Top tips to start trading internationally from the UK

Getting started trading internationally can feel intimidating, but the Department for International Trade (DIT) and other trade-focused organisations offer help to deal with everything from funding to writing an export plan to meeting vital contacts in other countries.

Below are some of the best services available to UK businesses, whether you’re just starting out or looking to expand your existing international sales. 

Receive a grant of up to £9,000 (England only)

If your business needs help with export set-up costs, DIT offers grants of between £1,000 and £9,000 via the Internationalisation Fund. To be eligible, businesses need to be based in England and self-fund between 40 and 50 per cent of their costs.

Funds are available for companies to support expenses such as market visits, consultancy, trade fairs, translation services and market research. 

The Fund, which closes on 31 December 2022, is available to small or medium-sized enterprises with up to 250 employees (applications for companies in London are now closed). Annual turnover cannot exceed €50 million and the annual balance sheet cannot exceed €43 million.

Find out more about the Internationalisation Fund.

Get access to finance and insurance

UK Export Finance (UKEF) is the UK Government’s export credit agency and offers finance and insurance to help companies win contracts abroad, fulfil orders and get paid. 

More than 100 private credit insurers and lenders work with UKEF to deliver support to British companies exporting goods and services abroad.

For example, UKEF offers working capital loans to help companies take on and fulfil orders and offers insurance against buyer default to help companies manage in challenging markets. 

To learn more about how UKEF can help your business, visit great.gov.uk/get-finance.

Learn export tips and tricks for free

The UK Export Academy is a free, comprehensive training programme that gives businesses the know-how to sell to overseas customers. 

The programme is delivered by international-trade experts through online and face-to-face learning, with masterclasses and foundation courses on everything from trade deals to intellectual property to how to reach audiences abroad. 

There are also specialised courses for different sectors, ranging from the space industry to food and drink. 

To get an idea of the range of free content on offer, simply sign up and create a personalised account (it takes less than five minutes), then browse a timetable of upcoming events. 

There’s content for companies new to exporting, and for those with some experience of selling internationally. Beginner modules offer tips on basics such as how to create an export action plan, conduct market research, understand customs documentation, identify your target audience, and export services overseas. These are repeated throughout the year. 

The UK Export Academy is free and open to any British business with a product or service that could potentially be exported. Find out more details and sign up here. 

Create your own export plan

An export plan is a business plan for selling internationally. For any business hoping to export, it’s a key tool to show banks, investors and potential partners that your business is serious about exporting and has realistic and measurable goals. 

DIT offers a free export plan builder which guides potential exporters through the steps to create an export plan. You simply enter the product you are hoping to export, and the tool offers a step-by-step guide to building a plan, including tips on markets where that product might succeed. 

Get free one-on-one advice from people in the market you’re targeting

If your business has a turnover of £500,000 or more and a product or service which is ready to export, but you lack contacts, you could be eligible for DIT’s free International Market Support.

This offers a large range of reports plus introductions to contacts in markets abroad, via DIT’s global network.

Businesses get access to sector reports, market intelligence and guides, plus introductions to local accountants, legal experts, and sector specialists, plus one-on-one advice from a trade adviser in the market they hope to target. 

If you believe your business is eligible, contact your local DIT office. 

Get access to overseas trade shows

Overseas trade shows can be a game-changer for small businesses, helping to build contacts, gain market knowledge and ‘make a name’ in target markets – and DIT offers help to British SMEs that want to attend or exhibit at overseas trade shows.

DIT’s UK Tradeshow Programme offers free training on how to maximise the benefits of attending trade shows, and applicants can also receive financial support to help with exhibiting at trade shows abroad. 

Find out if your small business is eligible for the UK Tradeshow Programme.

Get free support on a wide range of exporting-related issues

If you’re based in England and you need expert advice on how to explore a new overseas market, DIT’s international trade advisors (ITAs) can help. They provide bespoke guidance on topics such as trading with specific markets, exporting via online marketplaces and creating an export plan.

ITAs can also help businesses to commission services from local experts in other countries, and offer support during overseas visits.

In Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, DIT provides export support but this does not include a bespoke, one-to-one offer. The devolved administrations also provide help to companies that want to sell internationally. Find your local trade office here.

Get help from the British Chambers of Commerce

The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) can offer advice, expertise and contacts to businesses hoping to export. The BCC has affiliated members in more than 75 overseas markets.

There are accredited Chambers of Commerce in every part of the UK, and these are a font of knowledge on everything export-related.

The ChamberCustoms service offers advice and tips on exporting, with customs agents with direct links to all air, sea and land port terminals in the UK.

ChamberCustoms agents can offer up-to date advice and training on everything to do with customs, importing and exporting, as well as bespoke advice for businesses.

Get advice from the Confederation of British Industry

The CBI’s Global Trade Hub offers businesses hoping to export toolkits, case studies and market insights.

The hub offers up-to-date advice on trading globally, including in-depth advice on the UK’s new relationship with the EU, and tips on moving goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Toolkits offer tips on how to grow businesses globally and how to build resilience. It also offers information on the CBI’s Seize the Moment Campaign, which offers an economic strategy for the UK to pursue for 2030, including a plan to boost British exports.

Andy Burwell, CBI director of international trade, said: “The CBI’s Seize the Moment campaign highlights the importance of a globalised economy in the UK’s quest for growth. The CBI is working across industry to support UK exports, enabling firms to find new sources of revenue at a challenging time.”

“Initiatives such as the industry-led Trade in Services Council, announced as part of the Government’s export strategy, shows the potential for government and business to work together to inspire new and existing exporters and to embed an export-oriented mindset across the entire economy.”

Get advice from the Federation of Small Businesses

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) offers a wealth of advice for businesses hoping to export via its Trade Advisory Hub.

This includes in-depth advice on technical issues such as rules of origin and customs declarations for international trade, as well as beginner’s guides for businesses just getting started in exporting.

There is also advice on export finance, recruiting abroad and building an export plan, plus regular webinars and Q&As on the practicalities of international trade.

Lucy Monks, head of international affairs at the FSB, said: “Trade and export presents huge opportunities for small businesses, with those firms which look outside the UK’s borders able to find new audiences and new avenues for profit. FSB is proud of the support we offer to our members who export goods and services, and we support measures to make the exporting journey as smooth as possible.”

Learn in-depth from the Institute of Export & International Trade

The Institute of Export & International Trade is the leading provider of training in international trade in the UK – offering everything from courses suitable for beginners up to master’s degrees.

The Institute delivered 11,000 courses in 2021, and offers in-depth training courses on everything from digital identities to international trade documentation.

The Institute offers qualifications suitable for every stage of a career (with certificates equivalent to GCSEs and A-Levels suitable for beginners), and courses which can be taken online alongside work commitments.

So whatever the size of your business, whether you are new to exporting or already selling your products/services internationally, if you want to enter new markets there is lots of support available.

Sell to the world

Now is an exciting time for your business to sell to new markets. DIT provides a wide range of free support, wherever you are on your exporting journey.

Find out how DIT can help your business sell to the world at great.gov.uk.