Here are two opportunities to share your export success story
The US Small Business Administration and Visa are sponsoring a contest for small businesses ready to share the secrets of their success in finding new customers around the world. To enter, create an original, high-definition video that tells your story in three minutes or less and concludes with these words: “That’s my exporting story. Where will your next customer come from?” The video should focus on “how to” and inspiring others to follow your lead – not on promoting your company.
The first prize is a $12,000 award that includes cash, an expenses-paid trip to be honored at the National District Export Council Conference in Las Vegas, November 2-5, 2011, and $1,000 towards a Commerce Department Gold Key serviceand/or various other trade related events. The deadline for entries is September 3. Complete rules are here.
Not ready for the camera? How about high-profile exposure in a magazine distributed to a quarter million readers in 178 countries worldwide? That’s the prize awaiting winners of the 2012 Exporter of the Year Award.
The magazine is Commercial News USA, the official export promotion magazine of the US Department of Commerce. Publisher ThinkGlobal is accepting nominations for Exporter of the Year until September 17.Winners will be named in each of the 11 industries covered by Commercial News USA. In this competition, the narrative is in the numbers: judges will be looking at total number of documented export deals completed in 2010, total percentage increase in sales in 2010 compared to 2009, and exports as a percentage of total sales, as well as the company’s commitment to exporting and customer service, and the company’s originality in marketing. Read about the 2011 awardees here. You can nominate you company here.