For many small businesses, the 96 percent of the world's consumers who live outside the United States might as well be on another planet.
     That's because reaching customers overseas can be overwhelming for a small-business owner. Shipping across borders puts more than 600 laws and 500 trade agreements into play; a big reason only 1 percent of American companies are currently involved in cross-border commerce, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration estimates.
     To help break the barriers to international trade, UPS developed UPS Global Advisor^SM, a free, online, one-stop resource for global shipping advice and information at UPS.com(r). This new, web-based solution is specifically designed to help small and mid-sized business owners with issues such as:

• Mastering the Basics - understanding the basic fundamental principles of importing and exporting, as well as the factors influencing the movement of goods around the world
  
  
• Researching Opportunities -deciding not only what countries will be the most receptive to certain products and services, but also determining the competitive landscape, the size of the opportunity, and cost of doing business
  
  
• Pricing, Quotes, and Negotiations - determining product and service pricing, sale and payment terms, quotation preparation, and deal negotiation - each plays an important role in helping strengthen their financial advantage in international trade
  
  
• Trade Financing and Insurance - learning how to maintain a sound balance between financial opportunity and risk management Global Advisor also spells out important international shipping information such as what can or can't be shipped between dozens of countries and territories. And, there's a downloadable guide to international shipping for companies that are just getting started.
  

So, if you're considering taking your business across the border, check out the UPS Global Advisor at www.ups.com/globaladvisor. It could be your passport to prosperity.