Enterprise Ireland has launched a new interactive tool that helps Irish entrepreneurs and business owners assess how prepared they are to start exporting.

The “Prepare to Export Scorecard” is a free and easy-to-use tool, which acts as a starting point for anyone looking to export globally.

The assessment consists of a series of targeted questions about six key business pillars – business planning, people management, operations, sales and marketing, innovation and finance.

The scorecard generates an on-the-spot report about the company’s export-readiness. Once the report has been generated, you just need to tick a box to request a member of the Enterprise Ireland exporter development team to contact you directly to discuss the next steps.

The Scorecard offers practical advice on what the next steps should be for businesses looking to export to international markets. The tool includes a peer learning element allowing users to access case studies in which fellow SME teams share their learnings from planning and implementing their own export strategies.

Speaking about the new tool, Enterprise Ireland’s Manager of Exporter Development, Garrett Murray, said:

"Enterprise Ireland is focused on supporting new and emerging exporters to expand their global reach and diversify into new markets. With the prospect of Brexit and the associated challenges and opportunities, we are working to help existing companies to commence exporting and to achieve their global ambition."

Find out more about the Prepare to Export Scorecard here. Further details on Enterprise Ireland’s supports for exporters can be found at www.globalambition.ie