Although most differences are obvious, make sure you and your company are conscious of which side of international trade you are on. That decision will have an impact on almost everything you do going forward, including a number of variables that may not be obvious.

The question also raises the type of decisions that are a key part of the process, regardless of whether you primarily import or export. For example, your market decisions will be similar to those made in local, regional or national business. However, assessment of international markets will require some significantly different, or at least additional, steps. Assessing current availability of your product in a foreign market and its status or value may not be as straightforward, for instance.