Posted: July 30, 2010

By Bill Cresenzo

bill.cresenzo@insidebiz.com

Businesses are often reluctant to explore exporting their goods and services, because they don't know where to begin.

That's where the Virginia Economic Development Partnership can help. It has a program dedicated to helping Virginia businesses learn the ins and outs of exporting.

"Start with us. We will take their products or their services and we will tell them if they have export potential," said Paul Grossman, director of international trade for the partnership, on what the partnership can offer potential exporters.

The partnership runs the Virginia Leaders in Export Trade (VALET) program, which last week graduated a class of seven companies.

The alliance is discontinuing its Accessing International Marketing program, which is similar to the VALET program. Grossman said that the end of that program means that VALET will expand to two years, rather than one, will train 25 companies per year and will provide them with up to $15,000 in expenses.

The program targets companies that have a well-established presence in the United States and want to branch out across the world.

"American companies have always focused on the U.S. economy first, and why not?" Grossman said. "It is the largest economy in the world, and it's in their backyard. They speak the language, they know the legal system. They know who to get paid. You should focus on your greatest opportunity if it's in your backyard. But for a whole host of reasons, you have to look beyond your backyard to counterbalance, so that when the U.S. economy goes down, you are not at risk and totally opposed to this one economy.

Reps from Air Systems International Inc. of Chesapeake and VSD of Virginia Bach, graduated from the VALET program last week.

"They act as a resource, from A to Z," said Paul Angelico, president of Air Systems International, which makes air products such as portable fans and air filtration systems. Exports account for about 20 percent of the sales.

"It's like the Library of Congress of international trade. Anything you want to learn, whether it's translation or international websites or advertising."

The program also offered a reduced-price trip to Saudi Arabia for a company representative.

"They coordinate everything," Angelico said. "You learn a lot of things that you didn't really think about. We really upgraded our knowledge of doing international trade. Everything from the shipping aspect to advertising and just about every phase of marketing."

For more information about the VALET program, go online to www.exportvirginia.com. nib