Craft Focus - October/November 2020 (Issue 81)

87 BUSINESS ADVICE About the Department for International Trade (DIT) DIT helps businesses export, drives inward and outward investment, negotiates market access and trade deals, and champions free trade. We also secure UK and global prosperity by promoting and financing international trade and investment. We champion free trade by: • Supporting and encouraging UK businesses to drive sustainable international growth. • Ensuring the UK remains a leading destination for international investment. • Opening markets, building a trade framework with new and existing partners which is free and fair. • Using trade and investment to underpin the government’s agenda for a Global Britain and its ambitions for prosperity, stability and security worldwide. DIT support during Coronavirus The Government is supporting businesses and employees through a package of measures to help manage the impact of coronavirus (Covid-19). These measures include financial support packages for businesses, support for employees’ wages and Export Insurance Policy (EXIP) . doing so. Craft businesses looking to enter new markets can find support from DIT’s E-exporting Programme which empowers UK firms to increase their exports by placing an international online strategy at the heart of their business. The e-exporting team has close partnerships with more than 35 global marketplaces including Amazon, eBay, JD.com , Rakuten, Flipkart and Trade Me, with specially negotiated preferential rates for companies to list their products. DIT also has a ‘Selling Online Overseas Tool’ on great.gov.uk – a free to use digital service that helps companies identify international marketplaces and apply to sell online. Top 5 tips for crafting your international online presence from Jamila Saidi, Head of E-exporting Programme at DIT 1. Do your research – it’s important to spend some time getting insight and data on the markets you’re interested in, your potential customers and your competitors. This will help you navigate the business landscape, and there are many free credible resources online these days. Once you’re armed with the information you need, you’ll be better placed to make informed decisions that could save you some time and potentially costly mistakes. 2. Find out about local regulations – you’ll need to understand laws that apply in the markets you’re looking to sell in. For example, there could be duties and import taxes that an overseas buyer may have to pay. Each country usually has their own De Minimis Threshold (DMT) which is the amount a buyer can import without paying taxes. It’s also a good idea to check on a country by country basis whether there are any product restrictions. 3. Don’t forget that your website is the online face of your brand – if you’re using your own website to sell directly to consumers, make sure that it’s translated into the local language, that you can accept foreign currency payments, and that it’s user friendly. Even if you’re selling through marketplaces, your own website still has a role to play. If your brand isn’t well-known in a particular country, customers will likely Google your brand to find out more before they make a purchase on a marketplace. 4. Invest in digital marketing – you’ll want your brand to stand out amongst all the other brands out there. International digital marketing is important for any brand starting out on its cross-border e-commerce journey. That doesn’t mean you need to spend a lot of money; it just means you should consider what you can do with the budget that you have. For example, you may want to look into doing some marketing through social media platforms, paid search activity, or no/low-cost PR. 5. Get independent expert advice – there are a lot of organisations offering support to small businesses; take advantage of the support available. Whether that’s through your local chambers of commerce, your bank or through DIT, expert advice could save you a lot of time and make your exporting journey easier. At DIT we have regional E-commerce Advisers who are experienced in helping companies use e-commerce and other digital channels to export.