Commerce, SBA offer online tool for small exporters

Commerce, SBA offer online tool for small exporters    The U.S. Commerce Department and Small Business Administration have developed an online tool to help small companies break into exporting.
   Six Steps to Begin Exporting is part of the Obama administration's National Export Initiative to help small to mid-sized businesses begin exporting.
   The six-step process begins with a self-assessment to help potential exporters gauge their readiness to successfully enter international trade. This self-assessment is followed by sections on:
   ' Training and counseling programs.
   ' Resources to create an export business plan.
   ' Information on conducting market research.
   ' Help for finding foreign buyers.
   ' Investigating financing for small business exports, foreign investments or projects.
   After completing the self-assessment, businesses receive a score indicating their level of readiness. Based on the score, additional resources are identified to fit their specific needs, including SBA and its nationwide resource partners SCORE and Small Business Development Centers, as well as the Commerce Department's U.S. Export Assistance Centers, which provide individualized support.
   'One of the main hurdles potential exporters face is their fear that exporting is too complicated,' said SBA Administrator Karen Mills, in a statement. 'This six-step process addresses and dispels that concern.
   'Across the administration, we continue to strengthen the tools and resources so we can be the best possible partner in helping small business owners grow their customer base beyond our borders and, in doing so, create new jobs here at home,' she added.
   This joint Commerce-SBA effort is part of an array of activities by federal agencies to support the White House's National Export Initiative, which calls for doubling U.S. exports and supporting 2 million jobs over the next five years. So far this year, U.S. exports have increased nearly 18 percent compared to the same period in 2009.
   President Obama has outlined five steps the administration is taking to help U.S. firms expand sales of their goods and services abroad:
   ' Creating a new Cabinet-level focus on U.S. exports.
   ' Expanding export financing.
   ' Prioritizing government advocacy on behalf of U.S. exporters.
   ' Providing new resources to U.S. businesses seeking to export.
   ' Ensuring a level playing field for U.S. exporters in global markets.
   For more information on export services for small businesses or to find local counseling and technical assistance resources, access www.export.gov.