Companies like that pay higher wages. It s a more stable company for the community. To increase their clients foreign market sales, the center offer a number of services, including workshops, market research and instruction on exporting procedures. Davis said many small businesses don t export simply because they aren t familiar with business practices in other countries. The processes are a little bit different because you re trying to deal with laws here and laws overseas, he said.
Most companies work with the center over a period of two to five years.
The organization s ultimate goal is to help each client develop an export department and hire personnel who deal exclusively with overseas sales. Davis said the center usually encourages its newest client to enter into lucrative markets in Europe and Asia before trying to break into Chinese, Russian, and African markets, whose economies make it more difficult to work with. These markets are not impossible to enter, he said, but they require patience and diligence. You ve got to put some time, money and effort behind it, Davis said. It doesn t mean there s not a demand for products there.