What Every Exporter Needs To Know Logo: Fill & Download for Free

No brands. Well, no apparent brands. Only the wardrobe attendant should know. No conspicuous Ray-bans or designer watches. A status symbol screams “I have no class”. So, exit those logos with superimposed letters LV, YSL, DG, they’re export cash cows. Fine for crazy rich foreigners and local arrivistes. I confess to wearing Ray-Bans, but only the logo-less vintage ones, pre-takeover (1999). Yes, they’re Italian now, with a Ray-Ban logo baked right on the glass. See the video at end about removing the logo, and look great without being an unpaid advertizer.No brands even on kids. The little darlings are not billboards! Modesty, discipline, uniform, are the mark of classy kids. Discreet exceptions are allowed for proms, balls and parties, where some freedom is tolerated. If invited to a party, a boy is instructed to pay his respects to the lady of the house upon arrival (Mes hommages, Madame), have an immaculate handkerchief with his initials in his pocket so that when his crush “accidentally” spills her drink, boy offers his handkerchief, girl will remember her mother: “Don’t hand it back it soiled!”. It will be returned by the girl’s mother to the young man’s mother, washed, ironed, folded in an envelope with an invitation to tea for four. Embroidered handkerchieves perpetuate the good society.Social networks. No personal or family information displayed, ever. No public exposure of your travels to famous resorts. Marriage? Jubilee? Funeral? Use “Faire-parts”, snail-mailed messages, with replies handwritten using violet ink on scented parchment.Stringent Phone etiquette. Public use strictly minimal, and barred in restaurants. You actually look at people during meals. Milleniums, can you stomach that? Einstein projected a future when people would spend their time watching screens. Of course, he talked of the plebeian masses, not the elite. The elite’s minds are free; captive minds are for the masses.Education. Classy people educate their kids properly, and that’s perhaps their main distinction. The fortune follows the family, not the other way around. The New Rich don’t last three generations: the second squanders everything. This chapter deserves a book of its own. Those who have no class can quote George Bernard Shaw: “Our parents ruin the first half of our lives, our children the second”. Unfortunately, the French education system is in free fall at that level. It has fallen so low that people with class are ready to go to any extreme to get proper schooling for their offspring, in France or abroad.Style. Classy chic. Difficult to define, however, people with class don’t need a coach or a shopping consultant: they know it from birth. If you wore a uniform at school and classic chic outside school, and were comfortable doing so, and did not waste your university years absorbed in rebellion, then that’s it — your class style color-bled on you. Imprinted for life. In France it’s called BCBG (Bon Chic Bon Genre) and it’s the instinctive norm for people with la classe. Stroll downtown Deauville or Paris 16th: boys in corduroy shorts, girls in navy blue pleated skirts. Polished leather shoes. No sneakers, no gym attire, no yoga pants in public.Quiet. Hushed voices. No screaming. No loud music. No earbuds in public.Language also deserves a book. Sentences! Yes, sentences, you speak in sentences, that disappearing item of modern language. They have a beginning and an end, and lo and behold, they actually mean something. No need to talk 18th-century French, just utter intelligible sentences. Say what you mean, mean what you say. Language dramatically separates class from the rest, who tend to not actually speak. Speech is, with demeanor, the factor that socially defines you at once.Cars are in line with the rest. Classy but discreet. A family minivan, an urban compact for the lady, a 4x4 or a cabriolet for the man of the house, depending on his existential crisis phase. Think Range Rover V8, S-class MB, Mini Cooper, Porsche 911 or Jaguar. Désiglage de rigueur (de-badging compulsory: the guy behind doesn’t need to know yours is a Turbo V12 i750). German or British. No diesel. By now you gathered that the French upper crust doesn’t drive French.Eating. It’s France… Eating etiquette fills an entire handbook. If you’re a foreigner at a bourgeois dinner and you get an apple for dessert, you’re in trouble. Seriously. Yes: fork and knife only.Soup: the spoon is brought to the mouth from the side, never from the front - and it never enters the mouth. Noiselessly sip. Very tricky. Now to pecking order. Seating arrangements are a nightmarish maze of conventions. Aristocracy? Clergy? Marital status? Plus, no starting before the lady of the house gives the signal. Who in turn would wait for the blessing if Monseigneur is attending (head chair of course). No mastication noises, no talking while chewing. You can’t leave the table without properly asking — men, especially. Elbows. OMG, elbows and hands. Where do they belong? Select schools had pupils keeping a book under every armpit during meals to teach them the proper posture. Men should have their hands visible at all times (lest they wander you-know-where — I’m not referring to guns, guys!) Women allowed to lay one elbow, occasionally both — not more — on the table. Not men! There is a list of things that can be eaten with hands, poultry being one of them, go figure. After every bite, wipe your mouth with your table napkin. Whenever a married lady enters the room, all men stand.Manners. Deserve an entire book. No hammering your opinion in public. Speak with caution, start any opinion with “I may be mistaken, but I’ll dare an observation…”. When receiving a compliment, beam a “Merci, j’apprécie beaucoup ce que vous avez dit”. Give credit to where it’s due. If someone praises your children, point out your spouse’s merit, rather than quote the cost of tuition. Class goes with modesty.Church on Sunday, catechism, scouts. If you were raised with a moral code, you have the freedom to opt out or keep it.Class is simple. Complexity is the messy refuge of the confused majority.Practical exercise:

STARTING IMPORTS-EXPORTSExports and imports are a far-reaching concept, and a number of preparations are required by an importer or exporter before beginning the business. To start the import-export business, the following steps may be followed:01) Educate yourself (Research)Starting from scratch, basic knowledge of the market, and its trends is necessary. Doing thorough research will help you to set up and expand your business. You could grab information from the internet, follow trading forums, traders and trading companies on social media to get to know the latest updates and trends related to the market, and its norms. You could also read magazines and business newspapers for even more information and related news.02) Join an Internship at a Trading CompanyWhat does the trader's routine actually seem like? What does he do in between preparing invoices, requests for letters of credit and shipping documents? To know the answers, you will need to get your hands dirty and get involved. Earning experience by working at an import/export trading company will eventually help you with setting up your business, and will also help you if you face any difficulties with your business. The primary goal is to get to know every nitty-gritty detail of the market. It will also support in achieving fluency in the functions of your company.03) Selection of the Product and the MarketEvery product is openly exported or imported, except for a select list of goods that are restricted or prohibited to import/export. Studying the recent trends of the import/export market, you can make a precise list of the products that you may want to import/export, that have a high demand in the targeted market.A specifically targeted market should be selected after researching the size of the market, competition, quality requirements, or any other factors that can affect the sale and the marketing of the product chosen. While exporting, you should pick a market where there is a need or a high demand for the product that you have decided to export.This step is crucial for the growth of your organization, and the decision should be taken appropriately.04) Form a CompanyFirstly, you need to have your organization. You can do a proprietorship, partnership or Private Limited Company Registration. Then you are required to do the GST Registration with the name of the company and logo of your choice, which is mandatory to get your business registered.Now you need to apply to the Income Tax Department of Government of India, to issue your PAN card. Having a PAN card issued is mandatory to extend the import and export business globally. It is to be published with the name of your company. You also need to open a current account with a bank that is authorized to deal in Foreign Exchange. This account should be solely for your enterprise.05) Obtaining Required LicensesAn IEC is an alphanumeric number and is mandatory to begin exporting or importing. To apply for the IEC number, you have to fill the form ANF 2A along with the documents listed therein, to the regional authority of DGFT. Only one IEC license can be issued against a single PAN card. You can also get e-IEC from the DGFT website (Directorate General of Foreign Trade).(Want to apply for IEC Code online? Read our article on How To Apply For IEC Code Online-Step By Step Guide)You will have to apply for specific licenses and permissions, depending upon the product you want to import/export. For example: if you are going to import or export food products, you need to get the approval for your food product under the health and welfare ministry and from FSSAI. You will also require to get an FSSAI License for Export/Import.06) Join Organizational BodiesAn RCMC. i.e., Registration Cum Membership Certificate (only in case of Exports) is a certificate that helps your business to get an authorization from the Government of India. You can get this certificate from any of the 32 Export Promotion Councils, like APEDA, SEPC, etc. This certificate is valid for just five years. It also helps in smoothing of future export activities which are going to take place in your firm.ECGC Limited (Formerly Export Credit Guarantee Corporation of India Ltd) is a firm entirely owned by the Government of India and is based in Mumbai, Maharashtra. It implements export credit insurance assistance to Indian exporters and is managed by the Ministry of Commerce. It is advised to get a credit limit on the foreign client from ECGC to be shielded upon the risk of the client not paying.Participating in buyer-seller meetings, trading fairs, and exhibitions, B2B portals, web browsing will help you find buyers of the targeted product in the selected market. Designing a multilingual and eye-catching website with the comprehensive catalogue, price, payment terms, and other related information about the products that you sell will help attract customers, and drive sales through the roof.07) Explore Online MarketsThe world is now getting closer because of the Internet. There are many traders and websites that are involved in the process of import/export. All you need to do is get in touch with them, and for that, you need to have a searcher's eye. There are many e-commerce websites like alibaba.com, Aliexpress.com and IndiaMART, that can help boost your business, and give you a platform to sell your products. All you have to do is to register yourself as a seller and start listing your products on their websites. These companies will ship your product from your location to the buyer's location, even if the buyer is from another country.08) Shipment of ProductsOn receiving the confirmation of the order, it should be scrutinized, and accordingly, plan the delivery schedule of the products. After the procurement of the goods, it is important to be strict about the quality control of the products to be exported. You will also need to select a logistics company that would be responsible for delivering your products to customers worldwide and on time. Once these steps are completed, then you can proceed with the shipment of the goods.09) Hiring a CHAIndian Central Government’s Customs Office licenses an agent known as the Customs House Agent (CHA) to operate as an agent for the transaction of any kind of trading related to the arrival or departure of any of the import and export of products and goods at the customs station. The principal function of the Customs House Agent is to prepare a comprehensive, meticulous, enumerated and up to date account of each of the imports or exports.10) MarketingTo promote your company and drive sales, marketing and advertising play an essential part. You could use traditional media like television, radio, newspaper, etc. to advertise your products and make a campaign. Besides that, you can also utilize the Internet for all things. You could use email marketing, content marketing, and search engine optimization to promote your organization. Marketing your products on social media ads and other paid advertising tools like Google Ads can also help in the growth of your business, and create positive brand awareness. Using these tools, all you have to do is to target the niche of the products imported/exported, and you're good to go.The above article was written with good wishes from Afleo.com. We are leading name when it comes to Import Export Code Registration (IEC Code Registration) Company Registration, etc. Apart from that we are also industry leaders in GST, Taxations, Compliances, etc and many other domains.

Import export businesses can be very profitable in the long run. And the good news is that it doesn’t take much to get started in this direction. If you know the basics of how to start an import export business, you should endeavour engage in such trade because it is highly lucrative and profitable. Though it is very competitive business, it is not complicated. Even if the process itself is not a complicated one, it can be a challenging one if you don’t know how to create it most beneficially.The best part of the entire process is that you can create such a business from the comfort of your home or office. It implies very little investment and not a lot of resources which works in the benefit of every beginner. However, as a new entrepreneur, it is important that you know about the procedure and documentation process required to start your own trading firm which involves import and export of goods and services.Start-up cost:You can start your own import/export business with little upfront costs. At a minimum, you need a phone and a reliable Internet connection. You’ll also want to invest in business cards, a website and a fax machine. And it doesn’t hurt to hire somebody for your branding, including a unique business logo.More important than the office equipment is your determination to make the business work. You must bear in mind that the business will move at a slow pace at first, and that you will need to make contacts and sell yourself in order to make profits. But as you go further down the route, you will be able to make sales more easily and sign more contracts that are more lucrative.Define your market:One of the most important factors you must consider before even pondering on how to start an import export business is to select the target goods. This is where the need for feasibility study comes in .You must know what present imported goods are patronized in India or whatever your country may be. You also need to ascertain the hottest products in demand both locally and internationally. By niching down, you can focus your attention on a market you can serve best. Think about:·Customers you want to serve.·Areas of the world you’ll target.·Types of goods you’ll offer.Take your time to dig deep with your research. The extra time you spend finding profitable niches will pay off in the long run. Consider hiring experts who understand the tastes and cultures of your specific markets. You’ll need to sell products that resonate in countries you’re unfamiliar with.Writea business plan:If you really want to succeed in the import export business, then you definitely need a business plan. Aside helping you formulate a strategy, a plan will also help minimize your mistakes and prove to your financiers or investors that you have done your calculations well. In fact, no bank will finance your transaction without a business plan.A rule of thumb is to pick a commission model if you think a product will be easy to sell. If you think a product will be difficult to sell, however, price your business based on a retainer. The thinking is based on this: If you’ll sell a lot of product, you want to be paid based on performance. On the other hand, if you believe sales will be slow, using a retainer model could ensure that you’ll be paid even in the downtime. Finally, if you’re confident in your ability to sell products you acquire, you don’t have to negotiate a payment structure with manufacturers. All you’ll have to negotiate is how much you’ll buy product for and then find a way to profit from the merchandise.Create your website:You can’t exist in the import export type of business if you don’t invest in a well-built website. Your website will be the first impression that you make to potential new customers, and it is crucial to building it in a very attractive way. Luckily, nowadays, you can set up your website by using different platforms. Some of them are even free, or they offer you a free trial to enjoy until you afford to pay for a subscription. Many new potential clients will make their decision of collaborating with you or not based on your website. So you can easily win or lose clients through it! It should determine you to build a rich website and offer as much information as you find suitable. Any online export-import business should be based on a strong online campaign to support the offers and promote the entire set of products. Investing in some SEO might also help you reach new clients worldwide.Making contacts:The most important step in setting up your business is finding the contacts. You may have relatives in a foreign country; you may have frequently visited and established business relationships in a country. Or, you might just have a feeling for what will sell where. A person who keeps well-informed in the business world can pick up and ride the crest of worldwide trends. Another way to establish contacts is through the Chambers of Commerce of every city you are aiming for. When you want to build an import export business from home, being an active presence online is crucial. Try to access the forums and the portals that can offer you information and guidance on a regular basis. The international trading is in a constant change, and if you want to keep up with it, you need to stay involved in it.You can also establish contacts by searching the web with relevant queries. Sometimes, you can find buyers and manufacturers on the same platform. A good example of such a platform is Alibaba.Obtain a PAN card for the business:Once you have received the required registration, it is mandatory to have a PAN card issued by the Income Tax Department.Register your firm: You need to get your business registered first with the government of India. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a sole proprietorship, in partnership, private limited company, or LLP. You can hire a lawyer for this purpose to help you with the company registration process. You also need to obtain a Service Tax registration or a VAT registration certificate.Open a current account:After receiving your business registration and PAN card, you need to open a current bank account with any commercial bank exclusively for your business.Obtain an Import Export Code (IEC): The import-export code issued by the government of India is mandatory to start an export-import business in the country. This is one of the most important requirements to get your import and export business started. IEC is required in all cases except in case of restricted or prohibited goods or services. You have to apply for it online at the DGFT website. Here is the list of documents required to apply for it.· Personal PAN card or Company PAN card· Applicant’s photograph· Copy of a cancelled cheque from the business’ current accountGetting a Registration-cum-Membership-Certificate (RCMC): Once you get the IEC, you need to obtain the Registration-cum-Membership-Certificate (RCMC). It is granted by the Export Promotion Councils. You can obtain the certificate from any one of the 26 export promotion councils. After getting the IEC and RCMC issued, you can set up your import and export business from India. The IEC and RCMC issued are valid for all branches or business premises across India, and it takes only between five and seven days to get all the registrations done.Hire an ecommerce Shipping Company: After you have all your paperwork in order and you know what products you want to trade, you will have to focus on the details. The shipment method might not be a constant one for all your trades, but you need to be informed about all the options before making a decision. Some goods are imported or exported better by sea while others are safer by air. Moreover, each country has different import export options. You also need to hire a logistics company that would be responsible for delivering your products to the customers worldwide. Ship Rocket is a courier aggregator that helps such businesses by providing them multiple shipping partners to ship their products internationally on cheapest shipping charges.If you neglect the shipment method, this can easily become a problem. And you have to establish your options even before you open your business to be prepared. If you postpone this concern until the last moment, you might not have time to set up all the details and if delays appear it can cost you a lot of funds. Also, make sure to have a section in your budget destined for shipping since this is a sure part of your business.Contact a Customs Clearing Agent: You might need to take the assistance of a customs clearing agent who will guide you about the process of getting your stuff cleared at the ports, customs duty charges, transportation charges, etc involved in the import-export business. Customs rules aren’t uniform throughout the world. Instead, you’ll encounter a mass of different regulations while transporting goods. To avoid drowning in a swamp of border regulations, hire experts in customs law and trade compliance.The import/export business is for people who love building relationships in other countries. But it also requires an organized mind that can handle logistics. You will certainly face some challenges when you are just beginning, such as figuring out how to handle shipments through a freight forwarder, making sure your manufacturer produces based on your required standard (imports), ensuring your product meets your buyer’s standard (exports), and creating solid contacts with reliable suppliers. But after a short time, you will overcome these challenges and find them easy to handle.In conclusion, you need to consider the commission you will get from the manufacturers; that’s if you decide to start as an agent. This will however depend on your sales. Make sure to write agreements regarding your commission. As an agent, you can ask for a 10% commission fee from a product’s sales price. Another important factor to starting an import export business is to sign agreements that you have established with the manufacturers. You must make sure that the company you choose is legitimate and reputable. You can tell your lawyer to make a contract regarding this matter. If performed with prudence and care, export and import businesses can always be encouraging and help open up new avenues for your company.Hope it helps ! Cheers