which is key during tough times.

iii. Analyze where you are spending money and the areas which can be controlled (not necessarily cut): Mr. Frampton actually saved $500 a month in focusing on linen costs for towels used to clean the restaurant. He also analyzed energy cost: when they turn on equipment and the length of time it's used. A third major cost area for restaurants is staffing, which Frampton cost analyzed as well.

iv. New Business Opportunity: He started opening for lunch on Sundays. Why? Probably because customers come after church with their families to enjoy an upscale meal, as do the late weekend risers searching for a good brunch close to home. One of the best analyses a restaurant can perform is looking at the average customer flow, food sales, alcohol sales and costs for each day of the week it is open to determine what days are best to be open and the reasons why. Armed with that information, you can adjust staff schedules, open hours and food prep costs much more strategically. Mr. Frampton apparently thinks the added costs of being open for lunch on Sunday is worth it, based on good cost analysis.

4. EmbroidMe: Wendy and Todd Diskin own a franchise that specializes in promotional solutions for businesses, which includes decorating apparel and screen printing. Their challenge has been rising costs from their suppliers. They have experienced a 5% increase in the Cost of Goods over the last year.

a. Solutions:

i. Competitive Pricing vs. Solution Based: The custom product industry is price competitive. With rising costs, the Diskin's have provided a more solution based approach so the buying decision isn't just made on the quote. For instance, if one of their customers is trying to increase readership, they figure out how EmbroidMe products or services can help the client achieve that goal and come up with a program to do so. Then the decision becomes one of "risk and reward and ROI instead of price..." Selling solutions alongside your product and service offerings is a way you can separate your company from the competition and still retain premium pricing in a price based market.

ii. Continuous Marketing Software: This program sends letters and emails so the Diskin's can "stay in front of their customers on a regular basis without a ton of effort...." This software program keeps the company engaged with customers, giving EmbroidMe first opportunity to make another value added sale or track how customer market trends may be changing.

iii. Vendor Relations: Leveraging a strong advantage franchises have, EmbroidMe Corporate negotiates the best pricing and strategic relationships with suppliers for their franchises. This is a huge advantage as it is a time consuming task and volume pricing from a Global Corporate level is much more advantageous than negotiating on your own as a single business unit. So it is apparent that although COGs has risen, EmbroidMe is still very competitive and successful, even in a recession.

Conclusion:

This article used real world examples and combined it with the business experience of a 20 year veteran Business Consultant to provide you with real world examples and strategies to use in order to start, run or adjust a new or existing business in a struggling economy. In a recent article I discussed Recession Survival Planning, and how it is a must and utilizes good Strategic Planning, Diversification Techniques, Contingency Planning and Cost Management. In another article I discussed various Recession Finance Techniques for your business which are particularly good during a Recession, which include Networking, Supplier Finance, Lease Finance and Local Business Loans. To conclude in this article, I identified certain types of businesses which excel in an Economic Downturn and why they are successful. My best advice for starting or operating a business during Recessionary times is as follows:

1. This Recession will have an impact for at least 3 years. So keep that in mind when planning for your business.

2. Track record, Experience, Niche Market Identification and Cash Flow are keys in raising funds for your business.

3. Solid, Comprehensive Business Planning, along with realistic, accurate Market Planning and Financial Forecasts are very critical during challenging economic times. An effective Strategic Plan is integrally important in bridging the gap between a Marketing Strategy and Realistic Financial Forecasting.

4. Out of the box thinking: For Brick and Mortar Companies, key on strong local areas and/or utilize the web to efficiently bring a product or service to the market.

5. Price Competitiveness becomes less important if you sell value-added business solutions to your customers and have tight controls on costs.

Frank Goley is a business consultant and business coach, and he works for ABC Business Consulting. He is an expert in developing, writing and implementing business plans, business funding plans, marketing plans, strategic plans and business turnaround plans. Frank is author of The Comprehensive Business Plan Workbook - A Step by Step Guide to Effective Business Planning, and he writes the Business Success Strategies Blog.

The Top 10 Businesses to Be in During a Recession - Real World Recession Strategies

By Frank Goley

2010-06-07T19:22:00.000-07:00

Catering is a multi-billion dollar industry in the US and is the fastest growing segment of the food service industry. If you enjoy working with food and people then catering could offer you a great small business opportunity. This article sets out ten basic steps that you can follow if you are looking for information on how to start a catering business at home.

Research

Start by finding out as much catering business information as possible. Also make a point of learning about general business marketing and management if you are not already knowledgeable in these areas. Taking a few classes to prepare to be a business owner is one good idea.

You also have to research the catering market locally so that you can understand as much as you can about your competitors and your prospective clients.

Sourcing ingredients and other supplies is an important part of the business. Look into a variety of local options and find out about what discounts are available to you if you buy in bulk. Restaurant owners will be able to give you a lot of tips here.

Local Health Regulations

Talk to local authorities and find out what permits you would require to run a business operation involving the commercial preparation and distribution of food. Look into the requirements for setting up and running a catering business from home. Zoning bylaws may restrict your activities here too so make sure that you are fully informed before proceeding.

Experience

Get some experience in commercial food preparation by working in a restaurant kitchen or for another catering service for at least a couple of months. This can be a great way to learn how to scale up from making four servings for your family to making 150 servings for a wedding.

Insurance

Make sure that you look into the insurance policies that you will need for your company assets and your company's liability. You must reduce your risk in the event that anything goes wrong and damages result that your company is liable for. You also need to make sure that you have appropriate policies to cover your home, contents and business assets.

Using your Home Kitchen

Assess your home kitchen to see what it is capable of and if any upgrades or equipment purchases are necessary.

Put some Menus Together

Put together some sample catering menus that may suit various occasions and run them by others in the food service industry for advice. Get an understanding of what the current market demand is like by looking over the menus of other catering companies. Do some research into modern trends in cuisine.

Try to thoroughly understand the cost and volume of the ingredients required and how many people the menus are designed to cater to.

Have a Practice Run

Before jumping into catering why not try it out first and see how you go. This is easy if you offer to cater a dinner for a number of friends or work colleagues. They can contribute to the cost of the groceries and you can prepare a dinner party for 15 or 20 people. This will give you a chance to get a small taste of what it is like to cater to a crowd. After the meal you can ask for honest feedback about what they thought of your food, presentation and service.

Funding

Decide how you will fund the business. Get a decent idea of startup costs for a catering business and then work out if you will be able to fund the business independently. You may need to consider a small business loan or some other form of financing.

Marketing

Think about a suitable catering business name and have a graphic designer do some logos for you to consider. Creating a solid brand is important when starting out in business as this will influence customer perceptions of your company. It can be hard to change course later so you should think hard about what your brand's values are and how you want your brand to differ from those of other caterers.

Put some thought into how you will go about doing your marketing. Clarify the market that you want to target, define your products and services and working out how you will go about pricing them. Look into different advertising and marketing methods to understand how a catering business can get leads. Lastly you need to work out a sales process to take you from the point of a customer enquiry through to a deposit being paid.

A Catering Business Plan

Look into completing at least some form of business plan. This will allow you to run a simulation for how you expect the business to run over the first one or two years so that you can work out if your proposal is profitable or not. It will also be a useful place to compile all of your research and to set out your goals and intentions.

The catering industry rewards those that plan ahead and are highly organized. Follow these ten steps and you will be well prepared when you start a catering business at home.

Looking for more information on how to start a catering company at home? Visit -

Starting a Catering Business for more details

How to Start a Catering Business at Home in Ten Steps

By Robert Sutherland

Starting a Mobile Oil Change Or Mobile Detailing Business in Louisiana Considered

2010-06-07T19:18:00.000-07:00

If you are considering a mobile automotive business because you like cars and have experience there, plus you realize that jobs are still hard to come by, but the economy is showing good signs of recovery then perhaps you ought to probe this thought of yours a little more. Not long ago, someone just like you was considering the same thing, his name is Scott.

Scott is from Louisiana, and he'd decided that either a mobile oil change business or a mobile auto detailing company was something he'd like to do. And since it was mobile he could afford to start this business without too much capital outlay. Still, he had some questions for me knowing that I had spent some 27-years in the mobile automotive service sector. Below are his questions and I bet they will help answer a few of yours too! Good Morning Scott, you are on the air;

1) My biggest concerns are what licenses and permits do I need for the business?

For both auto detailing and mobile oil changing you will most likely need to speak with your local municipality, if there is none, talk to the county. Most likely you will need standard business licenses. Many jurisdictions have specific rules on auto services. Plus, for mobile detailing you will need to find out about their "NPDES Permits" so that should be your first question due to storm drainage, remember Louisiana has very low ground water table, in many places it is at the surface or even above, as the world learned in the ninth ward of New Orleans for instance.

There may also be a concern about used oil discharges and environmental considerations, obviously you have to remove the used oil and take it somewhere. Ask where, if you don't get an answer follow the EPA guidelines, luckily in Louisiana there are folks who will take the used oil for ships, road coatings, or re-refining.

2.) Do I have to have a LLC for the business to get started?

Well, I am not a lawyer thank god, and so I cannot give you legal advice and I'd be a fool to do so in Louisiana, as their laws are different from the rest of the country although most of their business laws are similar. You really need to speak to a lawyer about that, perhaps get a hold of a local SCORE counselor in your area. You can do this by walking into the chamber of commerce to refer you, without being a member yet. Personally, I'd incorporate depending on your personal assets and size of your business.

3.) I guess a guide in the step by step process would be very beneficial for me.

Interestingly enough, I am considering on writing an eBook on this topic and will most likely do that this year. However, I do recommend the Melric's Guide for starting a mobile oil change business, and you can find this online, it's very reasonably priced, with lots of good information. It's currently the industry standard for mobile oil change companies.

Indeed, I'd like to thank my readers for sending in their small business questions, so that I might also help others. If you have questions for our weekly column or radio interviews, let me know.

Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank. Lance Winslow believes if you are going to build a business building, you need to hire the best contractor; http://www.wallawallacontractors.com.

Note: All of Lance Winslow's articles are written by him, not by Automated Software, any Computer Program, or Artificially Intelligent Software. None of his articles are outsourced, PLR Content or written by ghost writers.

Starting a Mobile Oil Change Or Mobile Detailing Business in Louisiana Considered

How to Develop Your Ability to Synthesize Information - A Key Entrepreneurial Skill

2010-06-07T19:15:00.000-07:00

Successful business ownership is all about gathering information, picking through it to decide what makes sense, and making sound decisions based on all available data. Synthesizing information in this way can be a difficult task to master, but a little time and practice can make you an expert in no time.

Synthesis is the final step in critical thinking -- after you analyze, evaluate, and organize information from different sources, this step requires you to put it all together. Many people struggle with this step, but really all you are trying to do is select the best answer, or combination of answers, from a wide range of data. In fact, the odds are that you do this on a regular basis anyway, whether you are aware of it or not.

As you may have noticed, the internet is flooded with all sorts of conflicting information on just about any subject. Trying to find the best answer by surfing the web requires that you consider the merit of a variety of sources and choose for yourself which idea makes the most sense to you. You might find yourself coming up with an entirely different answer than those you read about...this is synthesizing.

Essentially what is happening is that by examining and evaluating a number of sources, you are identifying consistencies and relationships between and among the data. With these connections, you are better able to create a new idea that can be supported by the various knowledge you have picked up along the way. Not everyone will come up with the same solution, and your own solution may not always turn out to be right, but by starting with a wealth of data you improve the odds of missing something important.

In the context of entrepreneurship, synthesis is a critical skill for every step, from planning your business idea to growing your company. Most first-time entrepreneurs do not have a complete toolshed of basic business knowledge, much less the details of their own product, market, and competition. Gaining this knowledge is essential, but very little of it has clear right and wrong answers. In any type of business, there are hundreds of small decisions to make along the way, each of which has the potential to make or break the entire venture.

For example, a critical portion of business planning is developing your marketing plan. In order to create an effective marketing plan, it is essential to study the basic tenets of marketing, the various routes for getting your message out, and the best ways to convince your target market that your product or service is the way to go. Search for "Marketing Plan" on the internet, and you will get hundreds of results, millions of ideas and opinions, and several dozen sales messages telling you that they hold the "secret" to effectively marketing your product. The reality is that there is no right answer for every business, so you must review and analyze a multitude of information, then come up with a plan that incorporates the best of these ideas that will be most effective for your business.

The key to effective synthesis is to collect enough data to understand the fundamental concepts. Use a variety of sources and mediums to develop your knowledge base -- read articles and books, talk about your ideas with those in the know, watch what happens around you. Look for opinions that differ from your own to ensure you have considered all different perspectives. The more information you have to draw from, the easier it will be to make informed, justifiable decisions to keep your startup on track and on the road to success.

About the Author-K. MacKillop, a serial entrepreneur with a J.D. from Duke University, is founder of LaunchX and blogs about starting a business. The LaunchX System has synthesized information from thousands of sources to give you a clear path to start your business. Visit LaunchX.com to find out more about our complete business startup kits.

How to Develop Your Ability to Synthesize Information - A Key Entrepreneurial Skill By K. MacKillop

Source: EzineArticles.com

How to Become a Millionaire - Choosing the Right Business Opportunity

2010-06-07T19:09:00.000-07:00

So, how do you go about choosing the right business opportunity for you? You know, life is just a bunch of decisions strung together. Choosing the right kind of business opportunity for you could be one of those important decisions on the road to wealth creation. Making the wrong decision could cost you millions and making the right decision could make you millions. Here are a few simple rules you can apply to choosing the right type of business for you.

1.Follow Your Passions (But Not Your Hobbies)

Nothing great in the world has ever been achieved without passion. The best kind of business is always to make or sell a product or service you know and love. This is because if you are starting a business, you are most likely going to be in it for the long haul. Passion is like... Without passion you will run or of steam real fast especially under trying circumstances and the business is likely to fail. Passion and love of what you do will sustain you through the ups and downs. And your successes will taste that bit sweeter if you're passionate about what made you successful.

However, it is important not to confuse your passion and your hobby. Just because you love baking apples pies does not necessarily mean that starting an apple pie business is a good idea. In fact, it is probably a bad idea. Most likely you will become sick of apple pies and realize that baking 1,000 apple pies a day and distributing them to retail outlets just is not the same as baking an apple pie on a quiet Saturday afternoon in your home.

2.Get Skilled or Be Killed

Passion first, skills second...but a very close second at that. Skills and talents are the prerequisite tools you will need to just 'do the job'. Skills and talent won't guarantee you will become a business sensation but combined with passion and business savvy you give yourself more than a fighting chance of success.

Apart from the technical skills you need to 'do the job' you then really need to get on top of business skills like finance, sales, marketing, management, operations etc.

You won't garner these skills from a textbook. Sure, you can learn about and understand the concepts in theory from a book but you have to implement and learn though trial and error what's gonna work in the business world. It doesn't matter if you're the best poodle clipper, stockbroker or second-hand car salesman in the world; to develop a successful business requires completely different skills. Eventually, to be truly successful in business you must move beyond being a "technician" i.e. just doing the job to becoming a true business person i.e. leading the business".

3.Know Your Lifestyle Requirements

Starting a new business is not glamorous. Exciting - yes but glamorous - no. You will have more flexibility as regards working hours, location etc. but even less freedom than you think. A new business can call upon 24/7 commitment from you. Contrary to popular opinion, you will work longer hours, have less time (for yourself and family), more stress and more sleepless nights than you could ever have working for someone else. If you're not mentally prepared for this reality your dream business could quickly become a nightmare. So, make sure the type of business you chose fits the kind of lifestyle you want to lead. If you're very social and enjoy interaction with people than retail, sales-oriented business could suit you. If you're a little less social and want to spend more time at home, than a home-based business such as an Internet-based business might suit you better. If you prefer to keep irregular hours than you might consider a project-based business that doesn't require regular 9-5 hours but rather a commitment to delivering by a deadline.

Starting or running a business can require a lot of energy, commitment and of course money so you really want to avoid wasting your time and money barking up the wrong tree! Applying the very simple rules above will help you avoid the pitfalls so that you can belong to elite few of business owners that become millionaires running their own businesses. Sign up for Millionaire Mindset Secrets for FREE now, you'll get instant access to insider secrets on How to Become a Millionaire - http://www.millionairemindsetsecrets.com

How to Become a Millionaire - Choosing the Right Business Opportunity

Source: EzineArticles.com

LINK EXCHANGE

2010-06-06T23:18:00.000-07:00

For friends who want to exchange links please fill in the comments field:

Title : fill with the desired title
Description : Description of your blog
Url : fill with your blog address

But before I submitted, please plug the banner / link below in your blog

Copy and Paste to Your Template

FOR LINK :

Title : SMALL BUSINESS IDEAS

Description : business education center

Url : http://interprenuer.blogspot.com

I will check and put your blog link on this page, as soon as possible. No later than 24 hours

thanks

Bagi teman teman yang mau bertukar link silahkan isi pada kolom komentar:

Judul : isi judul yang di inginkan
Deskripsi : Deskripsi blog anda
Url : isi dengan alamat blog anda

Tapi sebelum disubmit, silahkan pasang dulu Banner / link dibawah ini di blog anda

Copy dan paste di templatemu

UNTUK LINK:

Judul : SMALL BUSINESS IDEAS

Deskripsi : business education center

Url : http://interprenuer.blogspot.com

Saya akan cek dan pasang link blog anda di laman ini, secepat mungkin. Paling lambat 24 jam

terima kasih

Top Challenges Facing Small Businesses and Entrepreneurs

2010-06-06T22:36:00.000-07:00

1. Talent. Finding and retaining qualified workers is the most significant challenge to the growth and survival of a business. Using people without the right skill sets is not only waste time, but also waste of resources. Many people you hire will turn out to be unreliable or incompetent or both.

2. Marketing and public relations. Many entrepreneurs have a lot of knowledge of his product or business, but do not how to promote his products or services. A good product is not enough if nobody knows about it. The entrepreneur must also learn creative marketing, and targeting public relations to spread awareness of his product and services.

3. Brand equity. As a new business, building brand equity poses one of the most challenging tasks of a business. If you do not have a good track record of setting up other businesses, many people may not trust you and your company as you have not built up your reputation.

4. Cashflow. Doing business these days definitely is not cheap, especially if you want it to be really successful. A slightly mismanaged cashflow can cause a business to go down easily, and many startups fail because of this.

5. State and federal regulations. There are a lot of regulations involved in starting a business in almost any country. Getting compliance and navigating through the tough government regulations is a very tough task. Knowing where to get government grants and subsidies is a bonus, and it is often not as easy as the guidelines.

6. Economic uncertainty. It is hard to start a business when the economy is in bad. When there is high unemployment, business and consumers may have tight budget and are unlikely to take risk to try a new product or service. Furthermore, it is harder to get a loan.

7. Keeping up with technology. Technology moves really fast. There are always new software or devices out in the market that can help in your business. Even though some of these may be essential, being able to afford them and choosing the right tools and using new technology to help your business grow can be very tough.

8. Access to capital. Some businesses require large amounts of capital to function. Undercapitalization may inhibit the growth and sometimes even be cause a company to fail. Entrepreneurs who are not well connected or do not have a track record may find it very difficult to find capital.

9. Lack of specific skills. Some businesses need very specific talents which are hard to find or expensive. If specific talents to the business are important, research should be done to see if they are available before starting the business.

10. Over reliance on founders. The founders are usually the ones that do everything. They come out with the ideas, the capital and everything else necessary to start. As a result, some of these companies cannot function without their founders, and it poses a great threat to scalability and growth. Once the company is stable, the employees should play a bigger role in the company.

Many businesses are family owned businesses as it is easy to find family members and start a company. For many family owned business, here are the common challenged faced:

1. Informality Most family business are informal and do not have much structure or policies. Communications may be informal and may be influenced by political divisions or other relationship problems.

2. Limited Opinion As the family business usually hires family members, there may be lack of outside opinions and this restricts on the diversity of ideas required to expand the business.

3. Lack of Talent and high turnover Hiring family members for high positions may prevent really good talents from joining the company as there is a "glass ceiling" Some family members may even lack the skills required for the job, and firing a family member is hard. When employees feel that the family will always promote over outsiders and when employees realize that management is incompetent they will leave.

4. Conservative and paternalistic As most family owned businesses are run by older family members, there is a resistance to changes and new ideas proposed by younger family members and tradition will prevail over best practices.

5. No clear exit strategy Family businesses usually run till they fail. At no point of the business do they call for a valuation or plan to increase or decrease its value.

6. No clear roles or training Family members may be placed into positions which are not good fit for them, and it is done so due to relationship in the family. There is often no formal training, documentation or business continuity plan if a family member has to retire or leaves the company.

7. Growth. Due to lack of capital, talents, new investments or resistance to reinvest in the business, family businesses often face challenges in growing or expanding regionally or internationally.

These are the common challenges faced by businesses. If you plan to start one, perhaps you can think of overcoming some of these as you write your business plan.

Robin is an international entrepreneur who is involved in training, researching and consulting companies in creativity, communications and Entrepreneurship. Robin owns several companies and Greenyarn LLC, a nanotechnology company based in Boston manufacturing sustainable socks, fabric and apparel for environmentally conscious consumers. Robin is also a guest speaker at many events and tradeshows, and love to share knowledge and tips. http://www.facebook.com/socialhub

Top Challenges Facing Small Businesses and Entrepreneurs

By Robin B Low

How to Start a Parking Lot Sweeping Business

2010-06-06T22:34:00.000-07:00

First you are going to need to file for a business license. The requirements and procedures vary from state to state, so determine what is required for your situation. You will generally need to apply for a business license, file a fictitious business name for the business, and publish the filing in a local news paper to make the business official as a sole-proprietorship. I recommend beginning as a sole-proprietor, and later looking into a different legal structure for the business as it grows and accrues assets. I am not a lawyer and this is not legal advice but I would focus my time on moving the business forward in sole proprietorship form without putting any energy or attention on a different legal structure until the business is operating and steadily generating a significant amount of revenue.

You are going to need a comprehensive brand image for your company. Flowing from this, it would be ideal, to at least have your logo and website professionally designed. I recommend using a company like The Logo Loft, they have affordable packages available for start-ups to get their basic branding needs taken care of. You can get your logo, website, business cards, flyers, envelopes, and letterhead designed professionally so that they all coordinate and deliver a cohesive message to promote your company. Once the website and your promotional materials are ready you can move on to the next step. I also recommend getting branded uniforms for yourself, so as to make an impression that your business is established, this important in a parking lot sweeping business, because property managers want to know that your company can perform it's function with minimal supervision.

Resources for Logo and Branding:
-logoloft
-vivalogo
-logodesignguru

You may also want to get a 1-800 vanity number, for example 1-800-SWEEPING, this will also assist in having clients perceive your company as established. I would recommend purchasing and using 2 vanity phone numbers. One that plays a free recorded message to inform your clients about your services, how to request a quote, and any special offer you might have, and the second to reach a live person. This allows a curious prospects to call in without the sales pressure associated with talking to a live person. The technology used by many 1-800 number providers will capture the phone number and name used to call your recorded message line. You can then use this information to further develop or nurture the lead captured by your recorded message line. Information and resources on getting a vanity number can be found by Googling the term "1800 vanity number," look for a provider with low per minute cost and that offers a useful extension structure.

Resources for 1-800 numbers:
-ringcentral
-get8x8
-onebox

Once you've prepared the company to present its self to the public, you should identify and prepare your billing system and process. Choose the software you will use to organize this aspect of your company, I recommend QuickBooks. You will want to set a time with your CPA and ask them to prepare a "chart of accounts," this will make it very easy to use the program you choose because all the correct accounts will be categorized and set up (expenses, receivable, etc), and all you will have to do is enter data. The software will process the data and let you examine the flow of cash in your business. This will take care of your internal accounting needs. Now how do you simplify and automate billing your clients?

I would recommend exploring Freshbooks, they have a feature that automatically generates an invoice that can be sent via email, snail mail, or both. Your customer can then review their invoice online, they can review the current standing of their account online, and process payments through Freshbooks. This takes a lot of the hassle out of coordinating all the effort involved in proactively and accurately billing all the people who's parking lot's you've swept.

Ideally you want to sign a contract with your client first, then purchase a power sweeper because the holding cost associated with the monthly payments on your sweeper can be steep if the sweeper is not making you money. If you would like to purchase a sweeper, you can visit Masco Sweepers in San Jose, CA; or GCS Environmental Equipment Services in Sacramento, CA. Sweepers are also available on a for sale by owner basis, and these opportunities can be found in classifieds like Craigslist.

Now you know everything except how to get your first client. How you ask? I'll tell you what I did. First I "posed" as a student in the entrepreneurship program at San Francisco State University. I targeted the property managers of many large shopping malls, grocery stores, office parks, parking garages, etc and I asked them for an interview for a school project. Now I actually was a student in the program, and I actually was working on a project, but I had some alternate motives during these interviews, because I fully intended to start a parking lot cleaning business. When conducting these interviews I would chat people up, making them feel very important and knowledgeable through my questioning, and then I would ask key questions. I would ask what the best way to approach and sell to them specifically would be. I would ask about the faults of their current vendors, their motivations involved in the decision to use a vendor, the current price they were paying for their sweeping service and for a referral to another property manager to ask for an interview. These interviews brought me face to face with people who would have been totally unreachable had I been trying to penetrate as a sales person. These interviews gave me a great basis on which to continue interacting with these property managers.

I then used the information I gained to extrapolate a "rough" pricing model. I also followed up on the interview by mailing a $2 dollar bill to everyone who met with me face to face, this was a technique to stick out in their memory. Ultimately in many cases, I knew what people liked in a vendor, how they wanted to be approached, how much they currently paid, and I had all their contact information! This kind of high quality information would have been much more difficult to generate starting from a sales approach. I now had some rapport, some credibility, and an avenue for further conversation once I started my business.

I recommend attempting to identify and interview, whether in person, over the phone, or via email 50 important people that make decisions regarding parking lot sweeping. This will give you an understanding of what's important to your customer and how they think.

Now you should begin prospecting for new business, I recommend building a database of 1000 property managers that would prospectively require parking lot sweeping. Once you reach this number STOP. It is now time to focusing on creating sales for your business using these prospects. You will need a client relationship manager to work with this large amount of data. There are many CRM's (client relationship managers) out there that you can use to manage your processes calling prospects and recording the results of your efforts. There is a very simple and easy to use CRM called highrisehq, you can Google that and sign up for a free account that will allow you to have 250 contacts stored for free, this is very useful when starting out, later you will have to pay, but it is cheap.

Now put your sales hat on. Once you've done the leg work here, there is a pretty easy way to get people to accept quotes from you. Basically you want to call and speak with, not just call, but actually speak with as many property managers in your database as you can. You want to offer them a free quote just to help keep their current vendors honest and make sure they are receiving their sweeping service at a competitive price.

The great thing about this business is you can start out running it from your home, and grow as large as you'd like to grow. This industry is driven by price, and quality service, if you cannot deliver on those two things there is a much higher possibility of failure. I am happy to help anyone interested in pursuing this idea. I will connect you with the people who helped and influenced me, and offer my knowledge as a resource to you.

You can review my website to see how simple it is create a site that gets property managers to call: http://www.exosweep.com I will be updating this article as I write more on the subject so check back in frequently.

- There is another article on the topic of starting a parking lot sweeping business that you would find interesting if you liked this article. The article was written by Jerome Boykin, published in Inc Magazine, and is titled "How I Did It: Jerome Boykin, Owner, JB Sweeping Service" - How I Did It

-You can find forms like a sweeping proposal template, website templates, and example marketing plans if you Google "nitehawk sweepers partner plus program." You can call the sales department and ask for temporary access to the partner plus program. This company sells parking lot sweepers and they offer many resources for people starting out in the power sweeping business.

-North American Power Sweeping Organization, Google them you may gleem some information here that will be of service in your journey.

How to Start a Parking Lot Sweeping Business

By Daniel A Gonzalez

Things I Should Know About Starting a Business - The 3 Most Important Things You Must Do First!

2010-06-06T22:33:00.000-07:00

Becoming your own boss is a common dream for so many people. But more often than not, it seems to remain just an idea. So how can you make it a reality when it's something you're actually serious about? Well, for starters, you need to ask yourself, "What are the top things I should know about starting a business?" The following is an answer to this important question.

The 3 Top Steps to Starting a Truly Successful Business:

1- Plan Out Your Goals: If you are still in the initial stages of determining what things I should know about starting a business, then you will need to be sure to write out your financial and business goals. Make a timeline as well for when you hope to achieve them. Why do you want to start a business and what do you hope to accomplish? Do you want something hands-on that will require your presence in order to run smoothly or are you hoping for something more automated to allow a more flexible schedule for travelling and family time?

2- Choose Amazing Mentors: The second most important thing I should know about starting a business is to secure a mentor who can help coach and guide you towards success in your chosen field. The most successful people in business have all made it a point to surround themselves with many people and at least one close mentor who can be a positive influence and show them the ropes. You can learn from their failures and triumphs and have a huge advantage in your own personal journey towards business ownership!

3- Study Online Marketing: Possibly the most important of the things I should know about starting a business, is that in this day in age, almost everything is done online. Most of the world tends to shop, socialize, communicate and do business online. So whether you intend on owning a bricks and mortar business or something using the power of the internet, you will need to understand how to market your business online.

Unfortunately some people think that having a website will be enough when it comes to building an online presence. But when you consider the sheer enormity of the world wide web, you need to understand that just having a website without putting any real time into properly marketing and advertising your business online to drive people to your websites, you'll likely just float around the internet and never be found. So it is crucial that you enroll in an online marketing and mentoring school with the ability to train you in the important skills of online branding and internet marketing.

Things I Should Know about Starting a Business: What you Need to Do Now!

So, as you set out to discover the things I should know about starting a business, be sure to have your clear goals in mind, follow an already successful mentor's lead and of course you must learn how to market your business online in order to be competitive in your industry and build your brand and awareness among your target audience and clientele.

Be sure to look for an online marketing program that not only teaches the top internet marketing techniques but also provides on-going, live training for their members, keyword research to use in your marketing campaigns and all of the other top business tips and strategic trends that are going on in business today so that you can continue to stay on top of your game!

Next, to continue with more of the Top Things I Should Know about Starting a Business go now to http://www.Make1KaDay.com. Fill in the form on the first page and then watch the videos on step #3 of the second page to start learning the Top Internet Marketing Strategies and Techniques that You can start using Now to start marketing and branding your business Today!

Shawn Stoik is an accomplished Entrepreneur, Top Internet Marketer and International Business Coach who trains both Total Beginners and Seasoned Pros around the world to achieve Financial Freedom by creating Wealth and Prosperity Online!

For more information on how you can either create an Online Home Business or Transform an existing one into a more thriving and profitable experience, please visit: http://www.StoikFamily.com to learn more about Shawn and his family, enroll in the World's Largest and Most Successful Internet Marketing School and start learning the Top Internet Marketing Tactics that you can use Now to Build the Most Successful Online Business!

Things I Should Know About Starting a Business - The 3 Most Important Things You Must Do First!

9 Characteristics of Good Entrepreneurs - Do You Have What it Takes?

2010-06-06T22:31:00.000-07:00

Owning a business is not for the timid. Okay, let's be a little more specific. Entrepreneurship is not for wimps. In fact, you have to be pretty tough to pull it off without losing your mind. Here are 9 other characteristics or skills that make a good entrepreneur. While possessing these qualities won't guarantee you success as a business owner, NOT having most of these qualities should make you think long and hard before quitting your day job.

1. Tenacity---you will be told "no" by landlords, bankers, potential clients, vendors and others in the process of getting your business up and running. If hearing the word "no" sends you packing, you should re-think entrepreneurship.

2. Healthy Ego---while you should not be narcissistic, you should have a certain amount of ego. You're about to go where the masses don't have the courage to go. You ought to be pretty dang confident that in the face of all obstacles, you can prevail. If you have a self-esteem issue, entrepreneurship and its many obstacles and roadblocks, and ups and downs, may overwhelm you.

3. Leadership Drive---you cannot be a follower AND a good entrepreneur. Often times it's just you. Who are you going to follow? Even if you have a team working with or for you, since you are the owner they will be looking to you to set the vision and strategy. You had better be able to step up and provide leadership or the vacuum will be deep and wide.

4. Creativity---it will be hard to compete in your industry if the only thing you know to do is do what everybody else does. You need to have some creative skills that allow you to see possibilities for your business beyond the obvious. If you don't, your competition will, and they will leave you in the dust. Creativity doesn't mean "artsy". Creativity means the ability to see opportunities where others don't and the ability to find new solutions to old problems. If this is not your strong suit, make sure you have a mentor or someone on your "success team" who possesses this attribute.

5. Street Smarts-you have to be able to think on your feet and know how to "punt" in difficult, unknown territory. You won't always have the right answers and will rarely know it all, but as the owner, people will have high expectations that you do. If methodical processes and logical paths are where you live, you're off to a great start, but you probably need to get your "street smarts" index up a few notches before launching out completely on your own.

6. Coping Skills---Entrepreneurship is rewarding but it is hard work and will stretch you sometimes to the breaking point. Good coping skills are a must. If you are fragile when it comes to stress, you are going to have serious problems handling entrepreneurship. Be sure to find a healthy and stable outlet for "de-stressing" in order to maximize your chances for success.

7. Problem Solving---every day is a new day with new problems to solve. The problems you think you solved last week often reappear in slightly different iterations, and new ones crop up regularly. "Assess and implement" rather than "analysis paralysis" is critical. Otherwise, stop and re-think whether you really want to own a business, which actually means owning all of its problems.

8. Risk Taker---you have to be determined to proceed without necessarily having all the pieces of the puzzle together or all the resources you need available. If you are naturally risk-averse, you will have a hard time stomaching entrepreneurship for very long. Maybe sharing the risk with a partner or co-owner is a viable option for you.

9. Common Sense---My friend Lisa always says "Common sense ain't common". I think there's some truth to that. Nonetheless, you have to be able to break complex issues down into simple terms and get to the root of an issue. I once had a boss who had the absolutely maddening ability to take the simplest concepts and turn them into something convoluted. Not surprisingly, he seemed to delight in taking the complex and making it downright incomprehensible to mere mortals. That is not a cool attribute. People will appreciate you if save them thinking power. They will talk about you behind your back if everything has to be solved by algebraic equation.

No doubt that there are at least a dozen more attributes of successful entrepreneurs, but you get the picture. Do an honest self-assessment. Are you really cut out for this?

You may reprint this article provided that the information about the author, below, is included in EACH reprint in its entirety.

Written by Traci D. Ellis, attorney, author, speaker and business "therapist" to women entrepreneurs. Author of "The Top 10 Legal Issues: The Stuff That Stalls Startups", Traci practices business law and has represented hundreds of start up businesses with all of their legal needs. Find out more at http://traciellislaw.com. In addition to her law practice, Traci provides useful, entertaining and practical business advice to small business owners on her blog, Launch Therapy. Visit http://launchtherapy.com for more information.

9 Characteristics of Good Entrepreneurs - Do You Have What it Takes?

By Traci Ellis

Lessons From Teen Millionaires

2010-06-06T22:27:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was one of those inspiring days for me. It started with listening to yet another free webinar. This time the topic was "How to Make Your First $1,000 Online." As I have already made my first $1,000 online, I started brainstorming of ways my husband could make his first $1,000 online. (That's what wives do, right? Tell their husbands what to do?) When my brainstorming and keyword researching was over, I hit a few forums to get into the "new venture mindset." There I ran across an interesting and inspiring post.

Said post was talking about teenagers that are becoming incredibly successful through online businesses. There are teenage millionaires popping up all over the place these days. Though truly inspired, I started wondering "Why?" Why are these kids able to succeed when there are so many adults that are struggling in online and offline business? Here's what I came up with:

1. They listen to their audience. A lot of their businesses are directed towards other teens. They know what the teens are looking for and they provide it. They don't base their business ventures on where someone else is telling them where the money is.

2. They are not confused by fluff. It is certainly relevant to online business, but they aren't caught up and discouraged by internet marketing jargon. They don't start their business worrying about big niches and SEO. Not only are they listening to their audience, they are speaking to their audience. Not some search engine. People have money, search engine spiders don't.

3. Confidence. They don't have spouses, family or friends telling them "you can't do that." They have a support system encouraging them. If you believe in yourself, you believe in what you are selling.

4. With all that confidence comes some great marketing! They aren't worried about what others will think. They tell everyone what they do and what they have to offer. They drop business cards, give presentations, and solicit their neighbors. All with no worries.

5. Failure isn't an option. If someone tells them "no," they aren't afraid to ask "why?" They take that information and improve their business model or product. They don't throw in the towel before they've even started.

At the end of the day, maybe we are all too jaded to build businesses this way. But wouldn't it be great if we could......or would?

Angie Nelson is owner of ASN Virtual Services, http://asnvirtualservices.com, and writer of The Work at Home Wife blog. Stop by http://theworkathomewife.com to get your free report on How to Set Your Freelance Rates.

Lessons From Teen Millionaires

Business Ideas For Beginners

2010-06-06T22:23:00.000-07:00

Here are some tips:

The first step in a great marketer is having the proper training. Even if your career has been in marketing, it is not the same as online marketing. You will want to get some training as soon as possible. You will certainly benefit. In today's market, there are many companies who offer step-by-step training and support as a part of their programs.

Next, you need to find a marketing company that will be a good fit for you. Many companies will begin by telling you how much money you can make, but don't get lost in that. Obviously, money is important or you wouldn't be here, but make sure to dig deep and do some research to find out how long it will take before you can start to see a profit. Some companies will pay you much faster right from the beginning for your hard work.

Be sure to look at how much work you have to do with an internet company before seeing a profit. In this industry, it is realistic to only work a few hours a day and make a very healthy living. You just need to find the company that can help you achieve that. Be sure that you will have ongoing training and support. Why waste time learning yourself when others have been doing it successfully for years? Find a company that has successful people who are willing to share their "secrets" with you?

Since there are so many methods and types of internet marketing, you should figure out if you want to focus on one type or find a company that offers the opportunity, know-how, training and support to do many. Do your research, make some decisions, be sure to have training and support in whatever you decide and go from there.

Kristen Sheehan invites you to check out her other articles or visit her website http://KristenSheehan.com to see the remarkable system that has made her a success. After 17 years and trying every work at home and MLM program imaginable, she has finally found the perfect system. She is confident in the CarbonCopyPro system and cannot believe the changes she is seeing in not only her life, but those who she is fortunate enough to help on the road to financial freedom.

Business Ideas For Beginners

By Kristen Sheehan

3 Things You Need to Start a Business

2010-06-06T22:21:00.000-07:00

If you are thinking about starting a new business, you need to know three things. Do these things and your business will run smoothly. Forget them, and you will have trouble down the line.

Register your business name.

This will be called a DBA (doing business as).

The reasons for this are two fold.

· When you generate money, you will have to report it to the federal government (Internal Revenue Service) and in some cases the state and local governments. The DBA is how you separate your regular income from your business income.

· The other reason is to make sure no one else is doing business under your same name. If you don't register your business and someone else is doing business under the same DBA, then you could lose your right to continue doing business under that name and have to start over. Getting a cease and desist order could cost you a lot of money and could cost you clients.

Do your homework first.

· Research and find out what the legal requirements are for your chosen business.

· You need to know what insurance you need to cover your liabilities

· You need to know about the bonds you need to post or buy to cover yourself and your clients.

Don't over extend yourself.

· Under capitalization is the most common reason for business to fail. Simply put, you don't have enough money to keep your business going while you are getting it started.

· People often forget to figure out how much money it is going to take to sustain a business. Paying the help, rent, utilities and other expenses while business is growing can be costly.

o A way to figure this out is to run a test market. A scaled down version of what you are going to do.

o Consider trying to sell your product or service at a flea market where you have a lot of traffic to see how people will respond to your business.

o In other words, don't quit your day job until you are sure that your business will have a sustainable income.

By doing these things first, you will save yourself a lot of grief and possibly your business. No one starts a business just to see if they can skirt the laws, not pay taxes, or have someone else take over your business.

Lawsuits can be devastating to you and your family, protect yourself by obtaining the correct insurance or bonds and falling all the rules.

Robert enjoys many business ventures and sharing his passion with others. As a businessman, he always has new projects going. Visit his latest business venture at http://bbqgrillparts.org/ where he shares his knowledge of the BBQ Grill Cover.

3 Things You Need to Start a Business

By Robert Joe Wallace

How to Become an Entrepreneur

2010-06-06T22:19:00.000-07:00

How to become an entrepreneur in 3 simple steps

Becoming an entrepreneur is the dream of many people especially in these times of economic hardship, when being your own boss seems to be a great way out of the recession. But regardless of your own motivation of becoming an entrepreneur, before starting out as one, you have to asses yourself and decide if your current situation and context would help you to reach your goals.

Step 1: Make sure that becoming an entrepreneur is the right decision for you

The dictionary definition of the term 'entrepreneur' specifies that it means 'a person which runs a small business and assumes the risk and rewards that come from it'. This is crucially important to clarify before starting on the path of entrepreneurship: you have to accept risk as a daily part of your life and you have to deal with it almost on a daily basis.

This is the main factor that separates entrepreneurs from normal people: the degree to which they accept risk in their lives. 90% of the population hates risk so they prefer the safety of a 9 to 5 job where they know that at the end of the month a paycheck is waiting if they do their job. Where as, entrepreneurs risk to go long periods without any money coming in, but they also could reap great rewards if their business succeeds.

Step 2: Find a good idea for your future business

After you have decided that indeed you can accept risk in your life, then it's time for you to cook up a great idea that you can implement into your first start-up. In order to do so just take a good look at you passions and see what you could love to do for a long time without getting bored or annoyed.

If you are good at any kind of sports, if you have hobbies or pets that you love, all of these could make the basis of your future business. Just find something that you can put passion in and start thinking at ways you can develop it into a business.

Step 3: Get founding for your business and start it up!

Once you have decided on what kind of business you want to start, you have to make a business plan that should include everything you can think of: expenses, potential revenue, advertising, employees etc. A good business plan will give you a correct idea about how big your initial investment will be.

If you've got the money then great! Start your business a.s.a.p. and you will learn how to become an entrepreneur along the way. However, if you haven't got the money to invest, there are some options you could turn to: try getting a venture partner, a bank loan, an angel investor or some governmental funding. All of them are great sources of potential investments so take your time and see which one is best for your situation.

What if you can't come up with a great business idea?

As long as you are determined to be an entrepreneur, nothing ca stop you, then even if you have no original idea to build on. In this case the answer is quite simple: just follow other people that had success and imitated what they did until you achieve the same results. The idea here is that people are all the same so if anybody did something, there is no reason why you can't do it to.

How to Become an Entrepreneur

By Richard J Gregory

Starting Your Own Small Business

2010-06-06T22:17:00.000-07:00

Is starting your own small business a solution for you?

If you're considering starting a small business then it means that your inner entrepreneur is restless and trying to come out. This could be due to a lot of factors that are affecting your life right now and which are keeping you from feeling fulfilled.

These factors could include all sorts of experiences such as:

- a job that keeps you away from your family on a daily basis
- a salary that is not enough to cover all your needs
- a boss that always tells you what to do even though you don't like to
- not having enough vacation days in a year
- the though that you will loose your best years of your life in front of a desk etc

All of the above and many other similar factors can put an enormous pressure on individuals who are trapped in 9 to 5 jobs. But even if most of the people feel this way, they do absolutely nothing to change their way of life. This may seem strange but it is easily explained through one simple word: FEAR.

The overwhelming majority of people refuse to take risks in their life so they end up choosing the safest way possible: a monthly paycheck from a 9 to 5 job. This is where entrepreneurs are different: they accept risk as being a natural part of life and instead of running from it, they deal with it.

So if you really want to know if starting your own small business is the right thing for you, just ask the following question to yourself and answer truthfully: "Am I willing to accept risk as a natural part of my life?" You will then know if entrepreneurship is right for you; all of the other skills that you need can be learned through experience along the way.

Why starting your own small business has never been easier!

One you have decided that this is the path you want to follow, then commit yourself to stay on it no matter what. Realize even before you start that there are going to be though times ahead and that you have to endure through all of them in order to succeed.

Starting your own small business today is a lot easier compared to doing the same thing twenty years ago simply because you have all the information necessary right at your fingertips. There is an answer to just about any question on the internet and all you have to do is to search for it. Somewhere, sometime there has been somebody else in doing what you do now and all you got to do is to learn from their experience and from their mistakes.

What's the best way to get started?

There are numerous way for you to begin your first ever business but the easiest is to start something online, because it requires a much smaller investment compared to opening a small business offline. By attacking the online sector first, you have the option of testing if your product is selling, you can start building up capital for a more serous investment and you can quickly change things which aren't working. You just need an idea and then you have to go for it!

However, if you happen to have no idea, consider imitating a proven system and just replicate it for yourself. Here is a great resource.

Starting Your Own Small Business

By Richard J Gregory

Tips to Start a Business on a Low Budget

2010-06-06T22:11:00.000-07:00

Starting a business is something everyone should have in their to-do list, and certainly no one should let life pass by without having given a fair shot at it.

Having your own business unveils all kinds of benefits such as being your own boss and increasing your earning potential.

However, there is no denying that starting a business is easier said than done, and that is because before going ahead with it you need to know what you are going to do, and how.

The how part usually involves a somewhat heavy investment no all of us can afford, and that is where this article comes in.

You see, there are many ways to do business and not all of them require for you to pull out a fat checkbook or drown in debt, and I am going to give you a couple of tips to start on the right foot with nearly no money.

1.- Research and analyze online business models.

The internet is an ever more fertile ground for you to step in and develop your business. No matter what you have in mind, it is likely you can take it online and make a killing, and even if you do not have a particular idea in mind you can easily draft a business plan from scratch just by looking at all the opportunities you can find online.

From E-Commerce to online services and internet marketing, you can pretty much do what you want online.

The tools to do so are available everywhere and more and more of them are becoming free or dead cheap to use, such as content management systems to build complex websites without having to be much of a techie, market research tools etc.

2.- Choose one you feel more comfortable with and start working on it.

Chances are that any business option you choose to execute online will not demand an investment of more than $100 and you will have everything you need to start.

What comes next in order to get the ball rolling is to create a work routine and dedicate enough time and brain power to developing your business.

For example, if you decide to build an online store with a platform such as Yahoo Small Business Solutions, then you must commit yourself to do some product research everyday with the help of your product sourcing company, and keep your inventory updated.

Also, you must dedicate some of your time to promote your store by performing basic SEO tasks, ad placement in classified directories and other marketing activities that will increase your business' visibility and performance.

It will be a slow process, but if you work on building your know how and you consistently push your project forward it will pay off sooner than later, and you will have spent just pennies for a business that will likely turn into your main stream of income.

Tips to Start a Business on a Low Budget

How to Start a Business With No Money

2010-06-06T21:41:00.000-07:00

The first thing most new entrepreneurs have to consider in order to start a business is funding, start-up capital.

Depending on the type of business you have in mind the figures can go anywhere from a few thousands to over a million dollars.

In any case, it is really hard to think of a viable and profitable business option without a nice bag of money in you hands.

However, there is a simple way to overcome this obstacle and become a successful business owner, because indeed, by simply changing the business model you can be up and running toward a profitable operation with actual potential for growth.

Now, let us get into more detail of what this idea is about. To do that, the first thing you must know is that the business model I am suggesting is the online business model.

You might think right off the bat that this is not for you, because you know nothing about the internet least of all about marketing.

So yes, depending on your background, a venture into online entrepreneurship could involve a steeper learning curve -or not-, however, the fact of the matter is that any new business venture, even one you think you are more fit to handle, will require for you to go through a learning phase and acquire know how.

That is just the way it works in business, and the online business arena is no different. Now, what you can be sure of is that starting a business online will not only mean you will be risking nearly zero money, but it will also mean that you will be fully capable of operating your business a lot faster.

Why?

Well, because mastering the basics of the online business model will be far easier than learning the ropes of more complicated traditional business models. Indeed, you cannot imagine how many headaches something as -apparently- simple as dry cleaner business will give you even before you even open.

The indisputable truth is that doing business online is simply good business and by venturing yourself into the virtual world you can grow exponentially and with no limit (ask the Facebook guy and many others), with the difference that you will not be risking thousands to start, you will be risking maybe a few hundred dollars and some of your time and effort.

If you take this as a serious proposition and as a serious business option, you are sure to reach the goal of building a solid and profitable operation faster than you can imagine.

To learn more about the different ways to start and sustain a business online, I invite you to visit this site and see what other fellow entrepreneurs have used to develop their own businesses on the internet.

How to Start a Business With No Money

Business Ideas For Beginners

Services in the sea port

2010-04-24T07:58:00.000-07:00

1. ship/ vessel service

berthing service
mooring service
Pilot service
Tug Service

2. Cargo Services

Dock service
rental equipment
cumulation service

Content of Bill of Loading in Indonesia, Australia, Strait service

2010-04-24T07:43:00.000-07:00

1. definition
whice explained the : carrier. shipper. container
2. contracting parties.
3.hague rules governing law and jurisdiction
4. sub - contractor , sub agents and agents
5. scope of carrieage and carrier's liberties
6. alternative discharge
7 mislaid goods
8. carrier responsiblity
9 container packed by mrchant.
10. container packed by carrier.
11. carriers container
12. specoal container
13. stowage , deck cargo, live animals
14. dangerous goods and contraband
15. valuable goods
16. general average, new jason clause
17. both to blame collision
18. marks, sweepings and separation
19. notification and delivery
20. expenses
21. freight and charges
22. lien
23. limitation of liablity
24. period of claims
25. " on board " endorsement
26. timber

hotel murah di lombok

2010-04-10T20:49:00.000-07:00

pusat informasi rental mobil dilombok , hotel murah dilombok , travel guide di lombok , penyewaan mobil, lokasi object wisata dilombok, tentang wisata lombok , jasa antar jemput di lombok silahkan kunjungi: LOMBOK SERVICE CENTER

rent car in lombok

2010-04-10T20:47:00.001-07:00

if you want get information about the best hotel in lombok , cheapest hotel in lombok , rent car in lombok , good guide service in lombok, travel guide in lombok , just visit LOMBOK SERVICE CENTER

cheap hotel in lombok

2010-04-10T20:45:00.001-07:00

if you want get information about the best hotel in lombok , cheapest hotel in lombok , rent car in lombok , good guide service in lombok, travel guide in lombok , just visit LOMBOK SERVICE CENTER

Letter of Credit

2010-04-09T17:40:00.001-07:00

Letter of Credit is the best and safe international payment , protect buyer and protect seller from any risk , to know more about letter of credit please visit:
Letter of Credit
Export Import Basic

Export import business without money

2010-04-09T05:31:00.000-07:00

export - import business is not so difficult as people imagines, and actualy we can do it without big investment also.
1. how to do it
well, to do export - import business without investment of course need more work than the people who have the money but don't worry, event we have no money we can do it. to do it, you have to understand :
1. You have understood export-import procedure
2. You have to Understood about International Payment Term (Letter of Credite)
3. you have to choose what product do you want sell
4. find good supplier
5. find good Buyer
6. find Good shipping company to handle the shippment / Forwarding

that all 6 point you have to do if you want do export - import without money.
for further let visit the next tips...

Importation of Denatured Ethyl Alcohol & Methanol

2010-03-17T16:14:00.002-07:00

Import of denatured ethyl alcohol (including methylated spirits) and methanol are subjected to the sampling requirement by Customs. The procedures for the sampling, storage and extraction of samples are as follows:

Application for Sampling, Storage and Extraction of Samples

Prior to importation, the importer must submit the Application for Sampling of Denatured Ethyl Alcohol and Methanol Form ( DOC 450kb ), together with the following supporting documents, to the Classification Unit via fax no. 6337 6361:

Certificate of Analysis (COA) issued by the supplier or an independent authority
Bill of lading or air waybill
Invoice

Singapore Customs will determine and indicate whether sampling is required in the application form. The approved application form will be faxed to the importer.

Number of Samples Required

For each consignment which sampling is required, 2 samples (of up to 500 ml each) are required.

Procedures for Extraction of Samples

For sampling purposes, the importer or his agent is to e-file their application for Customs Supervision to Company Compliance Branch.

Upon successful application for Customs Supervision, the importer or his agent is to fetch the Customs officer at the stipulated time at Basement 4 of the car park at Revenue House for supervision of the extraction of samples.

The cargo may be discharged from the ISO tank or unstuffed from the containers or conventional lorry for storage in the storage tank or importer's warehouse under importer's lock and Customs seal. The importer or his agent can send the extracted samples to any of the approved laboratories listed below:

Health Sciences Authority (limited to tests for volume and alcoholic strength only)
Centre for Analytical Science
11 Outram Road
Singapore 169078
Tel No: 6213 0713
Productivity & Standards Board Corporation Pte Ltd
Testing Group, Chemical and Materials
1 Science Park Drive
Singapore 118221
Tel No: 6885 1335
ALS Technichem (S) Pte Ltd
14 Little Road, #07-01, #08-01
Tropical Industrial Building
Singapore 536987
Tel No: 6743 4311
Chemical Laboratory (S) Pte Ltd
520 Balestier Road, #06-01
Leong On Building
Singapore 329853
Tel No: 6253 6122

If the analysis report deems the product as denatured ethyl alcohol or methanol, Company Compliance Branch will endorse the release date on the Application Form and return it to the importer.

Upon receipt of the endorsement, importers can proceed to cut the seal and release their product accordingly. The cut seal must be returned to Company Compliance Branch within 3 working days from the date of release as endorsed by Company Compliance Branch.

Accepted Denaturants for Denatured Ethyl Alcohol

The accepted denaturants and their required concentration, for denatured ethyl alcohol are as follows:

5% (v/v) methyl alcohol
5% (v/v) isopropyl alcohol
5% (v/v) chloroform
0.125% (v/v) tert-butyl alcohol and 0.0005% (w/v) denatonium benzoate (Bitrex)
5% (v/v) toluene
1% (v/v) diethyl phthalate
4.25% (v/v) ethyl acetate having ester content of 100% by weight
50ppm (w/v) aqueous nicotine and 0.7ppm (w/v) methylene blue
4% (v/v) methyl alcohol and 0.0009% (w/v) denatonium benzoate (Bitrex)
4% (v/v) methyl n-butyl ketone/methyl isobutyl ketone and 1% kerosene
2% (v/v) methyl ethyl ketone/acetone and 3 % (v/v) methyl isobutyl ketone

source: http://www.customs.gov.sg/leftNav/trad/imp/Importation+of+Denatured+Ethyl+Alcohol+and+Methanol.htm

Importation of Trade Samples in singapore

2010-03-17T16:14:00.001-07:00

Bona fide trade samples (excluding liquors and tobacco) of a total value not exceeding $400/- on the CIF (Costs, Insurance and Freight) value may be imported without payment of duty and/or GST. A Customs In-Non-Payment (GST Relief) permit is required for the importation if the bona fide trade samples are controlled items. Supporting documents eg. invoice, bill of lading/airway bill are required to be produced to Customs at the entry point for verification.

Source: http://www.customs.gov.sg/leftNav/trad/imp/Importation+of+Trade+Samples.htm

Importation of Intoxicating Liquors & Tobacco Products in singapore

2010-03-17T16:12:00.000-07:00

The importation of all intoxicating liquors and tobacco products into Singapore is subjected to duties and 7% Goods & Services Tax (GST) on the CIF value (cost, insurance and freight) plus the duties payable. The duty rates can be found here.

Import procedure

The importer or his agent has to be registered with the Singapore Customs and maintain a security, in the form of a bank guarantee or insurance bond with Customs for transactions involving dutiable liquors and tobacco products.
A Customs In-Non-Payment (Approved Premises /Schemes) Permit has to be taken out by the importer or his agent electronically via the TradeNet® System for the movement of liquors and tobacco products from the point of import to a licensed warehouse for storage. This has to be done within 30 days from the date of arrival.
The customs tobacco product code and liquor product code are not required for permit declaration.
Duties and GST have to be paid before the alcoholic beverages and tobacco products are released for sales/consumption locally. The importer or his agent has to apply for a In-Payment (Duty and GST) permit electronically via the TradeNet® System prior the products are released for local sale or consumption. The importer or his agent is to make sure that the tobacco products and/or intoxicating liquors meet the respective requirements which are specified as follows:

Tobacco products for local consumption

The computation of duty for tobacco products will be based on the classification code and unit weight as declared in the Inward Permit. Test weighing of tobacco products for duty assessment is not necessary unless required by Customs
The tobacco products must bear the Health Warning Clause.
The code "HW" for Health Warning has to be indicated under the field for "Marking" indicated in the Duty/GST payment declaration.
Duty payment may be made for direct import of commercial and non-commercial quantities of tobacco products with Health Warning Clause without bonding into a licensed warehouse.

Intoxicating liquors for local consumption

The computation of duty for liquors will be based on the classification code, unit volume and alcoholic strength as declared in the Inward Permit. Extraction of liquor sample for duty assessment is not necessary unless required by Customs.
Duty payment may be made for direct import of commercial and non-commercial quantities of liquors without bonding into a LW. Where the duty rate is based on per litre alcohol, the actual alcoholic strength should be used to assess the duty payable.

Liquor Sampling for laboratory testing

Importers may seek confirmation from the supplier when there is any doubt on the volume, alcoholic strength and classification (HS code) of the liquor. Alternatively, importers may arrange for sample to be taken for analysis by any of the following 4 laboratories namely:

Health Sciences Authority (limited to tests for volume and alcoholic strength only)
Centre for Analytical Science
11 Outram Road
Singapore 169078
Tel No: 6213 0713
Productivity & Standards Board Corporation Pte Ltd
Testing Group, Chemical and Materials
1 Science Park Drive
Singapore 118221
Tel No: 6885 1335
ALS Technichem (S) Pte Ltd
14 Little Road, #07-01, #08-01
Tropical Industrial Building
Singapore 536987
Tel No: 6743 4311
Chemical Laboratory (S) Pte Ltd
520 Balestier Road, #06-01
Leong On Building
Singapore 329853
Tel No: 6253 6122

For testing of liquors selected by Singapore Customs the test samples must personally be selected by a customs officer. The sample must be sealed and handed over to the importer or his agent to be sent for laboratory analysis within a day. A sample receipt will be issued to the importer to enable him to deduct the stock.

For testing of liquors initiated by the importer, the importer should contact the above laboratories to confirm the sample quantity required for testing before arranging for duty paid samples to be sent for analysis.

No refund of any duty paid after the liquor products have been released from Customs control.

Source: http://www.customs.gov.sg/leftNav/trad/imp/Importation+of+Intoxicating+Liquors+and+Tobacco+Products.htm

Importation by Embassy/Consulatein singapore

2010-03-17T16:10:00.000-07:00

Embassies, High Commissions, Consulates or accredited Trade Missions in Singapore and persons who have been accorded diplomatic and consular privileges and immunities by the Singapore Government are eligible for duty exemption and GST relief on all goods that are for the personal or official use of the persons or organisation.

An In-Non-Payment (GST Relief and/or Duty Exemption) permit is required to cover the import of such goods but the organisation and its authorised claimants have to be first registered with Customs. To register as a claimant, the importer has to complete a registration form ( DOC 454kb ) and fax it to the address indicated below.

Head, Procedures & Processing Branch
Singapore Customs
55 Newton Road
#07-02, Revenue House
Singapore 307987
Fax: 6251 3804

Source: http://www.customs.gov.sg/leftNav/trad/imp/Importation+by+EmbassyConsulate.htm

status "Nyepi Sehari Kaya Tai" ummat hindu kecam Ibnu rachal firmansyah

2010-03-17T02:31:00.000-07:00

Semua orang sudah mengetahui, kalau yang namanya Nyepi itu benar-benar tidak ada aktifitas sama sekali, no light, no working, no eating. Jadi tidak ada ceritanya ngidupin api (masak), ngidupin lampu, dan beberapa orang sepertinya memilih untuk puasa demi kesempurnaan Nyepi.

Tetapi Di saat orang yang beragama hindu sedang memperingati hari raya nyepi,Ibnu Rachal farhansyah malah menulis status di FBnya "Nyepi Sehari Kaya Tai." Dan ternyata status FBnya tersebut menjadi booming di dunia maya dan menjadi kontroversi apalagi yang bergama hindu di Bali sangat marah dan merasa dilecehkan . Harusnya kita sebagai umat beragama mengahrgai dan menghormati kerukunan antar umat beragama.

Berikut ini Status FB dari Ibnu Rachal Farhansyah :

Orangnya sendiri sih sudah minta Maaf, tapi respon dari Balinese sepertinya belum mencapai kata Damai.

Sumber : http://www.mypepito.info/2010/03/nyepi-di-lecehkan-ibnu-rachal.html

Importation of Motor Vehicles in Singapore

2010-03-15T22:41:00.000-07:00

The importation of motor vehicles for local use has to be declared to Customs through a duty and GST payment permit. A duty rate of 20% of the Customs value will be levied on a motor car while a duty rate of 12% of the Customs value will be levied on a motorcycle or scooter. A 7% GST will also be levied on the CIF value (cost, insurance and freight) plus the duty payable.

Determining the Customs Value of a Motor Vehicle

The Customs value of the motor vehicle is derived from the transaction value, i.e. the price paid or payable for the imported vehicle. Overseas freight and insurance charges are included to establish the Customs value in CIF. The transaction value needs to be adjusted to reflect other charges including commissions, assists (materials supplied by the importer), packing costs, proceeds of resale accruing to the seller, royalties and licence fees, and etc.

To determine the Customs value of the motor vehicle to be imported, a declaration in the format as per Form SC-A-012 ( Doc.299kb ) has to be submitted to Customs with the following documents:

Commercial Invoice, Bill of Lading,
Freight and Insurance Papers,
Bills/Receipts relating to other charges,
Documents relating to exhaust emission test, windscreen test, etc,
Vehicle Data Card,
Vehicle's registration and/or de-registration documents (if previously registered), and
A manufacturer's letter confirming the date of manufacture of the vehicle.

Payment of Duty and GST

On receipt of the value of the vehicle determined by Customs, an In-Payment (Duty and GST) Declaration through the TradeNet® System has to be lodged. An agent can be appointed to lodge the declaration on the Importer's behalf. No refund of duty and GST paid will be made once the vehicle has been removed from Customs control/FTZ.

Important Note

Please check with the Land Transport Authority (LTA) for their latest requirements before you import your vehicle.
Soyrce: http://www.customs.gov.sg/leftNav/trad/imp/Importation+of+Motor+Vehicles.htm

Re-Importation of Singapore-Made Goods/Goods of Foreign Origin

2010-03-15T22:40:00.002-07:00

The Goods & Services Tax (Imports Relief) Order provides for GST relief on goods which were exported and subsequently re-imported into Singapore. For taxable persons registered with the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS), the relief will obviate the need to pay and claim GST on such re-imported goods.

Categories of Re-Imports for GST Relief

The following types of goods which may be granted GST relief on re-importation into Singapore and the required documents are given below:

Type	Goods	Requisite Document
I	Goods manufactured, assembled or produced in Singapore	In-Non-Payment Permit
II	Goods which have been supplied or imported into Singapore prior to export	In-Non-Payment Permit
III	Goods temporarily exported for repair, rental	In-Non-Payment Permit
IV	Bona fide trade samples temporarily exported to solicit orders	In-Non-Payment Permit
V	Singapore-registered motor vehicles exported to overseas destinations and vehicles exported to participate in sports, racing or similar event	In-Non-Payment Permit
VI	Horses, private or recreational boats or aircraft	In-Non-Payment Permit

The first 2 categories may be goods which are returned to Singapore by the overseas customers due to defects or failure at quality control tests. They may also be returned to Singapore upon completion of projects or assignments or expiry of lease to overseas customers. In other instances, these are goods which participated in overseas exhibitions, fairs or similar events or were used for performances or shows overseas.

Conditions to be Fulfilled

The goods must be identified to Customs to have been those previously exported from Singapore.
In the case of manufactured goods, the importer must satisfy Customs that the goods have not undergone any processing or manipulation outside Singapore since their exportation.
In the case of goods exported for repair, GST relief would be granted on the original remaining parts as well as new parts if the repair had been carried out at no charge under the terms of a warranty or guarantee agreement.
Goods under categories III and IV should be re-imported within 3 months from the date of export while those exported under Category VI should be re-imported immediately after the event.
The importer of a vehicle under category V must be able to satisfy Customs that there was no change of ownership of the vehicle while it was outside Singapore.
Where the re-import is made by a non-taxable person, the GST should have been paid previously and has not been refunded.

Documentation

The export and re-import of the goods should be covered by a Customs OUT (Re-imported Goods) Permit and a Customs In-Non-Payment (Re-imported Goods) Permit respectively. For the re-import of goods under categories V, the importer should obtain a Customs In-Non-Payment (GST Relief with Duty Exemption) Permit. Customs permits are applied electronically through the TradeNet® System.

At the time of export, the exporter must produce the goods together with the Customs OUT Permit, invoice and shipping documents to Customs at the exit point for verification. Similarly at the time of re-import, the importer must present to Customs at the entry point the goods together with the following documents:

the Customs In-Non-Payment Permit
the previous Customs OUT Permit
the commercial invoice & packing list
bill of lading or airway bill
supporting documents for the approved In-Non-Payment Permit

Application for Customs Inward Permit for Category V and VI

Before an importer can apply for a Customs In-Non-Payment Permit under Category V, he must first register with Customs as a claimant. To register as a claimant, the importer has to complete a registration form ( DOC 454kb ) and fax it to the address indicated below.

Head, Procedures & Processing Branch
Singapore Customs
55 Newton Road,
#08-01, Revenue House.
Singapore 307987
Fax: 6250 960

Alternatively the form could be submitted through the Customs website via the E-services option.

Use of ATA Carnets

In lieu of Customs permits, ATA carnets, which are obtainable from the Singapore International Chamber of Commerce, may be used to cover the export and re-import of the goods. Carnets may likewise be used for the temporary export and re-import of goods which were originally imported under the Major Exporter Scheme.

Prior to the export, the exporter should apply through e-filing to Permits Compliance Branch for inspection of the goods. Advance notice of 24 hours is required for arrangement of such inspections.

Granting of GST Relief

GST relief would be granted if Customs is satisfied that the goods re-imported are those previously exported from Singapore and that the conditions for the relief have been fully complied with. If not, a GST of 7% based on the CIF value of the imported goods will be collected.
Source: http://www.customs.gov.sg/leftNav/trad/imp/Re-Importation+of+Singapore-Made+GoodsGoods+of+Foreign+Origin.htm

Re-importation of Goods Temporarily Exported in singapore

2010-03-15T22:40:00.001-07:00

Goods temporarily exported for exhibitions or repairs or soliciting trade may be brought back into Singapore without payment of duties and/or GST subject to the following conditions:

The export and re-import of the goods must be registered with Customs by means of Customs OUT (Re-imported Goods) and In-Non-Payment (Re-imported Goods) permits respectively.
The goods are identified to the satisfaction of the proper officer of Customs at the time of export and re-import.
In the case of re-import by a non-taxable person, the tax had been paid previously and has not been refunded.
In the case of trade samples, they must be exported for the sole purpose of soliciting trade.
The goods are to be re-imported within 3 months from exportation date or such further period as allowed.
In the case of repairs, the waiver of duty and GST shall be applicable only to the remaining original parts of the goods. The importer has to obtain from the repairer a certificate confirming whether new parts have or have not been added, and an invoice on the cost of workmanship for the repair and the prices of the new parts added, if any.

The conditions are to be complied with before duty exemption and/or GST relief is granted for the re-imported goods. Failure to satisfy the conditions will mean that duty and/or GST is payable for the items.

Source: http://www.customs.gov.sg/leftNav/trad/imp/Re-importation+of+Goods+Temporarily+Exported.htm

Temporary Importation for Repairs & Other Approved Purposes

2010-03-15T22:38:00.000-07:00

Goods are allowed to be temporarily imported for repairs and other approved purposes such as stage performance, testing, experiments and demonstration without payment of duty and/or GST. This is subject to the condition that they are re-exported within three months from the date of importation. If the goods are not re-exported after the expiry of the given period, duty and/or GST will become payable.

The procedures for such importations are:

The declarant should apply for a Customs In-Non-Payment (Temporary Consignment) permit under the Temporary Import Scheme at the time of importation. For temporary import under other approved purposes, a letter explaining the purpose of the import should be submitted together with the supporting documents such as commercial invoice and bill of lading/airway bill to the Permits Processing Unit, Procedures & Processing Branch of Singapore Customs.
The declarant/importer should also furnish security in the form of a bank/finance company guarantee.
Customs will place identification marks on the goods at the point of entry or verify serial numbers e.g. engine and chassis number on motor vehicles against the relevant documents before release.
Goods under temporary import must be re-exported within the period approved for the temporary importation. A Customs OUT (Temporary Consignment) permit is required for the re-exportation of the goods. The Customs OUT (Temporary Consignment) permit and the goods must be produced to Customs at the exit point for examination.
Customs will verify the identification marks or serial numbers against the relevant documents at the exit point.
Permits Compliance Unit will then arrange to return the bank/finance company guarantee accordingly.
For the temporary import of motor vehicles for repairs, a declaration each from the importer doc link and workshop doc link should be submitted together with the supporting documents such as commercial invoice and bill of lading/airway bill to the Permits Processing Unit, Procedures & Processing Branch of Singapore Customs upon permit declaration.

Source: http://www.customs.gov.sg/leftNav/trad/imp/Temporary+Importation+for+Repairs+and+Other+Approved+Purposes.htm

Temporary Importation for Exhibitions, Auctions & Fairs in singapore

2010-03-15T22:34:00.000-07:00

Goods for exhibitions, except liquor and tobacco, could be temporarily imported for display or use at exhibitions without payment of GST. You may use either ATA Carnets or the Temporary Import Scheme for importing such goods temporarily.

If controlled goods are to be imported for under this Scheme, prior approval must be obtained from the various controlling authorities in Singapore. Any controlled goods found to have been imported without authorization from the appropriate controlling authority will be impounded or detained by Customs and referred to the appropriate controlling authority.

The organisers, exhibitors, freight forwarders and declaring agents may also be required by Customs to provide information or produce documents regarding any exhibition under Sections 90 and 91 of the Customs Act. Failure to provide the information or to produce the document requested constitutes an offence under the Act.

Use of Local Freight Forwarders for Declaration of Permits

Goods imported under the Temporary Import Scheme, has to be covered by the proper Customs permits. Similarly, the duty/GST payment and re-exportation of the goods are to be covered by the proper Customs permit as well. To apply for a Customs permit, you may engage the services of a of a local freight forwarder registered with Customs. The flow of documents to be prepared is shown here ( DOC 24kb ).

Goods for exhibitions may be imported 3 weeks before the exhibition and be re-exported within 3 weeks of the closure of the exhibition. Requests for extension of these periods must be made in writing (with reasons stated) to Head, Permits Compliance Branch. Such requests will be considered on a case by case basis and approval will be granted if there are cogent reasons.

ATA Carnet

A foreign exhibitor could import exhibition goods into Singapore using ATA carnet. In-Non-Payment (Temporary Consignment) permits are not required when goods are imported using an ATA Carnet. When the exhibitor arrives in Singapore, he must produce the carnet together with the goods to Customs at the checkpoint for verification and endorsement.

If goods imported under the carnet are sold, GST is payable on the goods at 7% of the CIF value or selling price, whichever is the higher. The GST could be paid by means of a In-Payment permit which is obtainable through a local freight forwarder who is registered with Singapore Customs.

When goods covered by a carnet are taken out of Singapore, the foreign exhibitor must produce the carnet and the goods to Customs at the exit point for verification and endorsement. GST will be recovered from the carnet holder on any item that is unaccounted for.

Banker's Guarantee (BG)/Insurance bond

Banker's Guarantee is a requirement under the Temporary Import Scheme. Customs In-Non-Payment (Temporary Consignment) permits will be automatically rejected by the TradeNet® system if their BG/Insurance bond is insufficient or if there is no BG/Insurance Bond lodged.

For the temporary import of dutiable motor vehicles for repairs, exhibition and other approved purposes, the amount of bank guarantee/insurance bond required is 30% of potential duty and GST payable on the motor vehicle if the importer is GST registered. If the importer is not GST registered, the BG/Insurance bond required is only 50% of the potential duty and GST payable.

To temporarily import certain selected goods such as jewellery, precious stones, handbags, garments, antiques, watches, etc, for repairs and other approved purposes, the BG/Insurance bond required from GST-registered importers would be only 50% of the potential GST payable on the selected goods. Only importers who are not GST-registered would be required to put up a BG/Insurance bond for 100% the potential GST payable on these selected goods. For the detailed list of the selected goods subject to this requirement, please click here ( PDF 25kb ).

For the temporary import of non-dutiable goods, the amount of bank guarantee/insurance bond required is:

30% of the potential GST for exhibitions with sales/auctions for taxable companies

50 % of the potential GST for exhibitions with sales/auctions for non-taxable companies

30% of the potential GST for repairs and other approved purposes for taxable companies

50% of the potential GST for repairs and other approved purposes for non-taxable companies

The required BG/Insurance bond must be lodged with Customs before any Customs In-Non-Payment (Temporary Consignment) permits are declared through the TradeNet® system.

The BG/Insurance bond must be lodged by the exhibition organiser, exhibitor or their local freight forwarder/declaring agent, on the prescribed formats obtainable from the e-filing option available in our website. The BG/Insurance bond shall remain operative for at least three months after the closure of the exhibition.

When submitting the BG/Insurance bond to the Securities Registration Officer, the organiser, exhibitor or their local freight forwarder/declaring agent shall provide, on their letter-head, the name, venue and period of the exhibition.

The declarant of the Customs In-Non-Payment (Temporary Consignment) permits (and any other party lodging the BG/Insurance bond for the imported goods) will be held responsible for ensuring that the conditions imposed on the permits have been complied with, including the re-exportation of the goods within the period allowed for temporary importation.

The declarants should pay duties/GST on any items listed in the In-Non-Payment (Temporary Consignment) permits that are sold, transferred or disposed of locally and on items not covered by Customs OUT (Temporary Consignment) permits. If the duties/GST on such items is not paid, it will be recovered from BG/Insurance bond lodged by the declarant or other party. The BG/Insurance bond will be discharged when there is no outstanding revenue due to Customs in connection with the Customs In-Non-Payment (Temporary Consignment) permits declared.

Letter of Undertaking (applicable to government agencies and statutory boards)

The Banker's Guarantee/Insurance bond as stated above can be waived if all the goods imported for the entire exhibition are re-exported and there are no local sale, transfer or disposal of the goods.

The Letter of Undertaking (LU) must be put up by the government agency or statutory board concerned at least one month prior to importation of the goods, in the prescribed format. A sample of a letter of undertaking for waiver of security ( DOC 21kb ) is attached.

Before submitting the LU to the Temporary Import Unit, the government agency or statutory board concerned shall provide the name, venue and period of the exhibition, the value of the goods to be imported and the appointed freight forwarder for the event. The LU is subject to approval by Customs.

Reconciliation List of Permits

To facilitate early release of the BG after the exhibition, the declarant of the Customs In-Non-Payment (Temporary Consignment) permits must submit to the Temporary Import Unit, Permits Compliance Branch, a reconciliation list as per Annex B ( DOC 38kb ) showing the Customs In-Non-Payment (Temporary Consignment) permits, In-Payment permits and Customs OUT (Temporary Consignment) permits taken out for the exhibition goods. Goods stored pending re-exportation are subject to Customs inspection at the place of storage. If any goods are unaccounted for, the GST payable will be recovered from the BG lodged by the declarant of the Customs In-Non-Payment (Temporary Consignment) permit or the party who lodged the BG for the goods.

Brochures, Pamphlets and Gifts

GST should be paid on all brochures, pamphlets, gifts and other give-away items imported for an exhibition as they are meant for local use. However, there is provision for relief of GST if such goods are imported by post or by air and the total value of such goods does not exceed $400.

Sealing and Unstuffing of Goods

Officers at the entry points may seal any package or container before releasing the goods. Such sealed packages or containers should be unpacked/unstuffed under Customs supervision. The organiser, local freight forwarder, local declaring agent or exhibitor must apply for Customs supervision of unpacking/unstuffing to Permits Compliance Branch through e-filing 24 hours before the intended operation. Fees will be charged for such services.

Re-exported Goods under the Temporary Import Scheme

Officers of the Temporary Import Unit, Permits Compliance Branch may place Customs seals on any package or container containing goods to be re-exported after the exhibition. The sealed package/container should be produced to Customs at the exit point with the seals intact. The organiser, local freight forwarder, local declaring agent or exhibitor should apply for Customs supervision of packing/stuffing to Permits Compliance Branch through e-filing at least one day before the end of the exhibition. Fees will be charged for such services.

Unauthorised Breakage of Customs Seals

It is an offence to break or tamper with any Customs seal placed on any package or container. The declarant of the Customs permit and the person having custody of the sealed package or container should take measures to safeguard the Customs seal.

Displaying Undeclared Imported Goods

It is the responsibility of the organiser to inform foreign and local exhibitors in advance that all goods imported for display at the exhibition must be declared to Customs at the entry point, the goods must also be covered by proper Customs documents. These documents should be retained by the exhibitors as they are subject to Customs inspection at the exhibition site. If any exhibitor fails to declare the imported exhibition goods to Customs at the entry point, he would be committing an offence under the Customs Act.

Customs Clearance of Hand-carried Exhibition Goods

Arrival Clearance
If the goods for the exhibition are to be hand-carried into Singapore, the exhibitor's local declaring agent must fax a copy of the Customs In-Non-Payment (Temporary Consignment) permit to the exhibitor. The exhibitor must then produce the document and the goods to Customs for verification and endorsement at the entry point.

If there is insufficient time for this to be done, the declaring agent should fax a copy of the Customs In-Non-Payment (Temporary Consignment) permit to the Officer Commanding (OC) of the Customs at the entry point concerned before the exhibitor arrives in Singapore. The name of the exhibitor, his arrival date/time and flight number must be provided.

The exhibitor must declare the goods to Customs at the entry point and, if he is not in possession of a copy of the In-Non-Payment (Temporary Consignment) permit, he should check with his local declaring agent, the In-Non-Payment (Temporary Consignment) permit approved for the goods.

Departure Clearance
If the unsold exhibition goods are to be hand-carried out of Singapore, the exhibitor's local declaring agent must provide the exhibitor with a copy of the Customs OUT (Temporary Consignment) permit at the end of the exhibition. The exhibitor or the local declaring agent must produce the OUT (Temporary Consignment) permit and the goods for Customs verification and endorsement at the exit point.

Only endorsements of the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority on the export documents will be accepted as proof of export.

The onus of ensuring that the permits are produced to the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority for endorsement at the exit point falls on the declarant of the Customs In-Non-Payment permit or the party lodging the Banker's Guarantee with Customs for the relevant goods. If the foreign exhibitor is taking the goods out by air via Changi Airport, the exhibitor or local declaring agent should produce the permit together with the goods for Customs verification and endorsement at one of the two GST Refund Counters located in the Airport's departure hall at least one hour before the departure time.

The counter before the airline check-in counters is for Checkpoints inspection of goods meant to be checked-in as luggage whilst the other counter located in the departure hall after the Immigration counters is meant for Checkpoints inspection of hand-carried items. The local declaring agent would not be able to gain access to the latter GST Refund Counter unless he has a pass issued by the Airport Police.

Payment of Duties/GST on Goods Sold, Transferred or Disposed of Locally

Duties/GST must be paid on any item listed in the Customs In-Non-Payment (Temporary Consignment) permit that is sold, transferred, disposed of locally or not re-exported under a Customs OUT (Temporary Consignment) permit. The responsibility for paying the duties/GST to Customs rests with the declarant of the permit and alternatively on the party lodging the Banker's Guarantee for the imported goods.

The duties/GST should be paid to Customs within 14 working days of the closure of the exhibition. If the duties/GST due is not paid, it will be recovered from the Banker's Guarantee lodged by these parties. In view of this, organisers must ensure that all foreign exhibitors are properly informed to pay the duties/GST to their local declaring agents before leaving Singapore.

The GST will be based on the declared value or selling price, whichever is the higher. If dutiable goods are sold, the duty must be included when computing the GST. Customs officers would conduct inspections of the goods displayed and the documents covering the importation and sales at the exhibition site.
Source: http://www.customs.gov.sg/leftNav/trad/imp/Temporary+Importation+for+Exhibitions+Auctions+and+Fairs.htm

warehouse of goods

2010-03-14T18:41:00.000-07:00

Warehousing of Liquors and Tobacco

All imports of liquors and tobacco (including cigarettes) must be stored in a licensed warehouse. Application for stuffing/unstuffing of dutiable goods at a licensed warehouse should be e-filed to Company Compliance Branch 24 hours before the operation. Click here to e-file application.

Every case, cask or package in good condition, containing dutiable goods shall be deemed to contain the full quantity as declared in the relevant Customs permits unless a Customs inspection is conducted. Application for a Customs inspection should be made within 24 hours of arrival of the goods in a licensed warehouse. Click here to e-file application.

After the inspection, the owner of the goods or his agent may re-condition or repack the goods. Duties may be remitted on any goods found deficient at the time of inspection.

Goods that are not fit for human consumption may be destroyed under Customs supervision.

Fees for inspection, supervision of repacking and destruction are payable in respect of dutiable goods surveyed, repacked or destroyed.

Please click here ( DOC 30kb ) for an overview of the procedure for storing dutiable imports in licensed warehouses and here for more information on the licensed warehouse scheme.

Warehousing of Non-Dutiable Goods

Imported non-dutiable goods can be stored in a Zero-GST Warehouse pending re-export. The GST on the imported goods will be suspended as long as the goods remain in the warehouse. GST is not charged on the sales of goods while they are in the warehouse. There is also no GST payable on the goods when they are removed for export. GST is only charged when the goods are removed from the warehouse for local use.

The movement of goods into and from the Zero-GST warehouse must be covered by relevant Customs permits.

The licensee must maintain inventory record on goods stored. A discrepancy report must be submitted without delay to Schemes Promotion & Administration Branch on any discrepancy in stock.

Please click here ( DOC 36kb ) for an overview of the procedure for storing non-dutiable imports in Zero-GST warehouses and here for more information on the Zero- GST warehouse scheme.
Source: http://www.customs.gov.sg

Goods Subject to Control in singapore

2010-03-14T18:39:00.000-07:00

The import, export and transhipment of some goods are subject to the control of Controlling Agencies.

Some Controlling Agencies require you to apply for approval or a licence prior to the import, export or transhipment of the controlled goods.

You are required to submit the permit applications to the relevant Controlling Agencies through the TradeNet® system for processing and approval before importing, exporting or transhipping the goods that are subject to control.
For a list of Controlling Agencies in Singapore, please click here ( DOC 37kb ).
Please click here ( DOC 152kb ) to view the list of controlled imports and here ( DOC 136kb ) to view the list of controlled exports.
For a more comprehensive list of items that are subject to control by the relevant Controlling Agency, please refer to the below appendices:

Appendix A - Items under IMPORT control ( DOC 875kb )
Appendix B - Items under EXPORT control ( DOC 41kb )
Appendix C - Items under IMPORT & EXPORT control ( DOC 2,188kb )
Appendix D - Items under IMPORT, EXPORT & TRANSHIPMENT control ( DOC 227kb )
Appendix E - Not in use
Appendix F - Not in use
Appendix G - Items under IMPORT control for CONTROLLED & DUTIABLE HS ( DOC 74kb )

To apply for approval/licence from Controlling Agencies, please click here.
Source: http://www.customs.gov.sg

Import & Export Procedures into Singapore

2010-03-14T18:36:00.000-07:00

IMPORT

For transhipment of controlled items within the same Free Trade Zone, you are required to:Import
For import of all goods (including controlled and non-controlled items) into Singapore, you are required to:

Obtain an IN Permit through TradeNet® before goods are imported into Singapore, and
Pay the duty and/or Goods and Services Tax (GST) due at the prevailing rate at the time of importation.

Please click here ( DOC 32kb ) for an overview of the import procedure in general.

Import of High-Technology Items

Certain high-technology items are subject to export control by the exporting country. In this case, the exporter in the exporting country may ask the Singapore importer to provide an Import Certificate and Delivery Verification (ICDV) so that the exporter can seek approval from his government authority to export the items.

Importers can apply for an ICDV from Singapore Customs. Items covered by an ICDV must be imported into Singapore directly, and are not to be diverted to other countries. For more information on ICDV application procedures and conditions, click here.

EXPORT

For export of goods out of Singapore, you are required to:

Obtain an OUT Permit through TradeNet® within 3 days of export if your goods are non-controlled and are exported by sea or air, or
Obtain an OUT Permit through TradeNet® before goods are exported out of Singapore if your goods are controlled or are exported by road and rail, or
Obtain an OUT (Temporary Consignment) Permit through TradeNet® before exporting goods previously imported under the Temporary Import Scheme out of Singapore, or
Obtain an OUT (Re-imported Goods) permit throught TradeNet® before goods are exported under the Temporary Export Scheme.

Please click here ( DOC 28kb ) for an overview of the export procedure in general.

TRANSHIPMENT

Obtain a Transhipment (TTF) Permit through TradeNet if the transhipment goods were previously brought into the Free Trade Zone from overseas for temporary storage in the Free Trade Zone, pending transhipment via the same Free Trade Zone.

For transhipment of goods from one Free Trade Zone to another, you are required to:

Obtain a Transhipment (TTI) Permit through TradeNet if the transhipment goods were previously brought into the Free Trade Zone from overseas and subsequently transhipped via the second Free Trade Zone.

Please click here ( DOC 33kb ) for an overview of the transhipment procedure in general.

Source: http://www.customs.gov.sg

Hotel Business Plans

2010-03-14T00:36:00.000-08:00

Every industry has its own unique terminology. Hotel Business Plans have to include comments about specific terms such as Occupancy Rate – The percentage of rooms filled over a particular period of time - which you will need to understand, and clearly explain.
Hotels are very prone to seasonal variations, such as Winter or Summer, depending upon whether they are in a Ski resort or by the beach. The seasonal variation will need to be addressed.

Local events such as trade fairs or conferences will need to be investigated and taken into account, and incorporated into your hotel business plans.

Sample Business Plan

Coach House Bed & Breakfast

Executive Summary

Introduction

The long-term goal of Coach House Bed and Breakfast (Coach House) is to become the best choice on Tybee Island, Georgia for temporary lodging by creating a differentiated experience capitalizing on personal service, the historical nature of the Coach House building, and its unique location in one of the most attractive parts of the Old South.

We plan to be more than a great bed and breakfast. We plan to create an environment of pampered luxury that surpasses the standard fare for Tybee.

Expanding our exposure via the Internet and introducing the island to people that have not yet discovered this year-round paradise will allow us to maintain a higher than average occupancy rate and above average profits.

The Company

Coach House Bed and Breakfast is an established B&B, and has been in operation for the last three years as Marsh Hen Bed and Breakfast. After possession and a brief period of becoming established, Coach House will diverse into other ventures to ensure a steady flow of patrons (tourists and locals) through its doors.

The Coach House Bed and Breakfast will be a partnership, equally owned by John Maesch and Frank Williams. Mr. Maesch will reside on the property, managing and maintaining the business and satisfying Tybee Island license requirements.

Our Services

The Coach House Bed and Breakfast was originally built in 1920 and is believed to have been one of three train stations on Tybee Island, linking the island to Savannah. The building has undergone a number of restorations and uses since the train service ceased operation. With construction completed, it now has the potential of four rental units with owner-occupancy in an unused room. Creating a "home away from home" which is often more beautiful and palatial than where they are traveling from will ensure many return customers. The riches of Chatham County have always drawn a significant number of tourists to the Savannah/Tybee Island area. In addition to providing information about such locations, we plan to collaborate with tour agencies and businesses throughout the area by offering packages and special rates.

As the B&B becomes established through the peak season, we plan to expand our services to the residents of Tybee and Savannah in time for the off-season. The adjoining rooms open creating a large area, ideal for formal or informal gatherings (i.e. wedding receptions, office parties, Christmas parties, etc.).

The Market

B&Bs, along with other short-term lodging on Tybee Island, have been a substantial part of the island tourism. Of the short-term lodgings on Tybee, ten are categorized as inns, 19 as long-term lease facilities (rentals, condos, and houses) and only four as B&Bs, including the Coach House. Hotels/motels constitute the largest percentage of rental properties on the island in terms of units.

A modest projection for increased unit rental is 30% per year. Competitors on the island have averaged 30% + rental increases over the past three years, and the Georgianne Inn is forecasting 50% increases for the next two years before hitting full capacity. This projection is without any significant increase in advertising or exposure, but is based on the general average increase in tourism.

Our two major customer segments are tourists from the north who traditionally prefer the cozy environment of B&Bs, and local patrons who need the facilities for various events. Subscriptions to various Web services will provide international exposure to potential customers for nominal annual fees.

Financial Considerations

Coach House will be acquired at $500,000 via a small business administration (SBA) loan (CDC 504 Loan Program) with the buyers supplying 20% down ($100,000), Ameribank supplying 50% ($250,000), and SBA supplying 30% ($150,000). We are assuming an initial capital start-up of $12,000 for operating expenses.

We estimate average monthly fixed costs to be at $6,770 ($3,486 for expenses and $3,284 for interest payments). Peak and off-season will have significant impact on the monthly earnings. For the first year, on-season revenues will offset off-season losses. As Coach House B&B builds its market position among the local patrons, we anticipate that off-season revenues will be enough to break even during that season...

View the rest of this hotel business plan

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Palo Alto software

Reclaim VAT on EU transactions

2010-03-14T00:18:00.001-08:00

All 25 countries in the European Union impose VAT. However the rates vary from country to country, though there are currently moves in the EU to standardise the range. The differences in value are quite wide and averages around 19%, with top rates reaching 25% in some countries.

In addition, countries tend to impose VAT on different items. In the UK for example VAT is not imposed on children's clothing or books.

Surprisingly few businesses realise that they are in fact able to reclaim VAT on many cross-border transactions. According to some estimates, US companies are currently reclaiming only 20% of the more than 1 billion dollars they are paying in VAT in Europe, whereas German companies are giving away an estimated 1.2 billion dollars in unclaimed European VAT refunds.

Clearly if you are going to be doing a lot of business in Europe you should consider reclaiming your VAT as part of your business strategy.

According to current regulations you can recover most of your VAT expenses such as those paid on:

Business travel costs. This includes car rentals, hotel accommodation, meals, gas expenses, telephone expenses, etc
Business operating expenses (e.g. maintenance costs)
Marketing/advertising services
Professional advice such as that obtained through business consultancy services
Trade-fair expenses and conference costs
Various items of capital expenditure (e.g. machines and equipment)
Exports into Europe and inter-European transfers of goods (subject to certain limitations)

However knowing what you can claim and claiming it are two different things. In order to reclaim all your VAT expenses you will need to undertake the steps in our checklist below.

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Use a letter of credit when importing or exporting

2010-03-14T00:17:00.000-08:00

Use a letter of credit when importing or exporting

A letter of credit (or documentary credit) is the most secure and convenient payment method for international transactions. It is a document issued by a bank guaranteeing an importer’s ability to pay for goods or services.

A bank issues a letter of credit on behalf of an importer, authorising the exporter to obtain payment within a specified timeframe provided the conditions outlined in the letter of credit are met. The letter of credit acts like an insurance contract for the importer and exporter - virtually eliminating the credit risk for both parties, while at the same time reducing payment delays.

Types of letters of credit

How it works (using a confirmed letter of credit)

Common errors to avoid

Understand export documentation

2010-03-14T00:16:00.000-08:00

Compiling the correct export documentation, knowing where to send it, when and to whom speeds up the processing of transactions and builds confidence in the professionalism of your business.

Why documentation?

Key reasons for using documentation:

Describing cargo
Reducing delayed shipments and delivery
Customs clearance
Indicating ownership of goods for collection or in the event of a dispute
Obtaining payment

The type of documentation required often depends on the Incoterm (international code for delivery) used for the contract. A freight forwarder will usually assume responsibility for export documentation, although it is still a good idea to understand the different types and procedures.

Commercial documents

Commercial invoice - a bill for the goods, including product description, shipping marks, price, etc. The invoice must meet the requirements of customs authorities in the export market, as it used for making import duty assessments.

Pro forma invoice - used in advance of the commercial invoice, for instance, when an importer has to get an allocation of foreign exchange or an import licence.

Export Cargo Shipping Instruction (ECSI) - issued by the exporter to the forwarder or carrier, setting out the terms and conditions for the movement of goods and who is responsible.

Official documents

Single Administrative Document (SAD) - also known as the C88, it is required for exports, imports and goods transiting the EU.

Export licence - required for certain goods to be exported legally (eg drugs, chemicals, etc). It is the exporter's responsibility to ensure that a licence is obtained if necessary.

Certificate of origin (C/O) - a statement on the origin of the goods. It may be required in addition to the commercial invoice, and is available from Chambers of Commerce for goods of any origin.

Movement certificate - required where goods that qualify as EU originating goods are being exported from the EU to a country covered by EU trade agreements. These certificates ensure preferential tariff treatment.

Import licence - some countries may require import licences for certain or all goods. It is normally the customer's responsibility to comply with import procedures, but it makes sense for the exporter to confirm that they are doing so.

Inspection certificate - sometimes required by the importer's country to confirm that the shipped goods meet their specifications.

Transport documents

Export packing list - attached to the outside of the package to be shipped, this specifies the weight, volume and type of cargo.

Bill of lading - a contract between the owner of the goods and the carrier. It may describe the condition of the goods when transferred to the shipper, and it also serves as a document of title. There are two types:

Straight - non-negotiable, delivery to the named person in the bill
Shipper's order - negotiable, delivery to a designated person. It can be bought, sold or traded while goods are in transit (eg for use in letter of credit transactions, where the bank can release the title to the goods to the buyer when payment is received)

Sea waybill - used for sea freight, it serves the same purpose as the bill of lading except that it is not a document of title.

Air waybill - issued by an airline for airfreight, it is similar to the bill of lading but cannot serve as a document of title.

Dangerous goods note - required when shipping hazardous or potentially hazardous goods. The exporter must provide the transporter with full details of the goods including the official 'class' of danger to which they belong.

Standard shipping note - completed by the exporter, it is the receiving document for ports and container bases in the UK.

Insurance documents

Insurance policy - should cover goods for at least their full value (110% is common), and include details of quantity and route. Where necessary, it should also provide for time extensions and trans-shipments.

Certificate of insurance - certifies that insurance has been arranged for the goods being exported. It should detail the degree of protection, and list the policy number and all relevant details (eg dates, destinations, transport method, route, description of the cargo and value for which it is insured).

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Receive payments for exports

2010-03-14T00:14:00.000-08:00

Receiving prompt payment for your exported goods is key to maintaining positive cash flow for your business. Your international buyer, on the other hand, is more interested in receiving the right goods on time and delaying payment for as long as possible. To keep both parties satisfied, the terms of payment should be agreed in advance.

The main methods of payment for international transactions include:

Payment in advance
Letters of credit - confirmed and unconfirmed
Documentary collections - against payment/against acceptance
Consignment
Open account

Payment in advance

This is the least risky payment method for exporters, but can sometimes prove too expensive and risky for international buyers. Be wary of insisting on payment in advance - if your competitors' payments terms are more attractive your potential buyer may go elsewhere. If, however, the products to be exported require specialised, lengthy or capital-intensive manufacturing then it is reasonable to ask for (at least) partial payment in advance.

Letters of credit

Letters of credit, issued by banks on behalf of buyers, are a popular and internationally recognised method of payment. They represent the bank's assurance to pay the exporter, provided the specified conditions are met, and act as security for both parties.

Once the letter of credit has been drawn up, the importer instructs the bank to transfer payment to the exporter's bank. The exporter then dispatches the goods, and passes the invoice and shipping documents to the bank in order to receive payment. However note that unless the letter of credit is confirmed in UK, the exporter may have to wait some days and possibly weeks to receive payment from overseas which can have serious implications on cash flow.

The letter of credit ensures that:

Payment to the exporter will only be made after the terms of the agreement have been met
The documents, which have been reviewed by the bank's experienced staff, are strictly in accordance with the letter of credit
The exporter is assured of the importer's ability to pay and, as a result, a better price and more advantageous terms of payment may be offered

Documentary collection

A documentary collection involves the exporter issuing a bill of exchange to the importer. The buyer pays the agreed amount either on sight or on a specified date in the future in accordance with the terms of the bill of exchange. The exporter's bank, acting as an intermediary, transfers ownership of the goods to the importer by passing documents of title, usually the bill of lading.

This method of payment is riskier than using a letter of credit because a bank does not guarantee the bill of exchange. Also, if the buyer defaults on payment the exporter may have to pursue collection through the courts.

Consignment

When goods are exported subject to consignment, the exporter only receives payment on completed sales. Any unsold items may be returned to the exporter, usually at their expense.

Clearly this method of payment poses a high risk to the exporter, as there is generally no way of predicting when (if ever) the goods will be sold and thus receiving payment.

Open account

Offering importers an open account means that the goods will be manufactured and delivered upon receipt of a purchase order. The exporter then normally raises an invoice to the buyer before or at the time goods are despatched with payment terms set at a number of days (e.g. 14, 30 or 60 days). If the invoice isn't available at the time the goods are despatched customs clearance may be a problem.

This method of payment is the most attractive to importers, but can be risky for exporters. Consider offering an open account if you've developed a relationship with the buyer, they are creditworthy and the export country is politically and economically stable. You must have absolute trust in that you will be paid.

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Understand customs rules

2010-03-14T00:12:00.000-08:00

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) is the government department responsible for administering or enforcing controls on the international movement of goods. It consults regularly with the business community, with the aim of simplifying policies and procedures to enhance UK competitiveness. However, customs rules can at times seem confusing, especially if you are a new to the import or export game.

Simplified procedures

The Customs Freight Simplified Procedures (CFSP) were introduced to keep frontier formalities to a minimum, with the bulk of fiscal and statistical data being supplied to Customs at a later date.

The main advantages for businesses are:

Certainty of clearance of your goods by Customs at the port or inland depot
Paperless trading and reduced documentation
More control over valuable documents, such as licences and preferences
Potential cash flow benefits, including:
- Lower costs through electronic submission of Customs documentation
- You may be able to choose the date of any tax points and accounting periods
- Duty and tax liabilities are based only on goods when they have been released
- Local transit movements can take place under a (limitless) guarantee waiver so there is no need to finance a standing transit guarantee

Simplified declaration procedure

Under CFSP, a Simplified Frontier Declaration (SFD) is required at the frontier. Supporting documents, such as invoices and relevant licences, must still be presented before Customs can release your goods. An electronic Supplementary Declaration (SD) giving full details of the transactions will be required at a later date.

For the entry of imported goods into a Customs Warehouse a SFD, usually in electronic form, is required at the frontier. However, no supporting documents are needed at this stage.

Local Clearance Procedure

This is where your goods move from the frontier to a designated inland premises over which you exercise control. Following a period of Temporary Storage they are released to a Customs procedure.

Community Transit

Goods arriving at the frontier must be moved to your approved designated premises under Community Transit (CT) arrangements. A SFD, usually in electronic form, is required unless the goods arrive via another member state. In these circumstances the existing CT movement can continue from the frontier to the stated destination.

Temporary Storage

Once your goods have been removed from Temporary Storage and released to a Customs procedure, an electronic SD is submitted based on the date shown in your records.

Providing other customs warehousing requirements are complied with, you may remove goods from the warehouse by inputting the details in your records. Supporting documents will need to be retained and produced to customs on request. The recorded date of removal of the goods will determine the tax point and the date for the submission of the electronic SD.

Trade statistics

Intrastat is the system for collecting statistics on the physical trade in goods (i.e. the actual movement of goods) between the member states of the European Union. The threshold changes year by year, but is currently around £250,000 and businesses that have physical trade with other EU member states which exceeds this figure, are required to provide Intrastat supplementary declarations. An Online Electronic Form is available.

Evaluate goods in transit insurance

2010-03-11T15:40:00.001-08:00

Goods in transit insurance covers property against loss or damage while it is in transit from one place to another or being stored during a journey. You can take this insurance out for goods being distributed in your own vehicle or by a third-party carrier, both domestically and abroad. Policies often specify the means of transport to be used, which may include the postal service.

If you are shipping your goods by sea then you would take out marine insurance. This also includes the transit of cargo over land at each end of the voyage.

Cover

A goods-in-transit policy will protect you from:

Theft (while in transit)
Loss (while in transit)
Damage caused by accidents during transit
Damage caused during transit
The consequences of any untoward delay (in some cases)

As with other forms of insurance, you and your provider will need to agree on how much the goods are valued at. If the goods are new then this shouldn't be too much of a problem. Remember, this type of insurance does not protect you if you find the goods you have ordered or dispatched are inferior, below standard, or damaged through inappropriate packaging - this is not quality control.

There are two types of cover:

Old-for-new - items are replaced at their current market value
Indemnity cover - the insurance company will take into account general depreciation.

Be careful to check which type of cover the insurance company is proposing (obviously the former is a far better option), but it can be expensive. If you do purchase an old-for-new policy, make sure to value your contents at their replacement value, not at their actual value.

Special features

Some policies have special features. These can include built-in legal expenses, cover for possessions in your vehicle, food spoilage in freezers, garage cover, outbuildings cover, etc. If you want to keep your insurance premium to a minimum, ask the insurer about leaving off special features, or try raising the excess. The policy will probably insist that you submit a contents list, with individual items over a certain value specifically priced. This varies with different insurance companies.

Level of risk

Also be aware that, like all insurance, the cost of goods-in-transit insurance depends on the level of risk. If your company has a record of losing goods then you are likely to find the premiums getting more expensive. If you do have such a record then consider taking measures to increase the level of your security.

Incoterms

Incoterms are the standard trade codes used for international contracts. They delineate the risk and cost obligations for both importer and exporter, and therefore which party needs to take out insurance. However, the obligation for insurance is at minimum cover only, if you require more cover this must be negotiated in your contract.

Sell online across borders

2010-03-11T15:38:00.000-08:00

Technological advances have reduced geographical boundaries to nothing, in theory, and there is no technical reason that anyone should not set up an international business as a result. However, there are a number of issues to bear in mind, including tax and duties, logistics and culture/law.

Tax and duties

A key issue for any trader is the possibility that customers will be charged extra duties and taxes on products delivered outside their own territories. Courier companies, for example, can often add administrative charges. There may be additional charges if goods are held up in customs and bills can be received some time after the goods have been delivered. If you are trading to a worldwide audience it is advisable to state on the website that extra charges may apply, in the interests of customer relations.

VAT & digitised products

Digitised products are classed as electronically supplied services for VAT and customs duties. These services include downloaded software, images, information, music, films or games electronic publications, electronic auctions, supply of websites and web services.

If you are a UK supplier of services to:

a business customer in another EU country the customer accounts for the VAT due in that country and no UK VAT should be charged, provided you show your customer's VAT on the invoice.
a consumer, charity or government body in another EU country, UK VAT should be charged.
anyone outside the EU, no UK VAT should be charged.

X purchased some software from an American website
This was despatched after credit card payment was received
X then received an invoice for UK VAT and a charge for processing the VAT payment from a well-known courier company

It is not reasonable to expect a web trader to memorise all of the various tax rates and duty laws around the world. However, he or she can put a note on the website to the effect that extra charges may apply, in the interests of customer relations.

Logistics

If a company is likely only to sell the occasional item overseas then very few extra logistics need to be taken into account, as a trip to the post office will suffice to deal with the order. Regular orders might necessitate the engagement of a courier company or some other shipping arrangements. For perishable/fragile goods it will be wise to re-examine any packaging involved.

Culture/law

Supposing a company makes entirely respectable swimwear and publishes a catalogue online; this catalogue will not be seen as respectable everywhere. Again, supposing a company sells seeds from a catalogue and wishes to sell them overseas; this sort of approach will not be welcomed by America, where the import of seeds and foodstuffs is strictly regulated.

The point being, you can overcome the technical and logistical objections to exporting goods, but actively targeting a territory for new sales requires as much local knowledge as someone setting up a branch office.

Business etiquette

2010-03-11T15:37:00.002-08:00

Following the rules of business etiquette is crucial when establishing contacts and trading with clients from other countries. Key benefits include:

Creating a positive, professional image
Building strong and lasting relationships
Improving communication channels

Communication

Be as clear as possible. Avoid using jargon or ambiguous words and phrases - what is common to you and your co-workers may be confusing for your international customer
Ensure that the prospective buyer's key contact at your company is able to communicate in a language the customer understands
Deal with all correspondence within 48 hours. If you are unable to answer a query immediately, give a prompt response with a target date for the full answer/quote
Be available 24 hours a day. Even if you work office hours, you can still provide a 24-hour fax line and e-mail address
Write the date with the month spelled out and avoid any other abbreviations or acronyms, unless you are sure the customer knows the meaning

Introductions

Introduce a lower-ranking person to a higher-ranking person
Use a firm handshake and make eye contact - this will give a positive impression
Women should always take the initiative and offer to shake an associate's hand
If you greet foreign clients with their national expressions ensure you do it properly

E-mail etiquette

E-mails are often used informally in business. However, when conducting business internationally it is good practice to apply the same high standards to your electronic communications as you would a formal letter
Make the subject line specific and clear, and always use an auto-signature at the bottom which includes your name, job title and contact details
Do not write your e-mails in CAPITAL LETTERS

Phone etiquette

Return calls even if you do not have the final answer
If you are unavailable to answer your phone, ensure that someone else can take a message or that you provide voicemail facilities
Avoid keeping international customers on hold for long periods of time - not only is this common courtesy but it will also keep their phone bills down

Selling and pricing tips

Ensure your catalogue, product specifications, instructions and service/warranty documents are clearly translated in the language of your target market
If necessary, convert measures to those used in the export country
Research the relevant export/import regulations so that you can address these issues in any communications
Use the appropriate Incoterms to explain the terms of sale, and make sure your buyers understand the sales conditions. Do not include any costs and local taxes, such as VAT, which are not relevant to the buyer

How does European monetary union affect you?

2010-03-11T15:37:00.001-08:00

Since 2002 the national currencies of 12 members states of the eurozone have been withdrawn from circulation. The replacement currency is the euro.

There has been an enormous amount of debate and confusion generated by this event - reflected in the fact that businesses in Britain are fairly evenly divided on whether it is a good or bad idea to join the eurozone.

The single currency has an impact on European businesses in many ways such as invoicing, data processing, accountancy, financial management, administration, and sales and marketing. The introduction of the euro removed all currency risks between the 12 member countries. This has led to increased competition among eurozone businesses.But while many UK companies with eurozone clients have benefited from cheaper transactions and reduced accounting costs, the changeover meant investment in new systems, and historical data conversion to ensure euro compliance.

Will the UK join the eurozone?
In principle the government is in favour of UK membership of the euro yet stipulates that the economic conditions must be right. The chancellor has produced five economic tests which must first be met before joining the eurozone is considered:

* Is there convergence with eurozone economies?
* Is there flexibility to adapt and cope with economic change?
* Will it encourage foreign investment?
* How will it impact on the financial services industry?
* What will be the impact on growth, stability and employment?

Trading with the eurozone
The European Union, and eurozone countries in particular, offer a huge market of potential customers and suppliers for UK firms.

For many UK businesses the euro is already a day-to-day reality. Businesses trading with eurozone countries find it easier and more beneficial to trade in euros. Accepting payments in the currency will often make the goods or services on offer much more attractive to potential eurozone customers. UK firms should also remember that by selling in the eurozone they are competing with eurozone-based businesses that will always quote prices in euros.

It is possible to quote prices in euros and accept payment in sterling but this process makes the transaction more complicated.

UK firms pricing in euros should also keep the fluctuating exchange rate in mind. If you commit to selling at a price in euros and the euro weakens against sterling before payment is received you are at currency risk. Likewise, if you agree to buy at a set euro price and the euro strengthens before payment is made it will cost more. To help avoid this, the following options are available:

* Consider increasing your prices to cover potential losses
* Add a note saying that the prices are 'correct at the time of publication, but need to be checked when placing an order'.
* Open a euro bank account which allows euro payments to be made and accepted without having to convert into sterling
* Use currency options by buying and selling euros at an agreed exchange rate
* Eliminate the risk of fluctuating exchange rates with a forward contract. These lock you into an agreed exchange rate for a transaction that will take place in the future.

Understand import export procedures

2010-03-11T15:33:00.000-08:00

There are different import procedures depending on where your goods are coming from.

Trade with countries outside the EU
If you are importing goods from outside the European Union you will need to declare them by making an entry and delivering it to Customs. You can do this yourself or through an agent. Approved traders and agents can input this data directly into Customs' computerised entry processing system, known as Direct Trader Input (DTI).

In order to make an entry you will need to classify your goods with the correct 'class' or commodity code, in accordance with the HM Customs and Excise Integrated Tariff of the United Kingdom. You can obtain a copy of the Tariff from government bookshops or telephone 01702 366077 for help with your Tariff classification.

It is your legal responsibility to ensure that the correct Tariff classification is used, even if you use an agent to handle your customs entries. Failure to classify correctly could incur penalties. If you are unsure, you can apply to the Tariff and Statistical Office (TSO) for a free Binding Tariff Information (BTI) decision on the correct commodity code for your goods, valid for up to six years from the date of issue. Application forms (C103) are obtainable by contacting HM Revenue & Customs.

Once you have obtained the correct commodity code for your goods, you will be able to find out from the Tariff:

* Any DTI licensing requirements that apply to your goods
* The rate of import duty applicable to goods
* The rate of import Value Added Tax (VAT) applicable to your goods
* Any other fiscal measures (eg excise or anti-dumping duties) that apply to your goods
* If a temporary suspension of duty may be available
* If a preferential rate of duty or quota may be available

Trade with EU states
If you import goods from another EU state you are no longer required to make a customs entry. However, you may be required to complete an Intrastat supplementary declaration if your EU imports exceed an annual value threshold. Find out more about Intrastat here.

Deferring payment of customs charges
When importing goods you must pay any charges of duty, VAT, levies, etc which are liable under UK or EC law. However, you can defer paying most import charges for an average of 30 days. To be approved for deferment, you must meet certain rules and agree to pay by direct debit. Find out more here.

Reduced rates of duty
Some goods can be imported at a nil or reduced rate of customs duty because they:

* Originated in a preference country - find out more here
* Are from a non-Community country and qualify for a temporary suspension of Customs duty - find out more here

Transit and transhipment
If your business involves moving imported goods through the UK to a final destination abroad, then the simplified transit and transhipment procedures will apply. These allow goods to be taken through the UK without payment of import charges. While in the UK the goods can - under certain conditions - be regrouped or repacked. They must not, however, be altered and must be removed from the UK within one month unless a longer period is agreed with Customs.

Distribute your goods by air

2010-03-07T16:56:00.000-08:00

Choosing airfreight will therefore be dependent on your budget and the type of product to be shipped. Questions to consider:

Freight forwarders

All international airlines carry freight and generally have a policy of conducting their business through freight forwarders. The forwarder therefore plays an integral part in the airfreight process.

Forwarders provide a range of services including:

Like the airfreight industry, the freight forwarder industry is highly competitive so it is worth shopping around for the right one.

Use the Yellow Pages or freight transport associations to find the names of forwarders that operate in your area/industry. Request information from several forwarders to establish what type of services they offer and at what cost. Find out how many overseas offices or affiliates they have, inspect their facilities, meet their staff, and discuss your specific requirements. For example, if your goods are perishable find out if they have the relevant experience. If you require a door-to-door service, make sure that you choose a forwarder that can provide this.

Flexibility

Like most industries there are peak demand periods for airfreight, and on these occasions capacity may become limited. It is therefore important to plan and be flexible in terms of which day to ship. Obviously airlines allocate capacity during these periods to regular, reliable shippers.

Choose the right mode of transport for your goods

2010-03-07T16:55:00.002-08:00

Businesses rely on transportation to receive goods from their suppliers as well as deliver orders to their customers. The type of transport your business uses will depend on a number of factors:

The products you sell (eg perishables or non-perishables)
Supplier production lead times
Product availability
Customer lead times
Source of supply (eg UK or abroad)
Customs and Excise rules (eg duty or quarantine)
Volume

You can use one method for all your transportation needs or a combination. Here are the main types, and their advantages and disadvantages:

Air

Airfreighting is commonly used by businesses for the delivery of goods from distant suppliers. This mode of transport is useful to deliver products with short lead times, fragile goods and products that are not bulky. Products in high demand and in short supply may also be airfreighted in order to meet customer demands. The bulk/value ratio will be a determining factor.

Advantages

Fast delivery, usually between 24 and 48 hours
Customer is not kept waiting for order fulfilment
Reduced lead time on supplier
Improved service levels

Disadvantages

Flight delays and/or cancellations
Customs and Excise restrictions
Cost

Sea

Sea transportation is used by businesses for the delivery of goods from distant suppliers. Most sea transportation is conducted in containers which vary in size. Goods can be grouped into a container (LCL) or fill a container (FCL). Sea tankers are used for bulk shipments of loose goods such as oil, grain and coal.

Advantages

Ideal for transporting heavy and bulky goods
Suitable for products with long lead times

Disadvantages

Longer lead/delivery times
Bad weather
Difficult to monitor exact location of goods in transit
Customs and Excise restrictions
Could be costly

Rail

Businesses use rail transportation for the delivery of a wide range of goods including post, coal, steel and other heavy goods.

Advantages

Fast delivery
Capacity
Cost effective
Safe mode of transport
Reliable

Disadvantages

Subject to unforeseen delays
Reliance on rail freight operator's timetable
Suppliers/customers are not always located near a rail freight depot and delivery to/from the depot can be costly and time consuming

Road

A very popular mode of transport used by suppliers and businesses to deliver orders. Many transport companies provide scheduled delivery days and next day delivery services, depending upon your needs. Goods can be packed/grouped in box vans or in containers which are also used for sea transportation.

Advantages

Cost effective
Fast delivery
Ideal for short distances, national or mainland Europe
Ideal for transporting perishables (eg fruit and vegetables)
Easy to monitor location of goods
Easy to communicate with driver
Ideal for sending by courier shortages to customers

Disadvantages

Transport subject to traffic delays
Transport subject to breakdown
Goods susceptible to damage through careless driving
Bad weather
Driving regulations can cause delays

Distribute your goods by rail

2010-03-07T16:55:00.001-08:00

The way you choose to distribute goods will determine the time they take to reach a destination, the associated costs, and the recipient's satisfaction with your service. Rail links throughout Europe and the lower costs of this type of distribution make rail delivery a popular choice.

However, as with all aspects of your business, you must first weigh up whether this is a suitable method for your company:

What do you want to distribute? Consider the size, weight, quality and whether your goods are perishable/fragile etc. Size and weight are the two most important factors in costing your delivery
How quickly does the product need to reach its destination? This will affect what type of rail delivery service you use. Because trains are not constantly departing to the location you want them to, you will need to time the delivery
Where do the goods need to go? Rail links throughout Europe are good (especially now there is the Channel Tunnel) but you may encounter problems if the destination is remote or further away
How valuable are the goods and do you need insurance for them?

Also bear in mind that goods need to get to and from the railway station. In some cases this will be automatic (for example, if you are sending something by Parcelforce) but you may need to arrange an additional courier service. Once you have decided that rail delivery is the way to go, you will need to contact relevant companies:

Look in the Yellow Pages under 'Rail Transport Services' and call some companies to establish a price for the delivery you have in mind. Give them all the details you noted down from the above points. The UK's largest rail distributor is Network Rail, whose website can be found at www.networkrail.co.uk. Find out if they will provide delivery of your goods to and from the railway station
Talk to colleagues and find out if they have ever used rail transport before - would they recommend it. If so, can they recommend a particular company?

Before deciding whether this is an appropriate distribution method, it is worth checking out the other methods available to ensure you select the most relevant and cost-effective delivery system. While transportation by rail can be speedy and safe, there are limited routes and inflexible timetables to contend with.

Distribute your goods by post

2010-03-07T16:52:00.000-08:00

When choosing to distribute your goods by post, there are several important points you need to consider: how quickly you need the goods to be delivered; and how much you want to spend on the delivery. Before you start searching for the right system for you, you will need to consider the following factors:

What is the size and value of the delivery?
How rapidly do the goods need to be distributed?
Do the goods need to be delivered to a particular person or just an address?
Do the goods need to be carried in a special way? (for example fragile products)
Will you be distributing the same sorts of goods regularly?
Does the item need to be distributed internationally or locally?

Once you have assessed these points you are ready to choose a delivery service. The two main ways of distributing goods in the UK are via the Post Office or courier.

Post Office:

The Post Office offers two methods of distribution, one via Royal Mail and one via ParcelForce. The former has a business website at www.royalmail.com and offers services of recorded delivery and special delivery, which ensure goods are signed for and delivered by the next day. If an item is not delivered next day the postage you paid will be refunded.

ParcelForce will deliver parcels anywhere to order, with next day delivery being the earliest possible. You can visit their website at www.parcelforce.com.

Couriers:

Couriers are specialist companies, which will deliver items quickly, on demand. Most courier companies offer a 24-hour service. To ensure your goods are received, the company will require the signature of the person who has received the goods. Although the courier option is sometimes expensive, it is a guaranteed way of delivering goods quickly.

Locating these services is relatively easy:

Look in the Yellow Pages under 'Couriers' and 'Delivery and Collection Services' and ring some of the companies you find for a quotation. Be sure to state your delivery requirements and check out the cost. This is dependent on the weight of the goods and the speed of delivery you require
Use an internet search engine to find delivery companies and their prices
Ask fellow business associates for recommendations - their experiences are a good indicator of how efficient and reliable a company is

It is useful to remember that if you are planning to use postal distribution regularly then you may be eligible for discounts.

Deal with delayed shipments

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Reasons for delay

Delays can occur for a number of reasons:

Transport breakdown
Bad weather
Transport company has a poor track record of delivering on time
Wrong goods delivered
Flight, vessel or rail transport delayed/cancelled
Awaiting customs clearance
Products damaged in transit
Incorrect, delayed or lost documentation

There are a number of ways to avoid or minimise the impact of a delayed shipment on your business:

Minimum stocks

Avoid relying on shipments to fulfill order requirements. You can prepare for the inevitable late delivery by ensuring that as a business you hold minimum stocks or buffer stocks at all times to meet customer demands. Your minimum stocks should be set at a level which is sustainable to your business (i.e. does not tie up capital and which is based on forecasted demands).

Reputable transport company

It is important that your transport company is a reputable one. Check the company's history and track record and also find out if they belong to a recognised transport association. If the deal sounds too good to be true then it probably is. As a business you cannot afford to incur unnecessary costs. Ensure that you will be entitled to compensation if your shipment is late/cancelled, and always read the small print. Make an effort to build a good working relationship.

Multiple suppliers

Having at least one alternative source of supply will help your business to cope with a stock-out emergency. Relying on only one supplier can be risky.

Documentation

Do not rely only on your forwarder for documentation. Ensure someone in your organisation is aware of the requirements and time constraints of documentation. Remember, you are ultimately responsible for documentation.

Realistic lead times

If exporting, make sure that you don't promise unrealistic delivery dates. Take into account the door-to-door supply chain and leave yourself a little room to move in case one of the links breaks down. Consider manufacturing, packaging, labelling and document presentation.

Who to contact

If your goods are late, contact the supplier and transport company in the first instance for an explanation and also for a revised delivery date. Notify the receiving warehouse advising them of the delayed shipment as well as the revised delivery date and time. Finally contact your customers and explain the reason for the delay - be honest and advise when they will receive their goods.

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Predict transit times and ETAs

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All businesses need to know when to expect supplies to arrive, as well as know when their products will be delivered to the customer/client.

Benefits

Having a clear idea of how long a delivery will take and knowing the estimated time of arrival (ETA) will allow your business to:

Ensure someone is on site to sign in the delivery
Plan staffing rotas
Notify warehouse staff
Take immediate action upon delivery (e.g. move goods to refrigerated storage or put into a high-security compartment)
Notify customers of when to expect their goods

Transit times

Whether you are waiting for supplies to arrive or are delivering goods to a customer, the main factors influencing your transit times are the distance being covered and the mode of transport. For example, if you are delivering pizza to a customer's house then chances are you are using a motorcycle over a short distance, with delivery expected within an hour of ordering. On the other hand, if you are importing mangoes from Chile to sell on to retail outlets across the UK, your supply chain is a lot more complicated. One small delay in the chain could have a substantial knock-on effect for the rest of the delivery and ETA.

When planning transit times, consider the following:

Transportation method - are you using road, rail, sea, air or a combination? Work out the average amount of time taken to complete the journey, basing this data on at least five real life examples
Departure point - if your supplies are coming in from overseas, then you need to factor in time differences, customs delays, 24-hour deliveries
Room to move - don't make your connections so tight that the slightest delay may mean that your products miss their flight, ferry, train, etc
Delays - all ETAs are subject to unforeseen delays, such as your transportation breaks down, heavy traffic, bad weather or delays at customs. Always have a contingency plan ready to deal with any major delays

ETAs

Whether you are transporting the goods yourself or using a freight forwarder, you should be able to work out or be given an estimated time of delivery. These may vary, for example, the delivery may arrive:

Between 14:00 and 15:00
In the morning
During business hours
In the next 24 hours
In the next three days
Within the next 14 days

It is up to you to negotiate the best delivery times for your products. In terms of delivering goods to your customers, the more choice you can give them the happier (and more loyal) they will be.

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Evaluate third-party logistics services

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When a business chooses to use third-party logistics services they are outsourcing elements of the supply chain to a specialist logistics firm. The level of service these companies provide can vary greatly. Normally one or more of the following will be included:

Inbound freight and customs management
Warehousing, packing and storage of goods
Fulfilling orders
Distribution of outgoing freight
Door-to-door delivery service

The main reason that businesses use third-party logistics companies is to achieve superior customer service by improving efficiency and productivity. A specialist logistics company will be able to offer expertise that may be lacking within your own company.

A good logistics company could add value to your company in the following ways:

Using their expertise to focus on the entire supply chain will enable them to achieve best practice performance
By outsourcing your logistics requirements you will be able to focus on your core business activities
A third-party company will have a lot of their own resources and facilities. As they are specialists in the area of logistics, their investments are likely to be far greater than your individual company could justify
A smaller company may be less competitive due to having smaller volumes to deal with. A third-party company will be able to merge transportation of goods with other smaller companies so that they each benefit from bulk discounts

Despite these advantages in using a reputable logistics provider, it is always necessary to exercise a degree of caution when selecting a company to entrust with your logistics management. Certain checks will need to be carried out:

Ensure that the carriers used by the company have satisfactory clauses if goods are lost or damaged. Will they pay you the full invoice price or the manufactured cost?
Is this provision subject to a maximum liability per shipment?
Is the intended company fully aware of all legal and regulatory constraints that you or they are bound by?

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Make a claim on a failed delivery

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Shipping goods, especially to international markets, will not always go according to plan. To help minimise the risks ensure your contract is clear in the responsibilities of each party by using the correct International contract terms (Incoterms). If you are using a shipping company, you need to be prepared to make a complaint if a delivery is delayed or damaged.

Steps to make a successful claim:

Determine what type of complaint you have
Make a claim as soon as possible
Have all the necessary documents to hand
State the most favourable solution to your complaint (e.g. repair, replacement, compensation, etc)

There are two main types of complaints:

Delay claim - this is when a pickup date has been missed or the shipment has been delivered late.

Before signing a contract, you and your shipping company should agree on the dates that your shipment is to be picked up and delivered. Remember that if you have not requested guaranteed service, your shipping company is obligated to transport your cargo within what the regulations define as "reasonable dispatch". This means that the pickup and delivery of your shipment should be completed on the agreed dates.

However, this is subject to any unforeseen circumstances or conditions that are beyond the control of the company, which might cause delay. Delays due to weather, highway construction, and mechanical breakdown do occur and you have to be aware of them. If you take out a guaranteed service contract then make sure you read the terms and conditions to find out what this really means.

Loss and damage claim - covers the loss or damage of your shipment.

Carefully read the terms and conditions offered by your shipping company on the loss or damage of your goods during shipment. Make sure you purchase goods-in-transit insurance if the shipping company's policy does not meet your requirements.

Making a claim

There are usually deadlines to meet when filing a claim. In the case of damaged delivery, you usually have 14 days to make a claim. For non-deliveries, you have 120 days from the date of issue of the bill of lading.

The necessary information you might need:

Exact date of delivery
Contract number
Description of damage
Cost of damage, delay or non-delivery

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Reduce lead times through efficient supply

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Lead times refer to the total length of time between the decision to purchase an item and its availability for dispatch from the supplier to its actual addition to stock. Lead times may vary from one day to one week to four months, depending on your business requirements and the terms of agreement between you and your supplier.

Business benefits

Customers are the main beneficiaries of efficient supply. Competition, financial awareness and increasing customer demand for immediate gratification are reducing lead times, and businesses are under constant pressure to meet those lead times. The advantages of efficient supply for your business are:

Customer loyalty
Increased orders
Increased profit margins
Good reputation
Less competition

Contract

You need to decide what lead times are suitable for your company in order to maintain your business and meet customer demands. This is crucial when it comes to negotiating a new contract with a supplier and choosing the most appropriate terms of sales and/or Incoterms (international code for delivery). Be firm and make sure that you get a commitment from the supplier to meet the agreed lead times. Some suppliers will hesitate before agreeing to tight lead times while others may make unrealistic promises in order to get your business. That is why it is essential to draw up a contract to protect the interests of both parties. Using Incoterms helps to formally delineate the responsibilities of each party for the delivery of the goods

A good contract will contain the following:

Agreed lead times for the delivery of specific orders
Supplier bearing the cost of late/delayed shipments
Supplier bearing the cost of goods damaged en route
Advance notice of product shortages
Advance notice of discontinued items
Advance notice of product upgrades
Advance notice of price changes

Forecasts

Businesses that require shorter lead times probably buy perishable goods with a short-shelf life, such as fresh fruit and vegetables; while businesses that deal in non-perishable goods can sometimes have the longer lead time of up to four months.

One way to reduce lead times is to provide your supplier with forecasts. This is a prediction of what orders you expect to receive. Suppliers will then be able to plan production lead times, as well as take into account the time needed for packing or preparation for dispatch of a specific order.

Supplier delivery

Supplier performance needs to be measured regularly in order to ensure that stipulated delivery times are being adhered to. There are several ways to monitor delivery times:

Keep an accurate log of delivery times
Has the supplier booked delivery date/time with receiving warehouse beforehand?
Are deliveries late? How often?
Are there shortages? How often?
Overages? How often?
Damages?

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Choose the right mode of transport for your goods

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Businesses rely on transportation to receive goods from their suppliers as well as deliver orders to their customers. The type of transport your business uses will depend on a number of factors:

The products you sell (eg perishables or non-perishables)
Supplier production lead times
Product availability
Customer lead times
Source of supply (eg UK or abroad)
Customs and Excise rules (eg duty or quarantine)
Volume

You can use one method for all your transportation needs or a combination. Here are the main types, and their advantages and disadvantages:

Air

Advantages

Fast delivery, usually between 24 and 48 hours
Customer is not kept waiting for order fulfilment
Reduced lead time on supplier
Improved service levels

Disadvantages

Flight delays and/or cancellations
Customs and Excise restrictions
Cost

Sea

Advantages

Ideal for transporting heavy and bulky goods
Suitable for products with long lead times

Disadvantages

Longer lead/delivery times
Bad weather
Difficult to monitor exact location of goods in transit
Customs and Excise restrictions
Could be costly

Rail

Businesses use rail transportation for the delivery of a wide range of goods including post, coal, steel and other heavy goods.

Advantages

Fast delivery
Capacity
Cost effective
Safe mode of transport
Reliable

Disadvantages

Subject to unforeseen delays
Reliance on rail freight operator's timetable
Suppliers/customers are not always located near a rail freight depot and delivery to/from the depot can be costly and time consuming

Road

Advantages

Cost effective
Fast delivery
Ideal for short distances, national or mainland Europe
Ideal for transporting perishables (eg fruit and vegetables)
Easy to monitor location of goods
Easy to communicate with driver
Ideal for sending by courier shortages to customers

Disadvantages

Transport subject to traffic delays
Transport subject to breakdown
Goods susceptible to damage through careless driving
Bad weather
Driving regulations can cause delays

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Plan replenishment

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We all know what it's like to go shopping in a supermarket that has run out of key items, with nothing but empty shelves where our favourite sauce or meat should be. There could be any number of reasons to explain why the shelves are empty, from delayed shipments to unexpected customer demand to a shortage in deliveries. Of course, it could simply be that the supermarket has not planned its replenishment effectively.

To minimise the likelihood of your business being unable to provide the required goods and services to your customers, you should ensure you have a clear stock replenishment plan. This involves all aspects of production, procurement, warehousing, shipping and distribution of finished goods.

Production

In order to ensure that your business can replenish stock as and when required, it is important to manufacture or order according to projected requirements. These forecasts can be determined by:

Analysing historical usage
Assessing changing trends
Using customer forecasts

Procurement

All purchasing decisions should also be based on your product forecasts. The placement of orders needs to take into account lead times, shelf life and your Min-Max stock holding levels (i.e. what minimum and/or maximum levels of inventory is your business able to hold at any given time?).

Warehousing

The physical location of your stocks will have an important impact on how quickly you can replenish in order to meet customer demands. If, for example, your warehouse is situated in Kent but your customer is based in Glasgow you need to ensure that you receive ample notification when the customer's stocks are getting low. This is achieved through scheduled customer orders.

Shipping

Key to meeting customer demands is the timely delivery of goods. Whatever shipping method you use, you need to make sure that your lead times are competitive and sustainable. Choose the most suitable shipping method available so that you are able to replenish in time. If you are importing goods, make sure that your suppliers are reliable and that the freight transport times meet your requirements.

Distribution

The despatching of goods to customers means that your stocks will go down. How you plan the replenishment could play a critical role in meeting the next customer's demands. For example, if demand has been greater than expected, do you move forward the next scheduled delivery or do you wait? Unless your stock levels have gone below your minimum stock holding levels, then there should be no need to restock immediately and incur further cost.

Contingency plan

You can't always ensure the smooth delivery of your goods at all times. If your usual suppliers let you down, or if demand outstrips supply, you should have a contingency plan. This may mean having a set of secondary suppliers who can provide you with the necessary products at short notice.

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Evaluate warehouses and storage

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Evaluate warehouses and storage

Warehousing and storage has a significant impact on the cash flow and productivity of your business. The operating system, design and layout you choose all play a role in achieving customer satisfaction and the best possible profit margins.

Maximise the efficiency of your warehouse and storage facilities by giving serious thought to these guidelines.

Stock control

Whatever the size of your business, you have to keep control of stock entering and leaving your warehouse. Introduce a stock control system that meets your needs. Explore computer systems that are capable of organising stock levels, re-ordering quantities and linking between product codes and storage locations.

Racking

Although some businesses use floor space, bins or carousels, most warehouses need some form of racking. Choosing the right racking system is vital to the efficiency and safety of your warehouse. For example, the racking must be strong enough to hold the weight of your products. Racking should be durable and easily adaptable to change and expansion.

Packaging and pellets

The size and stability of pellets play an important part not only in the day-to-day organisation of the warehouse, but also in the successful delivery of undamaged goods to the end user. Clear labelling with product details and destination are essential.

Safety

Adhere to all safety regulations. Staff safety should be a priority. You also need to consider insurance requirements. Implement management objectives and carry out regular hazard checks.

Training

An efficiently managed warehouse requires well-trained staff. They need to be able to handle complicated equipment safely and operate a computer controlled stock system.

Waste disposal

Introduce an area for waste disposal at the warehouse design stage. Waste disposal can thus be better managed on a regular basis.

Consider new developments in warehouse management

The rapid expansion of computer-controlled storage has led to a massive increase in services provided by warehouses. Internet trading means many warehouses have needed to adapt quickly to meet new demands. For instance, carton labelling has to comply with electronic data exchange standards, while internet procedures are required to cope with advance dispatch notification and order confirmation.

Technology usage is also expanding in existing warehouse operations. Some warehouses are introducing Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) to operate in tandem with barricading, or to replace it. The main advantages of RFID over barricading include higher data capacity, the product does not have to be visible to the operator and information can be updated when the consignment is in transit.

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Planning and preparation 8 - Calculate your freight costs

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When selling on a basis other than Ex Works (EXW), the cost of freight should always be included in your price quotation. You can do this in two ways:

1. Include the costs of freight in the price of every item - so that the buyer believes there is no extra charge for freight

2. Calculate the exact freight charge of each item and include the total separately on the invoice - this way the buyer sees the lowest possible prices for your products

Calculating costs

Freight costs are normally quoted on a port-to-port basis. When calculating your freight costs consider:

Actual weight or volume weight of your consignment (quoted in cubic metres or tonnes)
Mode of transport
Weight of the pallet used to transport your units
Loading and unloading costs involved in multimode transport
Port or terminal fees
Bill of lading (shipping documentation) fees

You may also incur additional charges relating to your terms of trade. These include:

Cost of moving the goods to and from the port
Handling the cargo
Port costs
Documentation
Finance

Airfreight

There are yet further charges and constraints to consider if transporting your goods by air. Airfreight costs will vary according to the following factors:

Tariff classification
Competition in routing
Space availability
The forwarder's willingness to share commissions

Cut freight costs

There are a number of ways you can save on your freight costs:

Use a multimode transport agreement - this will include the loading and unloading costs involved when changing modes of transport
Use a shipping association with others exporters to receive discounts
Find the lowest rates provided by carriers
Use the correct (smallest) containers
Check the minimum charge for freight (e.g. seafreight is usually 0.5-1.5 tonnes and airfreight usually 10-20kg)

Planning and preparation 7 - Participate in a trade mission

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If your company is looking to break into a new market or is keen to increase its sales in an existing export market then consider participating in an outward trade mission. At the very least you will return with a greater understanding of the marketplace and an invaluable list of contacts to follow up for future business.

Many trade missions are government sponsored and offer financial assistance to exporters travelling as a group (of between 10 and 30 people) provided they are organised by an approved sponsor, such as Business Links, Chambers of Commerce and trade associations. Some missions are privately sponsored.

Trade missions will often focus on a specific industry sector that has been identified as a major business growth area in the target market, while other missions will be open to companies across all sectors. A mission will generally visit between one and three countries over a one to two week period, and may coincide with a major trade exhibition in one of the host countries. Participants will often get the opportunity to meet with key purchasers and distributors in their sector and/or meet with potential partners for joint ventures.

Return on investment

The cost of participating in a trade mission (including hours spent away from the office) should be measured against the expected benefits of participation. While there are no guarantees, you may achieve the following:

Confirmed business
Potential business
Sign a distributor or agent
Agree a joint venture
In-depth understanding of the marketplace
Networking, often with people you would not normally get a chance to meet
Establish new contacts and champions
Develop relationships with existing contacts
Receive advice and support from your mission colleagues

Planning and preparation 6 -Expand your business in an international market

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Directly exporting your goods into an international market is only one way of expanding abroad. It is also worth exploring other options such as licensing, joint ventures or setting up offshore operations.

Licensing
Licensing involves a contractual agreement between you and a foreign company, whereby they manufacture, distribute and/or sell your product or service as set out in the license.

Advantages:

* Receive payment for license
* Rapid entry into the market
* No capital needed to establish manufacturing operations abroad
* Quick returns in comparison with other market entry methods

Disadvantages:

* Loss of control over manufacturing and marketing of goods
* Your partner can become your competitor
* Preparing the licensing agreement - it could be timely and costly

Joint ventures
Joint ventures are contractual arrangements with a foreign partner from your chosen export market. There are two basic types of joint venture:

* Equity partnership - where the partners are equal
* Non-equity partnership - where the host country partner contributes a greater percentage of equity in the company

In some countries, a joint venture is the only legal way for a foreign company to set up operations.

Advantages:

* Control over foreign operations
* Extensive knowledge of the target market by the partner
* Partner's business and political contacts may help to smooth the market entry

Disadvantages:

* Requires more investment than licensing
* Requires training, management and transfer of technology
* Risks connected with geographical and cultural factors, which may interfere with day-to-day operations
* Dealing with entirely new management in a different country
* Communication problems if partners do not have a shared language

International base
Offshore production requires either setting up your own facility or subcontracting the manufacturing of your products to an assembly operator.

Advantages:

* Offers greater control over operations
* Lower transportation costs
* No prohibitive tariffs or duties (as with imports)
* Lower production costs
* Foreign government investment incentives (e.g. tax holidays)

Disadvantages:

* Requires greater investment than joint ventures and licensing manufacturing
* Substantial commitment of time
* Risks are relatively high

If you decide set up offshore operations, you will need to consider whether to acquire and adapt an existing facility or to construct a new one. The key factors to consider are:

* Legal and tax ramifications
* Location to set up operations
* Method of financing the foreign investment

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Planning and preparation - Develop a market entry strategy

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Many companies successfully operate in a niche market without ever expanding into new markets. However, some businesses could achieve increased sales, brand awareness and business stability by entering a new market. Developing a market entry strategy involves a thorough analysis of your potential competitors and possible customers.

Some of the relevant factors that are important in deciding the viability of entry into a particular market are suggested below:

Barriers: Are there any legal barriers that need to be overcome in order to enter the market? For example, you need a licence to enter the pub trade. Consider whether you will need an export licence to enter a particular international market. What are the limitations to trade, such as high tariff levels and quotas? Do you have the required level of knowledge and training in exporting procedures?

Product or service: Look at the product or service that you are intending to sell. Consider the following questions:

How easy is it to maintain?
Does it have a unique selling point (USP) or direct competitive advantage (DCA)?
Is it fashionable?
Does it have limited appeal? If yes, would a new market be receptive?
Will it be in demand for a long or short period of time?
Is it easy to transport or will it need special treatment?
Is the product restricted abroad? (e.g. tariffs, quotas or non-tariff barriers)
Are there product modifications required?

Resources: Work out how much of your company's resources can be dedicated to launching in the new market - factor in time and the organisational, marketing and technical skills needed. Will you be stretching your resources too tightly? It is better to keep a small customer base happy than to dissatisfy a larger one.

Competition: Look at the competition - is it aggressive? Are most of the suppliers to your target market domestic or international? Will this impact on your likely success? How will you position yourself in the market to stand out from competitors?

Public policy: Find out whether the government offers subsidies or takes taxes from the market in question. Are there any governmental incentives for exporters?

International markets: There are several methods of international market entry. These include:

Exporting (directly or indirectly)
Licensing
Joint venture
Offshore production

There are two ways to export: selling your product or service directly to an international company or customer, or indirectly by using an export intermediary. These include commissioned agents, distributors and export management or trading companies.

A joint venture with an already established business may be the most effective way to gain entry into a market. They already know the market, have the distribution framework in place and less capital is required. International joint ventures are often accomplished through licensing or offshore production, which requires either establishing your own facility or subcontracting the manufacturing of your product to an assembly operator.

Pricing: Having decided that it is viable to enter the market, the next major decision is that of pricing. Just how much should be charged for the product or service? Take into account the following costs:

Production
Packaging
Transportation
Promotion

Also consider the basis on which you will sell the goods, i.e. who is responsible for the various exporting costs?

Planning and preparation 5 - Source products from overseas

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In today's competitive global marketplace there are many benefits to importing goods and services, whether you do it regularly or on an ad hoc basis.

Types of products imported:

Raw materials
Components/parts
Finished goods
MRO (Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul) services
Technology

Advantages

Sourcing products from overseas may help you to:

Reduce costs
Take advantage of favourable exchange rates
Access products and technologies not available domestically
Provide product variety
Offer better quality products
Overcome domestic shortages
Reduce dependency on a limited domestic supplier base

Disadvantages

There are, of course, certain risks when importing:

Financial - currency exchange rate fluctuations and tariffs
Political - embargoes, sanctions or quotas on imported goods
Operational - goods arrive late or damaged
Regulatory - products may be subject to UK or EU standards, and may require product testing and certification
Cultural - negotiations fail or are delayed because of language and cultural barriers

Plan your requirements

The first step in sourcing products from overseas is to plan your requirements:

Objectives - what do you hope to achieve by importing?
Products/services - what do you wish to import? Be as specific as possible
Additional requirements - will you need after-sales support?
Warehousing - how and where will you store the imported goods?
Lead times - how quickly will you need the goods?
Budget - will importing goods be cost effective? Be aware of hidden extras

Sourcing products

Depending on what products you require and their respective availability you may have a wide or limited choice of suppliers. Key steps to follow:

Identify countries that supply required product
Identify specific suppliers from your preferred country(s)
Assess any country or regional opportunities
Conduct a financial analysis
Identify any risks

Choosing a supplier

You may decide to buy directly from the manufacturer/service provider or to use an intermediary. Whatever method you choose, there are some key factors to consider when choosing an international supplier:

Do the products/services meet your requirements?
How many years have they been operating for?
Are they financially stable? Make sure this is verified
Do they have any quality marks? Are these UK recognised?
Who else do they supply? Can they provide references?
Do they belong to any trade bodies or professional organisations?
What are their delivery schedules?
Are their terms & conditions satisfactory?

Sourcing suppliers

Finding the right international supplier can be daunting, begin by:

Asking business colleagues to recommend a supplier
Searching the web for international directories of suppliers providing the products/services you require
Contacting trade associations, local embassies and DTI trade desks for a list of potential suppliers
Reading international trade reports on key suppliers in your industry
Visiting the country of interest on a fact-finding mission

Preparing the contract

Once you have found a supplier, ensure that you draw up a contract that is satisfactory to both parties. Include:

Product pricing and terms of sale
Method of payment
Amendment clauses
Responsibilities of both parties
Other conditions of contract

In today's competitive global marketplace there are many benefits to importing goods and services, whether you do it regularly or on an ad hoc basis.

Types of products imported:

Raw materials
Components/parts
Finished goods
MRO (Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul) services
Technology

Advantages

Sourcing products from overseas may help you to:

Reduce costs
Take advantage of favourable exchange rates
Access products and technologies not available domestically
Provide product variety
Offer better quality products
Overcome domestic shortages
Reduce dependency on a limited domestic supplier base

Disadvantages

There are, of course, certain risks when importing:

Financial - currency exchange rate fluctuations and tariffs
Political - embargoes, sanctions or quotas on imported goods
Operational - goods arrive late or damaged
Regulatory - products may be subject to UK or EU standards, and may require product testing and certification
Cultural - negotiations fail or are delayed because of language and cultural barriers

Plan your requirements

The first step in sourcing products from overseas is to plan your requirements:

Objectives - what do you hope to achieve by importing?
Products/services - what do you wish to import? Be as specific as possible
Additional requirements - will you need after-sales support?
Warehousing - how and where will you store the imported goods?
Lead times - how quickly will you need the goods?
Budget - will importing goods be cost effective? Be aware of hidden extras

Sourcing products

Depending on what products you require and their respective availability you may have a wide or limited choice of suppliers. Key steps to follow:

Identify countries that supply required product
Identify specific suppliers from your preferred country(s)
Assess any country or regional opportunities
Conduct a financial analysis
Identify any risks

Choosing a supplier

Do the products/services meet your requirements?
How many years have they been operating for?
Are they financially stable? Make sure this is verified
Do they have any quality marks? Are these UK recognised?
Who else do they supply? Can they provide references?
Do they belong to any trade bodies or professional organisations?
What are their delivery schedules?
Are their terms & conditions satisfactory?

Sourcing suppliers

Finding the right international supplier can be daunting, begin by:

Asking business colleagues to recommend a supplier
Searching the web for international directories of suppliers providing the products/services you require
Contacting trade associations, local embassies and DTI trade desks for a list of potential suppliers
Reading international trade reports on key suppliers in your industry
Visiting the country of interest on a fact-finding mission

Preparing the contract

Once you have found a supplier, ensure that you draw up a contract that is satisfactory to both parties. Include:

Product pricing and terms of sale
Method of payment
Amendment clauses
Responsibilities of both parties
Other conditions of contract

Planning and preparation 4 - Develop effective pricing strategies

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The most frequent mistake made when setting a selling price is to pitch it too low. This mistake can occur either through failing to understand all the costs associated with making and marketing your product, or through yielding to the temptation to undercut the competition. Both these errors can lead to poor results, so guard against them.

Costs

Make sure you have established all the costs you are likely to incur in making and marketing your product. Do not just rely on a guess or common sense; get several firm quotations for every major item. Remember to factor in a percentage of overhead costs.

Customer perceptions

Customer's opinion of value may bear little or no relation to the cost, and they may be ignorant of the price charged by the competition, especially if the product or service is a new one. Many consumers perceive price as a reliable guide to the quality they can expect to receive.

Competition

Take into account what your competitors charge, but remember price is the easiest element of the marketing mix for an established company to vary. They could follow you down the price curve, forcing you into bankruptcy, far more easily than you could capture their customers with a lower price.

Business conditions

In boom conditions, where products are virtually being rationed, the overall level of prices for some products could be expected to rise disproportionately. The converse is also true. Seasonal factors can also contribute to changes in the general level of prices.

Channels of distribution

Your selling price will have to accommodate mark-ups in your industry. For example, a store may expect to set a selling price of double that charged by its supplier. If your market research indicates that customers will pay £100 for a product bought from a store, you, as the manufacturer selling to a store, would only be able to charge £50.

Exchange rates

If you are exporting your goods, then currency fluctuations can have a major impact on your return on sales. Always factor in possible changes in exchange rates when working out your margins.

Price is, after all, the element of the marketing mix that is likely to have the greatest impact on your profitability. It is often more profitable for a new company to sell fewer items at a higher price while getting its organisation and product offerings sorted out; the key is to concentrate on obtaining good margins, often with a range of prices and quality. If you have to increase prices, try to combine it with some new feature (for example, new design, colour scheme) or service improvement.

Planning and preparation 3- Find a freight forwarder

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Freight forwarders are international shipping specialists who offer businesses advice, assistance and useful contacts when exporting. Their expertise and knowledge of distributing goods abroad will prove invaluable, and they will often save you time and money.

A forwarder offers the following services:

1. Preparing price quotations

Advice on freight costs, consular fees and costs of special documentation
Help in preparing the pro-forma invoice

2. Handling and transportation

Advice on different methods of shipping
Advice on the different types of packing, labelling and containers available
Arrange for the packing, labelling, and containerising of your goods at the port
Book shipments on vessels and aircraft
Arrange for loading and unloading of your shipment at the port
Issue delivery orders
Arrange for insurance
Track shipments
Arrange for customs clearance
Arrange for warehousing or delivery
Prepare documents for collection of payment under the letter of credit

3. Regulations

Help you understand the relevant regulations
Assist you in obtaining an import licence

4. Documentation

Assemble all required documents
Prepare export declaration documents
Prepare bill of lading
Review documentation for accuracy
Ensure that goods comply with customs export documentation regulations

Some freight forwarders specialise in arranging shipments to certain countries, while others focus on particular types of products.

Criteria for choosing a freight forwarder:

Location of the freight forwarder's office (in relation to your shipping port)
Experience in handling products similar to yours
Experience in similar modes of transport
Experience and knowledge of your export market
Credit rating
Shipping rates
Delivery schedules
Insurance provided
Recommendations from other companies
Membership in professional associations or organisations
Fees and additional charges

Source a freight forwarder by:

Visiting your local Chambers of Commerce to request a list of forwarders
Searching the Yellow Pages
Asking an experienced exporter in a similar sector to recommend a forwarder

Your responsibility

Even when using a freight forwarder, it is your company's ultimate responsibility to ensure correct documentation and procedures are adhered to. Export training in procedures and documentation is recommended for staff involved in the exporting process. Contact the Institute of Export for further details.

Planning and preparation 2- Forecast future product usage

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Knowing what products and services will sell, to whom, for how much, and in what quantity is vital to your business' success. You should plan carefully in order to maximise revenue and profits for the business.

Forecasting and planning are ways of predicting the future. By forecasting you can anticipate and predict what is required to fulfil your objectives.

The most commonly used methods of forecasting are either subjective or objective. The subjective method is used when contemplating buying new items while the objective method is more appropriate for frequently used items.

Subjective forecasts

Subjective or judgmental forecasting is useful when a product does not have an order history, for example, new products or product upgrades. This method can also be used on existing products when time constraints mean that objective forecasting cannot be applied. More often than not, subjective forecasts are subject to biases like optimism and overconfidence. Therefore the main disadvantage of this type of forecasting is the possibility of misleading information, which could prove costly to the business.

Objective forecasts

Objective forecasting is most often used on existing product lines. This involves research and analysis to determine what you need based on empirical data. In order to gather the most accurate data on future product usage, you should:

Examine historical data
Identify and interpret trends
Analyse existing usage
Factor in known changes in future demand

Objective forecasting is less risky than subjective methods, as it relies on past performance and quantitative facts to create more accurate forecasts. While businesses should always aim to use objective forecasting, there is still something to be said for the gut instinct - nobody knows your business like you do!

Doing a forecast

In order to prepare a forecast you need to consider:

Lead times - could be anything from a week up to four months. You need to know what your time frame is
Predicted usage - weekly, monthly, or yearly. Are there any 'special events' or peaks and troughs?
Expert advice/market analysis reports
Customer information - what are the trends? Who are you targeting? What age group?
What are the risks involved if it is a new product?
Who are your competitors?
Are they perishable or non-perishable items?
Budget
Availability - are the items readily available from the supplier?
Product price - are your prices competitive? Are your margins sustainable? What savings can be made?
Safety stock level - what is the minimum amount you would like to hold in inventory at any given time?

Planning and preparation 1 - Develop an export plan

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The purpose of an export plan is to assemble facts, constraints and goals, as well as setting out an schedule.

Export potential

Is your business ready to export?

Consider your company's reasons for exporting:

Long-term expansion
Enhance competitiveness
Exploit unique technology and expertise
Improve return on investment

Assess whether your product is suitable for export:

Product standards and regulations
Costs of adapting and modifying your product for international sales
Export licence requirement

Market research

The second important component of an export plan is market research. Identifying and evaluating the target market will enable you to:

Understand the industry structure
Predict product demand
Identify competition
Determine product modifications needed

Research your industry sector in the export market, finding out the opportunities and growth areas, as well identifying any barriers. At this stage, it is also a good idea to create a basic customer profile for your product.

Export strategy

The next step is to develop an export strategy, defining how you will enter the foreign market and find trade leads. Decide whether you will be exporting indirectly through intermediaries - which will require finding overseas representation - or doing it yourself. The latter option means you'll have to consider how to promote the products abroad and what type of after-sales support you will be able to provide.

Pricing and delivery

It is important to consider product pricing and quotes, methods of payment, shipping terms and costs in order to accurately calculate your expenses and budget for them accordingly.

Rules and regulations

Next, ensure that you understand and comply with the rules and regulations of international trade. Being aware of such rules will help you convert them from barriers into benefits.

Financing

Consider how you will finance your export plans, including calculations on your expenses such as salaries, travel, advertising, distribution, production, etc. State whether the daily operations will be funded from an outside source or internally. Include a projected sales forecast in your export plan - this will help you to measure success.

Implementation plan

The last step is to identify milestones or time frames for key tasks. This will help you to evaluate your progress and communicate expectations your staff. Your plan should include dates for major tasks and identify parties responsible for the tasks.

Ensure that employees and partners are able conduct their specific duties, employ people with relevant export qualifications and/or provide training to existing staff. The key personnel involved in the exporting process should also have involvement in building and agreeing the export plan, as they will help execute it.

At the outset your export plan will probably be quite simple and brief since some areas may require further research. However, the plan should become more detailed and complete as you and your team become more experienced.

Understand import procedures

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There are different import procedures depending on where your goods are coming from.

Trade with countries outside the EU

If you are importing goods from outside the European Union you will need to declare them by making an entry and delivering it to Customs. You can do this yourself or through an agent. Approved traders and agents can input this data directly into Customs' computerised entry processing system, known as Direct Trader Input (DTI).

In order to make an entry you will need to classify your goods with the correct 'class' or commodity code, in accordance with the HM Customs and Excise Integrated Tariff of the United Kingdom. You can obtain a copy of the Tariff from government bookshops or telephone 01702 366077 for help with your Tariff classification.

It is your legal responsibility to ensure that the correct Tariff classification is used, even if you use an agent to handle your customs entries. Failure to classify correctly could incur penalties. If you are unsure, you can apply to the Tariff and Statistical Office (TSO) for a free Binding Tariff Information (BTI) decision on the correct commodity code for your goods, valid for up to six years from the date of issue. Application forms (C103) are obtainable by contacting HM Revenue & Customs.

Once you have obtained the correct commodity code for your goods, you will be able to find out from the Tariff:

Any DTI licensing requirements that apply to your goods
The rate of import duty applicable to goods
The rate of import Value Added Tax (VAT) applicable to your goods
Any other fiscal measures (eg excise or anti-dumping duties) that apply to your goods
If a temporary suspension of duty may be available
If a preferential rate of duty or quota may be available

Trade with EU states

If you import goods from another EU state you are no longer required to make a customs entry. However, you may be required to complete an Intrastat supplementary declaration if your EU imports exceed an annual value threshold. Find out more about Intrastat here.

Deferring payment of customs charges

When importing goods you must pay any charges of duty, VAT, levies, etc which are liable under UK or EC law. However, you can defer paying most import charges for an average of 30 days. To be approved for deferment, you must meet certain rules and agree to pay by direct debit. Find out more here.

Reduced rates of duty

Some goods can be imported at a nil or reduced rate of customs duty because they:

Originated in a preference country - find out more here
Are from a non-Community country and qualify for a temporary suspension of Customs duty - find out more here

Transit and transhipment

If your business involves moving imported goods through the UK to a final destination abroad, then the simplified transit and transhipment procedures will apply. These allow goods to be taken through the UK without payment of import charges. While in the UK the goods can - under certain conditions - be regrouped or repacked. They must not, however, be altered and must be removed from the UK within one month unless a longer period is agreed with Customs.