The Export Advisory Service from Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) provides impartial, one-to-one advice to help your business make the move into exporting or increase your exporting activity.

A team of experienced export advisers will help you understand overseas business practices and make the most of the services and support available, so you have the knowledge and skills to trade successfully in international markets.

Depending on your exporting status, this could include help with:

• researching and defining your markets
• preparing your products for markets
• operating after Brexit
• identifying international e-commerce opportunities
• getting out to markets to meet potential buyers and find trade partners 

The service will provide up to 2 days (14 hours) of support to between 48 and 55 new and early-stage exporters. The goal is to help your organisation start to export for the first time, or increase your international sales and identify new market opportunities.

This is a free service, and the advice is delivered virtually by video call or by phone.

Yes, if you are based in the area covered by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE). This includes Argyll and Bute (except for the Helensburgh and Lomond area), Caithness and Sutherland, the Inner Moray Firth (including Inverness), the Outer Hebrides, Moray, Orkney, Shetland, Lochaber, Skye and Wester Ross, Arran and the Cumbraes.

You’ll need to be a small or medium-sized enterprise (SME) – that is, an enterprise with fewer than 250 employees.

This is a free service.

Small to medium-sized enterprises (SME) in the Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) region that are at the start of their exporting journey.

The application process can take 5 to 10 days, from the time you apply to your application being approved and passed to a consultant.

The service provides up to 14 hours of consultancy time. This is split between online Teams calls, emails, desk research by the consultant, and help with your action plan.

Your action plan can take several weeks to complete, allowing time for meetings and research.

Visit the HIE website for more information and to submit an enquiry.