International trade can scare some small business owners away from even trying, since the words come with a connotation of being difficult, risky, and unstable. However, the truth is that international trade can be a breeze, thanks to trade partners and companies that truly understand the needs of their clients, and strong relationships with suppliers that influence decisions, and level the playing field for anyone who wants to extend their market share across international boundaries.

There is no easy way to begin establishing trade with foreign partners, but it isn’t really that difficult either. Here are ten items that will aid the beginner in becoming more knowledgeable about the key points to consider, when thinking about extending their reach with international trade:

It helps to start on a small scale.

Some businesses make the mistake of going for too much at first, and sinking everything they’re worth into a venture that goes sideways. The smart thing to do is to find trade partners that will allow trade on a smaller scale, so that everyone can become familiar with the rules of the game before playing for keeps.

Get educated about trade topics and procedures.

Some might recommend attending local college classes and professional seminars to gain valuable insights about how trade works. While they are sometimes time-consuming and slightly complicated in the beginning, many functions in the industry repeat themselves time after time as trade is done, so the learning curve is not altogether a long one.

Find others with the same motives.

International trade is gaining more appeal with every month that falls off the calendar, and it is becoming easier to find others who are thinking of doing the same thing. While many factors contribute to both the availability and quality of groups and trade organizations in any particular area, there are resources in virtually all major cities with organized support systems for wholesale in place. Joining these groups can be a real time-saver, when it comes to questions and common pitfalls to avoid for the newest players.

Personally visit offshore suppliers.

While this is not always the most convenient thing to do, it’s certainly one of the best. Nothing replaces old-fashioned “face time” with prospective trade partners, especially in countries that remain loyal to traditional culture and customs. It’s also a great way to see what their competition is doing, too… and may lead to unexpected discoveries along the way!

Visit trade shows.

This is of paramount importance, especially for the smaller businesses that can’t afford to make a lengthy and expensive journey into unknown parts of the world, but don’t want to miss out on opportunities as they come. Trade shows have endless resources that are not found in many other platforms, and once again, the time spent in front of another person will yield far more than simply reaching out to someone via email or even by telephone.

Hire an international trade consultant.

If necessary, a trade consultant will bring experience and contacts to the table. It’s very important to choose the right one, however. While the dangers of running into a con man are very real , the greater danger is unknowingly hiring a trade consultant that isn’t really the right fit for what’s being done, and wasting time and money on legitimate services that would have benefited someone else much more.

Online resources.

With so much information available on the Internet, it’s almost pure folly to ignore them. Vertical sites that specialize in delivering high-quality content are absolutely essential in bringing the buyer and seller community together, and unbeatable for providing a buyer and seller networking platform that spans thousands of miles to bring people together.

Be aware of all money changing hands.

This is a basic, and perhaps even surprising item to consider. However, the number of business owners who simply lose track of where their money is going can be alarming. Every company and business operator has a duty to keep due diligence on the top of the list because it not only provides greater security to the individual, but greater security for all in the long run.

Inspection of merchandise before shipping.

Again, this will not be possible or convenient for smaller operators who can’t make the trip to another country to oversee every item. However, finding a trusted agent to be the eyes and ears of the company could be one of the most valuable assets to anyone in the international trade game.

Use a trade lawyer for agent and distributor agreements and licensing requirements.

Finally, a great measure of security can be found by hiring a reputable trade lawyer to make sure all transactions and processes are within legal protection. It may not be cheap, but a lawyer can make the difference for businesses who trade in high-ticket items, or volume wholesalers who are buying containers of goods that represent large investments in whole.

Following and becoming familiar with these ten action items will certainly put any business owner in a position of better understanding, and enjoying greater security, when making the leap to international trade.