• General Export Assistance
• Market Research
• Marketing & Product and Service Promotion
• Protocol & Diplomacy
• Advocacy

In the age of globalization, exporting represents a crucial component to the long-term economic health of the United States and to Oklahoma. As the world gets smaller, markets for products and services continue to expand, representing a variety of opportunities for Oklahoma businesses and communities to increase profits, raise employment levels, fund sustainable economic development initiatives, and attract foreign direct investment (FDI) dollars.

Developing and carrying out an export strategy requires a significant amount of research, planning, and support. The Oklahoma Department of Commerce Global Business Services division can point your company in the right direction and keep it on track by providing resources and services designed to help the state's businesses compete in the international marketplace.

To bring you everything your company needs for success overseas, Global Business Services works with a number of federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Commerce, the U.S. Small Business Administration's Office of International Trade, U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Export-Import Bank, the NAFTA Customs offices, and the U.S. State Department -- just to name a few.

Global Business Services navigates through the complex layers of bureaucracy involved with international trade so you don't have to, making us your one-stop shop for the following services:

General Export Assistance Top
Although there aren't any hard and fast rules for when a company should venture into the global market, success ultimately depends on careful and extensive planning and ongoing guidance. Whether you're a new exporter just getting started or an experienced international trader hoping to expand into new markets, the Commerce Global Business Services division can provide step-by-step assistance in the following ways:

• Help your company draft its international business plan (see Exporting Basics for a template), which besides being an essential document for defining your company's present status and exporting goals and commitment, an international business plan is also required to secure export financing.
• Assess the international potential of your products and services and find the best global markets, including assistance with bidding for government projects overseas. Export Solutions tracks reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan and Iraq as well as acts as a liaison between Oklahoma businesses and the U.S. Agency for International Development, the Overseas Private Investment Corporation, and the multilateral development banks (MBDs) -- African Development Bank, Asian Development Bank, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Inter-American Development Bank, and the World Bank, which frequently post requests for proposals for overseas projects.
• Help your company secure financing through commercial banks, export trading companies (ETCs) and export management companies (EMCs), international buyers and suppliers, government agencies, and the MDBs.
• Connect your company with international buyers, suppliers, and partners through a variety of means, including our International Trade Offices (ITOs) located in key markets around the world--China, Mexico, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia.
• Provide marketing advice, which includes connecting you with professional translators to produce marketing materials that deliver on-the-mark messages about your products and services in the languages of the markets you're trying to reach.
• Connect your company with experienced freight forwarders. These folks represent one of your most important allies in your international sales efforts. Besides handling the myriad of shipping regulations and filing the countless pages of required documents, good freight forwarders deliver -- on your behalf -- fast and efficient service that ultimately sets your company apart from the competition.

Global Business Services can help your company with all the details involved in the exporting life cycle. Exporting Step-by-Step discusses this life cycle in detail, giving you a broader view of the types of services and resources we offer, and provides helpful hints and tips that exporters need to launch their international efforts or remain competitive in the global marketplace. So, give us a call or shoot us an e-mail -- let's get started; let's grow.

Market Research Top
Appropriately analyzing and accessing potential markets for your company's products and services requires extensive research. And, once you've launched an exporting strategy and are actively selling your products and services on the global scene, you'll need to stay abreast of the economic, political, and social conditions in those markets that could have both short-term and long-term effects on your business and ability to export.

Many sources of domestic and international market information -- ranging from simple trade statistics to in-depth market surveys -- exist.

Trade statistics indicate total exports or imports by country and by product. They allow exporters to compare the size of the markets for a product or service in various countries. Some statistics also reflect the U.S. share of the total country market to gauge the overall competitiveness of U.S. producers. By looking at statistics over several years, exporters can determine which markets are growing and which are shrinking.

Market surveys provide a narrative description and assessment of particular markets along with relevant statistics. The reports are often based on original research conducted in the countries studied and may include specific information on both buyers and competitors.

One of the best sources of information is personal interviews with private and government officials and experts. A surprisingly large number of people in both the public and private sectors are available to assist exporters in any aspect of international market research. These individuals can provide a wealth of market research information, and Export Solutions can connect your company with just the right folks.

The level of market research required for success in the global marketplace can be overwhelming, but fortunately, the Oklahoma Department of Commerce, the U.S. Department of Commerce, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Small Business Administration, the International Monetary Fund, and many other public and private agencies have done much of the leg work for you.

Market Research provides you with a good sampling of the types of research that Export Solutions can help you collect, wade through, and distill into meaningful information for your company's exporting strategy. Global Business Services also offers:

• Country Briefs provide a concise overview of Oklahoma's top export markets, including current opportunities, an overview of the market, and need-to-know information, including regulatory issues, special freight regulations or considerations, market entry advice, and business and cultural tips.
• Customized Market Analysis (CMA) gives your company the detailed information it needs to make the most efficient and beneficial export marketing decisions.
• Culture Grams provide a concise overview of the history, culture, political structure, economy, and daily habits of societies around the world.

Marketing & Product and Service Promotion  Top
The Oklahoma Department of Commerce maintains International Trade Offices (ITOs) in China, Israel (Middle East), Mexico, and Vietnam (Southeast Asia) to assist the state's businesses and communities in developing export opportunities by working with pre-qualified companies to help them sell their products and services and identify specific buyers; attract foreign direct investment (FDI) to Oklahoma's communities; recruit international students to the state's colleges and universities; and promote tourism.

Global Business Services works directly with Oklahoma businesses of all sizes to become pre-qualified companies, which means they can market and promote their products and services through the ITOs; connect with partners, suppliers, and buyers throughout the world; and participate in overseas trade shows and trade missions designed to market Oklahoma-produced goods and services and expand the state's international presence.

And, Commerce's free, agent and distributor search service connects Oklahoma companies with businesses or individuals in targeted export markets that can ensure your products and services reach the right industries, sectors, and customers.

Protocol & Diplomacy  Top
The Oklahoma Department of Commerce helps the state's business executives venture into the global marketplace with the utmost confidence by offering protocol and diplomacy assistance that gives them a greater awareness of cultural, business, and social differences within their target markets. In other words, we're here to help you avoid any embarrassing moments that at the least leave you a little red-faced and at the worst, cost you a sale and close important doors.

Specifically, we offer advice and instruction in the following areas:

International Relations and Presence

• How should I proceed in contacting the appropriate foreign government agency in pursuing a project?
• Does Oklahoma have any established connections in China, on which I can rely during my first business trip to the country?
• What are some current issues between the U.S. and Zimbabwe?
• Do I need a visa to visit a foreign country, and what is the process to obtain it?
• Are there any active government warnings for travel to Mexico?
• Do I need immunizations for foreign travel?
• What happens if I run into trouble abroad?

Cultural Briefings

• What are the dos and don'ts of the Japanese culture?
• How do I greet and address my foreign guest?
• Where can I find background information on Greece? 

Business Etiquette and Protocol

• How do I dress for a business meeting in Russia?
• How do first introductions take place in Korea?
• How do I address my business partner in Vietnam?
• What gifts could I present to my Chinese partner?
• Do seating arrangements matter at a dinner for my German business partners?
• Is it appropriate to use humor in business situations internationally?
• How long does it usually take to broker a deal in France?
• What do my Chinese counterparts mean when they say "Yes"?

Cross-cultural and protocol fundamentals

• What general guidelines should I follow when conducting business internationally?

Advocacy  Top
Help! When you get in trouble out there in the trenches of the international marketplace, Global Business Services is here to help. Recognizing that unfair and illegal trade practices are still an occasional reality, the Oklahoma Department of Commerce helps businesses level the playing field in foreign markets by tapping into the collective resources of our federal agency partners, our industry and business connections throughout the world, and other state agencies that may be of assistance in various circumstances.

Global Business Services encourages companies to use our export services, which are designed to avoid problems from the get-go, but we also realize that despite the best-made plans, problems happen. Through our partnership with the U.S. Department of Commerce and our International Trade Offices strategically located around the world, Global Business Services offers four principal ways to help your company:

• Provide research and insight on how to negotiate through foreign government bureaucracies
• Advocate directly to foreign governments on behalf of a client company
• Enlist the support of our state and federal officials to act on behalf of Oklahoma companies needing fair treatment.
• Other appropriate interventions dependent on individual circumstances.