Fail to Plan = Plan to Fail
This is the sort of superficial thing you find in Self Help books but there is some truth there.
Some sort of formal/semi-formal process for thinking about what you are doing, what you want to achieve, what the issues are and how to address them can greatly increase your chances of success and reduce risks, saving you time and money.
There are a number of online resources you can use to get started.
Export Savvy has self-study modules that explore all aspects of doing business overseas and can lead you through all the stages to generate a Plan. Raise a support request on this site if you want an Access Code allowing up to 6 users from a business to use the material.
Open to Export has been re-structured and updated and now offers a very good tool. It asks you all the questions that you need to ask about your business and product, leading you through these headings: Getting started, Selecting a market, Reaching customers, Pricing and getting paid, Delivery and documentation. At the end it produces a comprehensive Business Plan for you to use.
Once you have generated a Plan using either Export Savvy or Open To Export (or both!) you will find it valuable as a basis to work with a UKTI International Trade Advisor for more in-depth advice. If you don't have one of these, please raise a support ticket or complete this form and we will find you one!