hoW To geT sTArTed 17 3 Assess whether you are ready to start exporting. 4 Develop your export strategy. Only then should you start to prepare your detailed export plan. Even at this stage, it is worthwhile contacting your government support organization and speaking to a local adviser. government support for exporters Trade is the lifeblood of economic growth, so all governments do their best to promote both exporting and inward investment. It can be a difficult sell and that is why many governments have organiza- tions that provide advice, support and in many cases even financial support to companies that export. Twenty years ago only large export- ing countries, mainly in the developed world, had government agencies to support their exporters. Nowadays almost every country, large or small, has a government agency that supports export trade and inward