What are the most common mistakes made by service exporters?
Most export mistakes fall into one of four categories: • Poor or rushed preparation, including travelling to foreign markets without spending time on market research and developing a series of contacts. • Approaching a market “cold” rather than getting referrals from satisfied customers and other network contacts. • Trying to promote one’s service without first spending time establishing one’s credibility as a provider of quality services. • No attempt to customize the service to cultural values and norms. Resources from ITC for additional information: Innovating for Services Export Success, 2001 (Chapter 4). Successful Services Exporting: A Handbook for Firms, Associations and Governments, 2001 (Chapters 4, 6, 10, and 11).
