One thing is certain in Zimbabwe, exports are crucial to the economy. It is also certain that more revenue and profits can be realized when you tap into the export market. The government even underscores the importance of targeting the export market. It is unfortunate that in Zimbabwe we have a perpetual trade deficit i.e. we import more than we export. That is why promoting individuals and businesses to export is imperative. There is a lot that goes into becoming an exporter e.g. licensing. That and other requirements can discourage many because the processes can be demanding. What if you could make money from exports but without necessarily exporting instead? That is the dynamic we want to look into today.
Transportation Of Export Cargo
Exporters, in most cases, do not have their transportation. You can start a business where you offer transport services to individual exporters or export companies. You can have a comprehensive range of vehicles or you can focus on one or more. A common focus is trucking for cross border transportation, most of which you see daily. If you have a chat with some of the drivers you will notice an interesting trend. They usually will just be transporting some cargo for someone else or some company. Lots of money can be made from this because there is an inexhaustible demand for transportation services in the export supply and value chain.
Some established haulage truck operators I know started with just one truck and scaled over time. Just to give you an idea, do you know that you do not necessarily need to own transport vehicles to do this business. Consider the Uber or Vaya model i.e. the shared economy model. You can put together a company that links up transport vehicle owners and clients with cargo for export. By being in the middle like that you can make lots of money. Think outside the box, the possibilities are infinite!
Brokering Between Importers And Exporters
I hinted at a brokerage model when I mentioned shared economy there. However, here I want to discuss something different from that. For exports to be exports it means they are being imported in another country. This implies that there is an exporter in one country and an importer in another country. In any business whenever two entities do business together you can figure out ways to be in the middle. In this case, your focus becomes finding importers who are looking for certain products. Once you find them you find exporters who can provide what the importers are looking for. Then you facilitate engagement between those two entities and in doing so you charge for your services. This is something you can start just as an individual but it can grow into a big business e.g. an export agency.
Export Consultancy
Consultancy here comes in many forms you can settle for. I once did an article where I shared with you how you can do market research as a business. I would urge you to go check it out since export market research can be a consultancy focus here. Alternatively, you can settle for an export marketing consultancy. This is where you offer marketing services for clients looking to export something. I have noticed that most people who are interested in the export industry do not have adequate knowledge. You can cover that gap by offering advisory, training or certification services relevant to the export industry. These are services you can offer to individuals, exporters and any other associated stakeholders.
As with all things you can get into content creation with a focus on the export industry. It can be an online publication, a blog, or a YouTube channel, just to mention a few. Then you can figure out ways to monetize your content. The great thing about content creation is that you can incorporate brokering and consultancy. These are some of the ways you can use to make money from exports without exporting. There is untapped potential in Zimbabwe when it comes to all these areas I have shared with you, give it a shot!
