The VEDP has turned a new corner—we now not only have integrated our services towards service exporters fully—not as an exception, but as a rule—and we have a case study to prove it.  Colleen Jolly, Principal at 24 Hour Company is the first VEDP client to successfully complete the VALET program, and immediately turn around and become a program partner, to share her successes, triumphs, and pitfalls circumvented (and some maybe not!) that are a natural part of the contact sport known as exporting.

24 Hour Company is a graphic design company that “translates” (so to speak) companies’ capabilities into formats pictorially that make sense to people procuring those services.  And by “people” we mean major government and corporate institutions, shifting through dozens of like bids.  Their touch can and often does make the difference, and dramatically increases the chances of winning the tender.  When I first met Colleen, she wanted to use our help to expand and open a UK office.  Now, she has successfully done that, hired two employees there, has been with us to Australia and cultivated successful partnerships there, and has been to South Africa.  Not to mention the increase in revenues that this has brought into the Commonwealth….  And what is better from our institutional point of view, is that no one is any longer surprised.  We expect to be able to assist companies like this, and we do.

Colleen may be a recipient of Washington’s Top Ten under 30, but she has a lot of wisdom to pass on.  And not surprisingly, she boils it down to the basics.  You love to travel?  You understand this is an integrated, global, non-monolithic world? Incorporate that into your business and its strategy.  Don’t know where to start?  Ask for help from anyone and everyone.  Be open.  Start with what seems easiest.  And start locally.  And most importantly, don’t be afraid to ask.  As Colleen recently stated, “I did not wander around the Internet bemoaning the people who seem to have all the luck—I asked.”

The good news is that there are plenty of resources out there, and that there are plenty of knowledgeable people to ask.  The VEDP has resources in 45 countries, and takes about ten trips a year abroad.  Don’t make it harder than it has to be!

The best part of all is that by integrating successful companies like the 24 Hour Co into our “family” of clients, VALET alumni, and program partners, we now also complement what we have to offer clients.   The experience of shortcuts and lessons learned.

To learn more about Colleen’s experience, click here.

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As your company considers its export strategy for 2012, you may want to include South Africa on your list of potential target markets.  South Africa has emerged as an important economy for US exporters and offers a unique combination of a highly developed economic infrastructure with a vibrant emerging market economy.  In April 2011, South Africa joined the BRICS alliance of the world’s most important emerging economies (Brazil, Russia, India and China round out the list).  While the country’s economy and population may have a long way to go to rival its BRICS counterparts, South Africa is still a significant market with great potential by itself, or as a jumping off point for accessing the one billion consumers on the African continent.

South Africa presents a number of advantages to Virginia companies looking for new international sales opportunities and chief among these is the ease of doing business there.  English is the language of business and the country has low import duties and relatively uncomplicated regulations for products entering the market.  In addition, South Africa has a sound and stable economy, well developed infrastructure, and values the rule of law in business transactions.  These claims cannot be made for a lot of other emerging markets, such as Brazil and China.  In fact, South Africa ranked 35^th out of 178 countries in the World Bank’s 2008 Doing Business report, which measures the time, cost and hassle for businesses to comply with legal and administrative requirements.

Added to these advantages is the fact that South Africa is a major importer of diverse products from around the world, making it a great target for exporters in a wide range of industries.  Some of the best opportunities for Virginia exporters selling to South Africa are in the following sectors:

• Computer software and services
• Pharmaceuticals and health care
• Security and safety
• Telecommunications
• Water and wastewater treatment
• Mining equipment
• Railways

So whether you’re ready to jump on a plane to Johannesburg but need help finding sales partners, or would just like to know more about the potential for your specific product or service in South Africa, contact VEDP International Trade.  We have two perfect options for you:

• Join us on a VEDP-led trade mission to South Africa, May 7-11, 2012. During this five-day trip you will have your own personal itinerary of meetings with qualified South African sales partners and/or customers, as well as networking receptions.  Register here.

• Have our market research consultants in South Africa provide you with a market assessment, so you’ll know whether this is a good target for your company.  Contact your local VEDP trade manager to get started!

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