Get your business ready

Before you do anything, ask yourself this one important question: is exporting right for your business? A little time spent completing the UK Trade & Investment questionnaire will give you a good idea of your company’s capability to export and help improve your chances of success.

Is your business ready?

Take the UKTI Questionnaire

It is also important to learn from other UK businesses that have been there and done it. See what the successful exporters below have to say about doing business abroad.

Best of British: Success stories

Name
G.R. Wright & Sons
Industry
UKTI case study
Description

Established in 1867 as a flour miller, now the UK’s leading bread mix producer G.R. Wright & Sons overcame cultural and linguistic issues to penetrate new markets abroad. Strong sales, particularly in Holland and Belgium, facilitated export trade growth of over 400%.

Download as a PDF

Additional resource
View video

Select a success story:

  • Preview Thumbnail
    UK Trade & Investment, North East England Introduction
    Name
    G.R. Wright & Sons
    Industry
    UKTI case study
    Preview Description

    Established in 1867 as flour millers, … the UK’s leading bread mix producer G.R. Wright & Sons overcame cultural and linguistic issues to penetrate new markets abroad. Strong sales, particularly in Holland and Belgium, facilitated export trade growth of over 400%.

    Download as a PDF

    Additional resource
    http://www.youtube.com/v/5OAZ2zjM-fI&hl=en&fs=1
  • Preview Thumbnail
    UKTI Helps Opta Sportsdata Score Overseas
    Name
    OPTA
    Industry
    UKTI case study
    Preview Description

    With comprehensive research and planning … , Opta Sportsdata’s overseas expansion generated business in 13 new markets. As a percentage of total turnover, export sales increased from 17% to 28% in the first year, and accounted for over 40% the following year.

    Download as a PDF

    Additional resource
    http://www.youtube.com/v/ElOktgOtM_A&hl=en&fs=1
  • Preview Thumbnail
    International Success Stories: World of Books
    Name
    World of Books
    Industry
    Royal Mail client
    Preview Description

    World of Books started out selling … unwanted books from charity shops to UK customers. Since expanding into foreign markets, 40% of sales are now being sent to overseas customers, with a high volume of demand in Asia and the US.

    Download as a PDF

    Additional resource
    http://www.youtube.com/v/MTXr_8UZBlM&hl=en&fs=1
  • Preview Thumbnail
    International Success Stories: Skoosh
    Name
    Skoosh
    Industry
    Applied Languages client
    Preview Description

    Business soared when hotel booking site … Skoosh launched new European language versions of its website. The number of people who visited and went on to make a booking increased by 50% in France and Germany and by 30% in Italy.

    Download as a PDF

    Additional resource
    http://www.youtube.com/v/ytQ_R_TEpjU&hl=en&fs=1
  • Preview Thumbnail
    International Success Stories: Cloggs
    Name
    Cloggs
    Industry
    Google client
    Preview Description

    In response to overseas customer demand … , UK-based footwear retailer Cloggs launched a French language website. By monitoring and improving their French Google AdWords campaigns, the site receives as many as 10,000 daily visits and averages 100 sales per day.

    Download as a PDF

    Additional resource
    http://www.youtube.com/v/9ZhDlsTocmk&hl=en&fs=1
  • Preview Thumbnail
    International Success Stories: Arena Flowers
    Name
    Arenaflowers.com
    Industry
    Google client
    Preview Description

    Faced with fierce domestic competition and … the weakening pound, web-based florist Arenaflowers.com used Google AdWords campaigns in Germany and Holland to expand into international markets. After one quarter, 36% of their revenue came from international sales and total revenue rose by 5%.

    Download as a PDF

    Additional resource
    http://www.youtube.com/v/4SsnC5dRkIg&hl=en&fs=1
  • Preview Thumbnail
    International Success Stories: Arena Flowers
    Name
    innocent
    Industry
    Google client
    Preview Description

    Richard Reed describes how Innocent … started expanding into international markets to protect the smoothie brand against European competition.

    Download as a PDF

    Additional resource
    http://www.youtube.com/v/4GZKX64CNcQ&hl=en&fs=1
  • Preview Thumbnail
    International Success Stories: Arena Flowers
    Name
    Purely gadgets
    Industry
    Google client
    Preview Description

    Purely Gaddgets MD, Alan Lim describes … how seizing the opportunity to start exporting proved key to the electronic distibutor's survival in the downturn.

    Download as a PDF

    Additional resource
    http://www.youtube.com/v/12rYQ4v6Q4U&hl=en&fs=1