15 Places to Look for Global Trade Help
by Laurel J. Delaney

You can never have too many resources to help you expand your business internationally. Here are 15 places to get all the help you need with global trade.

1. Exporting Guide
https://exportingguide.com

Exporting Guide equips you with the knowledge you need to market, sell, and fulfill orders internationally, taking full advantage of the Internet and the opportunities it creates. The website also also imparts a can-do spirit on exporting, leading to greater revenues, stability, and profitability for your business. Full disclosure: Laurel Delaney is the creator and publisher of the Exporting Guide.

2. Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global™
https://womenentrepreneursgrowglobal.org

wegg®’s mission is to educate, inspire and nurture women business owners and entrepreneurs worldwide on how to go global so they can run healthier businesses and create a new future for themselves, their families and their community. This blog has been in operation since 2008 and offers a plethora of resources, interviews, educational programs and how-tos on taking a business global. Full disclosure: Laurel Delaney is the founder and president of the nonprofit, Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global.

3. DipNote | U.S. Department of State Official Blog
https://blogs.state.gov

Through its websites and other online resources, the Department offers broad public access to a wide range of information. Blogs.state.gov offers the public an alternative source to mainstream media for U.S. foreign policy information. This blog discusses important foreign policy issues with senior Department officials.

4. ExportLawBlog
https://www.exportlawblog.com

ExportLawBlog is written and maintained by Clif Burns, a lawyer at Bryan Cave in Washington, DC, and an Adjunct Professor of Law at the Georgetown University Law Center. He focuses his practice on international business transactions, export controls, economic sanctions, customs and international intellectual property matters.

5. Export.gov
https://www.export.gov/welcome

Developed by international trade experts and economists, Export.gov provides trusted market intelligence, practical advice and business tools to help U.S. companies expand in global markets

6. eBay Global Shipping
https://pages.ebay.com/seller-center/shipping/global-shipping-program.html

The eBay Global Shipping Program (GSP) takes the complexity out of shipping internationally, bringing your business to markets around the world.

7. Facebook IQ
https://www.facebook.com/business/insights/tools/cross-border-insights-finder

Facebook IQ enables you to explore new growth opportunities beyond borders, develop export strategies, and unlock advertising investments on a large scale.

8. Standardization Resource for Global Trade
https://www.standardsportal.org

This website provides answers to the critical standards, conformance, market access, and trade-related questions that companies require to succeed in the U.S. and internationally.

9. American National Standards Institute
https://www.standardsportal.org

ANSI provides answers to the critical standards, conformance, market access, and trade-related questions that companies need to succeed in the U.S. and internationally. Begin by following the links on the site to access information on your market of interest.

10. Trade.gov State Reports
https://www.trade.gov/mas/ian/statereports/

Trying to find out if your state supports exports and how much is it doing? This is the place to visit. Trade.gov state reports offer the following:

• The value of state merchandise exports.
• The number of companies, including small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), that exported from the state.
• The value of exports from a state’s major metropolitan areas.

11. Trade.gov Trade Agreements and Negotiations
https://www.trade.gov/mas/ian/tradeagreements/index.asp

Are you debating on whether to enter a market and are unsure if a trade agreement is in effect? This site offers information on the benefits of trade agreements by state.

12. The Commerce Blog | Department of Commerce
https://www.commerce.gov/news/the-commerce-blog

The mission of the Department of Commerce is to create the conditions for economic growth and opportunity. At this site, you’ll find wide-ranging information about the U.S. economy and international markets. There’s something for everybody here that will help them get a better handle on global trade.

13. The Global Small Business Blog
http://www.globalsmallbusinessblog.com

The Global Small Business Blog is the definitive blog for entrepreneurs and small businesses interested in going global. The blog offers articles, resources and tips for taking a business global. Full disclosure: Laurel Delaney is the founder and publisher of the Global Small Business Blog.

14. Tradeology
https://blog.trade.gov

The official blog of the International Trade Administration, Tradeology offers an alternative source to mainstream media for global trade information.

15. GlobalEDGE™
https://globaledge.msu.edu

Created by the International Business Center and the Eli Broad College of Business at Michigan State University, globalEDGE is a knowledge web-portal that connects international business professionals worldwide to a wealth of information, insights, and learning resources on global business activities.

©2019 Laurel J. Delaney.  All rights reserved.

Read Laurel’s latest book, “Exporting:  The Definitive Guide to Selling Abroad Profitably,” published by Apress (2016).

Photo courtesy:  Kyle Ryan on Unsplash