Coleraine Borough Council Think Big …Think Trade Programme

TITLE DATE Introduction to Think Big …Think Trade Programme ► Programme aimed principally at first time / inexperienced exporters – 10 in total recruited early Autumn 2006 who wished to “dip their toe in the water” for the 1 st time in terms of export development. ► Very broad cross-section of participants. ► All of the participants elected to focus on either the ROI or the GB market as part of the Programme. ► 2 fundamental aims of the Programme:  To help participants to develop the skills and the confidence to begin exporting.  To identify potential customers in ROI / GB for participants ….and to actually set up meetings for participants with these potential customers.

TITLE DATE Key Elements of the Programme ► Export skills development workshops ► One to one export-focused mentoring. ► Market research, prospecting and meeting scheduling. ► Tailored export market visits.  You can’t export from behind your desk in Coleraine. ► Export business development action plan

TITLE DATE Key Inputs to the Programme ► 3 half day training workshops …and an additional video-recorded role play workshop. ► A total of 42.5 days one to one client work delivered over a 5 month period. Split between:  One to one mentoring.  Market research and organisation of meetings with potential customers in ROI / GB ► 9 tailored export market visits organised …and took place during the Programme. This involved 36 meetings with real export customers. ► 10 export action plans.

TITLE DATE Key Outputs from the Programme ► We carried out a survey of participants in preparation for today [5 months following completion of the Programme]. ► We asked participants what impact the Programme has had on their businesses:  75% claimed that the Programme resulted in a small increase in sales.  15% claimed that the Programme resulted in a major increase in sales.  63% claimed that the Programme resulted in a small increase in export business.  38% claimed that the Programme caused them to employ more people.  100% of participants have returned to ROI / GB to follow up on business leads following the Programme. [23 export market visits in total in the last 4 months]

TITLE DATE Key Outputs from the Programme ► “Sales have risen by 18% over the last 4 months. We have also recently just won an order for Euro 18K which is very good for us”. John Wilson, JWA Promotional Products. ► “I would say that we have had a small increase in export sales. We have also had a lot of enquiries from ROI which shall hopefully turn into sales”. Gillian Keyes, Zing ► “We used to have 16 people. We now have 18 people and we are looking for another”. Stephen Lynch, ISD

TITLE DATE Key Outputs from the Programme ► “In terms of exporting, hopefully we will double what I’m currently doing at the minute”. Jim Black, Asbestos Management ► “I expect export sales to go from 0% to something – 100% Derek Corbett, CK Engineering ► “We have never really done much in relation to sales outside NI so I would like and expect it to treble”. Will Collins, Room Dynamic Furniture

TITLE DATE Final thoughts on the Programme ► “It was a very worthwhile exercise. It gave me the confidence to see what is available in ROI and see that there is actually work available to me there”. Jim Black, Asbestos Management. ► “Very useful programme. It opened some doors that wouldn’t have been open to me before”. Will, Collins, Rooms ► “Thoroughly useful exercise and I enjoyed the Programme”. Geoff Cox, First4 Studio