Take your product abroad with a plan, from the first enquiry to a paid first shipment
A complete toolkit for small makers, brand owners, traders and online sellers: check readiness, choose a market on evidence, qualify buyers, agree clear terms, ship with the right documents and get paid.
- A 10-chapter e-book that follows one composite spice maker's first sea shipment to Dubai, with every step tied to a file
- The Export Readiness Workbook: 15 sheets for readiness, market scoring, buyer pipeline and checks, compliance by market, quotes, shipments, documents, payments and FX, claims and two dashboards
- A 7-sheet Market Selection and Payment-Risk Calculator that scores markets from trade data and buyer requests from payment terms, country and track record
- 5 fillable PDF forms, 47 buyer messages, a proforma and shipping documents pack, an export policy, 31 AI prompts, 4 cheat sheets, a 50-event calendar and a 38-task board
The Export Readiness and First Shipment Kit · Bodhih Pro Kits · 224 by Bodhih Training, trainers to 2,000+ companies since 2008.
How do I prepare for my first export shipment?
Check your readiness honestly, choose one market on evidence, qualify and screen the buyer, confirm your HS code and the destination's rules, quote with a named Incoterm and secure payment terms, brief a forwarder and broker, and cross-check every document. The Export Readiness and First Shipment Kit from Bodhih Training gives you a file for each step.
Want the full free guide first? Read How to Start Exporting: Your First Export Shipment, Step by Step.
You already feel the problem. Here is what it is costing you.
An enquiry you are not sure how to answer
A buyer abroad asks for a price CIF somewhere on 60 days' credit. You want the order, and half the words in the email are new.
Markets chosen by accident
The first market is wherever the first email came from. Nobody has compared it with the alternatives, so nobody knows whether it is a good place to spend two years.
Buyers you cannot verify
Portals and inboxes bring real buyers and convincing fraudsters. Without a routine for checks and screening, urgency decides for you.
Terms that move risk to you
A term with no named place, sea-only terms for container cargo, open account for a stranger. Each one feels normal until something goes wrong.
Documents that disagree
A weight on the packing list that does not match the invoice, a wrong address on the bill of lading. Small errors hold up cargo and payments.
No picture of what is happening
Quotes, shipments, documents and payments live in different inboxes. You find out an invoice is overdue when you go looking.
Picture the next few weeks with the kit open beside you.
Picture the morning the enquiry arrives. Instead of replying with a rushed price, you open the Start-here map, score the readiness self-check with your production lead, and send the buyer thoughtful questions and a realistic timeline before lunch.
Now it is week four. As you score markets on the calculator, the evidence column fills with sources you can name. The buyer's company details check out, the screening shows no match, and the Buyer Pipeline tells you who to follow up next.
Imagine the quote going out with the Incoterm, the named place and the version written in full, on payment terms the risk score supports. When the purchase order arrives, you check it line by line and send the order confirmation the same day.
And then the day the container leaves. The documents have been cross-checked side by side, the shipping advice is written, and the Dashboard shows what is due next. Whether you start with the self-check tonight or the workbook tomorrow, each step has a file ready to open.
20 files that do the work for you
The e-book shows you how. The tools make it happen. Here is exactly what you download.
The Export Readiness and First Shipment Kit (e-book, PDF)
The guide: methods, worked examples, scripts and exercises
Start here: export readiness map
Your first hour, a 'Brand it in five minutes' box, the export job in ten steps with the file to open at each, your first week, a 30/60/90 day plan and links to measure your starting point.
Export Readiness Workbook
15-sheet master workbook: settings, readiness self-check and section summary, market scoring, buyer pipeline, buyer due-diligence checks, product compliance by market, quotes and orders, shipments, documents per shipment, payments and FX, claims and feedback, and two dashboards with charts. SAMPLE rows marked.
Market Selection and Payment-Risk Calculator
7-sheet calculator: a data-driven weighted market score, a payment-term risk score with exposure against your loss limit, the cost of each payment option, a currency-move check and a summary with chart.
Export readiness self-check
Four-page fillable self-check: 24 scored items across product, capacity, finance, people, certifications, management commitment and systems, then your top gaps, owners and a go or wait decision.
Market selection worksheet
Three-page fillable worksheet: a long list of markets with the reason and data source, weighted scoring on six criteria, and a one-page brief for the test market you choose.
Buyer qualification and red-flag form
Three-page fillable form for every new overseas buyer: verified company details, qualification questions, a 14-item red-flag check, a sanctions and restricted-party screening record and a proceed or stop decision.
Shipment booking and documents checklist
Five-page fillable checklist for each shipment. Part A, booking: order and Incoterm details, cargo table, forwarder booking, packing and marking, insurance and loading-day sign-off. Part B, documents: the document set with who prepares each, and the cross-check that catches discrepancies before the bank, buyer or customs does.
First-shipment debrief
Three-page fillable debrief after the first shipment is delivered and paid: planned against actual timeline, costs, documents, payment, buyer feedback, and keep, change or stop decisions with a repeat-order plan.
Buyer outreach and correspondence library
47 ready-to-edit messages in 8 groups: introductions, enquiry replies and qualification, samples, quotations and orders, payment terms, shipping updates and delay notices, payment reminders, claims, feedback and repeat orders. Brand-ready header.
Proforma, order and shipping documents pack
Seven brand-ready templates: proforma invoice, order confirmation, commercial invoice, packing list, carton marking, a freight forwarder and customs broker brief with six questions to ask, and a shipping advice.
Export policy and agent or distributor discussion sheet
A brand-ready one-page export policy with 11 rules (quotes, approvals, payment terms, buyer screening, export controls, documents, bank details, samples, AI and records) and a 16-topic agent or distributor discussion sheet to take to a lawyer.
Worked example pack: a first sea shipment to the UAE
The kit's main forms and sheets completed for one composite case: a small spice maker's readiness check, market scoring, buyer qualification, quote and Incoterm choice, payment terms, booking, documents, payment and FX, a damage claim, the debrief and the repeat order.
AI prompt pack for exporters
31 tool-agnostic prompts grouped by the 8 stages of the export job, each with what to paste in and what to check before you use the output, plus the human review rule.
Incoterm and payment-term decision card
The eleven Incoterms 2020 rules (ICC) in our own words with what each is good for, 7 if-then rules for choosing a delivery term and 8 for choosing payment terms.
Export mistakes to avoid
Fourteen first-shipment mistakes with what to do instead and the file that helps, plus the hard stops.
Numbers that matter: export KPI card
13 export numbers with plain-words definitions, exact formulas, where each lives in the workbook and what to do if it moves.
Export rules by country (October 2026)
Dated quick reference: what to check everywhere, verified notes for India, the UK, the US, the EU, the UAE, Singapore, Kenya and Australia, and the standards to know.
12-week export readiness calendar
50 calendar events across 12 weeks, from the readiness self-check to the first-shipment debrief and repeat order, each naming the file to open. Import into a new calendar and move events to your real dates.
Export task board
38 export tasks as a CSV ready to import into Trello, Asana, Notion, Planner or Jira, with phase, week, the file to open and a due date.
Chapter by chapter
Each chapter opens with a real situation, gives you a method and ends with something to do today, using the tools in your kit.
- Format
- PDF e-book + XLSX + fillable PDF + DOCX + PDF cheat sheets + ICS + CSV
- Files
- 20 files plus a one-click ZIP
- E-book
- 60 pages
- Works with
- Excel, Google Sheets, LibreOffice, Word, Google Docs, Acrobat Reader, any PDF app, Google Calendar, Outlook, Apple Calendar, Trello, Asana, Notion
- Best for
- Small makers, brand owners, traders and online sellers preparing a first or next export shipment
Are You Ready? The Honest Self-Check
Score product, capacity, finance, people, compliance, commitment and systems with evidence, and fix what would break first.
Choosing Markets with Evidence, Not Hope
Build a long list, pull trade and tariff data, score six weighted criteria and choose one market to test for 90 days.
Routes to Market: Who Will Sell for You
Direct to importers, distributors, agents, marketplaces or a mix, and how to start small and reversible.
Finding, Qualifying and Checking Buyers
Where buyers come from, qualification questions, fourteen red flags, sanctions screening and a written decision.
Registrations, HS Codes and Product Compliance
Exporter registrations, why the HS code matters, destination rules, export controls and a tracker with recheck dates.
From Enquiry to Order: Quotes, Proformas and Incoterms
Quotation, proforma, PO and order confirmation, and Incoterms 2020 in plain words with the logic for a first shipment.
Getting Paid: Payment Terms, Risk and Currency
Advance, letters of credit, documentary collections, open account, credit insurance and currency risk, matched to the buyer.
The Shipping Plan: Forwarders, Brokers, Modes and Packing
Forwarder, broker and carrier roles, choosing the mode, booking, packing, marking, insurance, samples and small parcels.
The Document Set and the First Shipment
The usual document set, who prepares each one, rules of origin and the side-by-side cross-check.
After Delivery: Claims, AI and the Repeat-Order Rhythm
Claims handled on evidence, where AI helps and where it must not decide, the debrief, the repeat order and the Friday review.
Not just reading. Tools you will actually open again.
Start here
- 00-Start-Here-Export-Readiness-Map.pdf: your first hour, 'Brand it in five minutes', the export job in ten steps with the file for each, your first week and a 30/60/90 day plan
Workbooks
- Export-Readiness-Workbook.xlsx: 15 sheets including settings, readiness check and summary, market scoring, buyer pipeline, buyer checks, compliance tracker, quotes and orders, shipments, shipment documents, payments and FX, claims and feedback, a dashboard and a shipment view with charts
- Market-Selection-and-Payment-Risk-Calculator.xlsx: 7 sheets including a data-driven market score, payment-term risk score, cost of each payment option, FX check and summary
Forms
- Export-Readiness-Self-Check.pdf: Four-page fillable self-check: 24 scored items across product, capacity, finance, people, certifications, management commitment and systems, then your top gaps, owners and a go or wait decision.
- Market-Selection-Worksheet.pdf: Three-page fillable worksheet: a long list of markets with the reason and data source, weighted scoring on six criteria, and a one-page brief for the test market you choose.
- Buyer-Qualification-and-Red-Flag-Form.pdf: Three-page fillable form for every new overseas buyer: verified company details, qualification questions, a 14-item red-flag check, a sanctions and restricted-party screening record and a proceed or stop decision.
- Shipment-Booking-and-Documents-Checklist.pdf: Five-page fillable checklist for each shipment. Part A, booking: order and Incoterm details, cargo table, forwarder booking, packing and marking, insurance and loading-day sign-off. Part B, documents: the document set with who prepares each, and the cross-check that catches discrepancies before the bank, buyer or customs does.
- First-Shipment-Debrief.pdf: Three-page fillable debrief after the first shipment is delivered and paid: planned against actual timeline, costs, documents, payment, buyer feedback, and keep, change or stop decisions with a repeat-order plan.
Word templates
- Buyer-Outreach-and-Correspondence-Library.docx: 47 ready-to-edit messages in 8 groups: introductions, enquiry replies and qualification, samples, quotations and orders, payment terms, shipping updates and delay notices, payment reminders, claims, feedback and repeat orders. Brand-ready header.
- Proforma-Order-and-Shipping-Documents-Pack.docx: Seven brand-ready templates: proforma invoice, order confirmation, commercial invoice, packing list, carton marking, a freight forwarder and customs broker brief with six questions to ask, and a shipping advice.
- Export-Policy-and-Agent-or-Distributor-Discussion-Sheet.docx: A brand-ready one-page export policy with 11 rules (quotes, approvals, payment terms, buyer screening, export controls, documents, bank details, samples, AI and records) and a 16-topic agent or distributor discussion sheet to take to a lawyer.
- Worked-Example-Pack-First-Sea-Shipment-to-the-UAE.docx: The kit's main forms and sheets completed for one composite case: a small spice maker's readiness check, market scoring, buyer qualification, quote and Incoterm choice, payment terms, booking, documents, payment and FX, a damage claim, the debrief and the repeat order.
- AI-Prompt-Pack-for-Exporters.docx: 31 tool-agnostic prompts grouped by the 8 stages of the export job, each with what to paste in and what to check before you use the output, plus the human review rule.
Cheat sheets
- Incoterm-and-Payment-Term-Decision-Card.pdf: The eleven Incoterms 2020 rules (ICC) in our own words with what each is good for, 7 if-then rules for choosing a delivery term and 8 for choosing payment terms.
- Export-Mistakes-to-Avoid.pdf: Fourteen first-shipment mistakes with what to do instead and the file that helps, plus the hard stops.
- Numbers-That-Matter-Export-KPI-Card.pdf: 13 export numbers with plain-words definitions, exact formulas, where each lives in the workbook and what to do if it moves.
- Export-Rules-by-Country-Oct-2026.pdf: Dated quick reference: what to check everywhere, verified notes for India, the UK, the US, the EU, the UAE, Singapore, Kenya and Australia, and the standards to know.
Calendar and import
- 12-Week-Export-Readiness-Calendar.ics: 50 events across 12 weeks, each naming the file to open
- Export-Task-Board.csv: 38 tasks ready to import into Trello, Asana, Notion, Planner or Jira
E-book
- The Export Readiness and First Shipment Kit e-book: 10 chapters, a glossary of export words in plain English and the numbers that matter
When you have worked through it, you will be able to…
Every outcome is practised with a worked example and a tool, not just described.
- You will be able to score your export readiness with evidence and date every gap
- You will be able to choose a test market from trade data, tariffs, rules and buyer conversations
- You will be able to qualify, check and screen an overseas buyer before you quote on credit
- You will be able to quote with a named Incoterm and payment terms that match the risk
- You will be able to brief a forwarder and customs broker and book a shipment in writing
- You will be able to prepare and cross-check the export document set before it leaves you
- You will be able to track payments, currency effects, claims and the repeat order in one workbook
Know your starting point. Prove your progress.
People who measure before and after improve faster and can show it. AssessAll, our sister assessment platform, has AI-graded assessments that pair with this kit. Take one now, work through the kit, then re-take it.
Trade Compliance & Export Controls Judgment Certification
Take the assessment →AssessAll assessmentCommercial Terms and Contract Reading
Take the assessment →AssessAll assessmentBusiness Arithmetic — %, Profit & Loss, Interest
Take the assessment →JobularyHow a Jobulary development plan works
Make it a growth plan →A taste of Chapter 4
Most export fraud against small businesses follows a handful of scripts. The overpayment refund: the buyer "accidentally" pays too much and asks for the difference back before their payment bounces. The advance-fee: you are asked to pay for a registration, licence or inspection before the order is placed. The bank-detail switch: an email, apparently from a real buyer or supplier, gives new payment details. The sample harvest: free samples to several addresses, never followed by an order. The fake letter of credit: a document from a bank nobody can verify, or with terms designed to be impossible to meet. Every one of them relies on urgency. The single best defence is a rule in your export policy that nobody changes bank details, sends money to a buyer, or ships on credit without the checks, however urgent the email sounds.
The honest comparison
| Free templates and typical advice | This kit | |
|---|---|---|
| Method | Generic export checklists | A ten-step method from enquiry to repeat order, with a worked example |
| Market choice | Lists of 'top markets' | Your own weighted score from trade data, tariffs, rules and conversations |
| Buyer checks | A warning to 'be careful' | Qualification questions, 14 red flags, screening record and a written decision |
| Terms | Incoterms tables copied without context | Plain-words descriptions credited to ICC, if-then choice rules and payment risk scoring |
| Documents | A list of document names | Who prepares each, templates, and a side-by-side cross-check with an error log |
| Country rules | Undated advice that may be out of date | Specifics only in a sheet dated October 2026, with sources named |
Made for you if…
- Small manufacturers and food, craft or industrial makers answering their first enquiry from abroad
- Artisans and brand owners ready to sell to importers, distributors or retailers in other countries
- Traders making their first or next export shipments
- D2C founders running their own web store and shipping parcels to customers abroad
- Marketplace sellers on one or several platforms who want to sell beyond their home country
- Small teams and agencies who run export operations for clients
Probably not for you if…
- Anyone looking for legal, customs, tax or financial advice: the kit is educational and points you to your broker, forwarder, bank, accountant and the official source, with country notes dated October 2026
- Anyone wanting a guaranteed buyer list, orders or profit: the kit gives you a method and tools, not promises
- Businesses that need a full export price build-up: costing, quotes and price lists are covered by The Landed Cost and Export Pricing System
Built by trainers, tested in real rooms.
Bodhih Training has designed and delivered corporate programmes since 2008. Bodhih Pro Kits package what works in those workshops into a guide plus the exact tools we use, so you can apply it the same day without a facilitator in the room.
From here to using it in three steps
- STEP 1
Tap Get the kit
Name, email and country. UPI, card or netbanking in India; international cards everywhere else. No account to create.
- STEP 2
Download instantly
Your download page opens at once, with every file and a one-click ZIP. A permanent link lands in your inbox too.
- STEP 3
Open the first tool
Start with the quick-start chapter, then the main spreadsheet or planner. Most buyers use something from the kit the same day.
Your first shipment, planned from enquiry to payment
Open the Start-here map, score the self-check with your team and send your buyer the right questions today. Whether you begin with the workbook tonight or the market worksheet tomorrow, every step to a paid first shipment has a file waiting.
Personal licence for the buyer's own use (and use with your own team where the kit says so). Please don't share or resell the files. Team and company licences: solutions@bodhih.com.
What buyers say
No ratings yet. Only people who have bought this kit can rate it - every buyer gets a one-click rating link a couple of days after their purchase.
The Bodhih family, when you are ready for more
The Landed Cost and Export Pricing System
Build every cross-border price from the true cost.
The Online Store Operations Manual
Run your own D2C web store day to day.
The Marketplace Seller Margin and Operations System
Sell on Amazon, Flipkart, eBay, Etsy, Noon, Shopee and similar marketplaces with a system.
AssessAll
250+ AI-graded assessments to measure skills and earn verified credentials.
Jobulary
Individual development plans that start from evidence and stay yours.
Bodhih Training
Run this topic as a live workshop for your team, in person or online.
Pewple
Book a vetted coach for career, leadership or communication. Pay per session.
Bodhih.org pathways
Certification pathways in Applied AI, Workplace English and management.
The Export Readiness and First Shipment Kit: FAQs
Read the free guideAlready bought? Resend my linkHow do I start exporting for the first time?
Start with an honest readiness check, then choose one market on evidence rather than accident. Qualify and screen buyers, confirm your HS code and the destination's rules, quote on a named Incoterm with secure payment terms, and work with a freight forwarder and customs broker on the first shipment. The kit has a file for each of those steps.
Which Incoterm should I use for my first shipment?
It depends on the transport and how you will be paid. For container cargo, FCA, CPT or CIP usually fit better than FOB or CIF, because risk passes when goods are handed to the carrier. If you will be paid against documents, controlling the freight booking (CPT or CIP) helps. Always write the rule, the named place and 'Incoterms 2020', and check with your forwarder.
What payment terms are safest for a new overseas buyer?
Advance payment is safest for you; a letter of credit or a part advance with the balance against documents are common middle grounds. Open account is credit and is best kept for buyers with a paid history, references and an insurer's limit. The calculator scores each request and costs each option.
Can I use this with my staff or team?
Yes, within your own business under the personal licence: share the workbook, forms and templates with the people who run exports with you. Company and multi-site licences are available from solutions@bodhih.com.
Does it work in my country?
The method works anywhere, and the workbooks run in any currency and in metric or imperial units. Country specifics for India, the UK, the US, the EU, the UAE, Singapore, Kenya and Australia are in a sheet dated October 2026. Customs, tax and product rules must still be checked locally with your broker, forwarder, export promotion body and the official source.
Is this legal or customs advice?
No. The kit is educational. It shows good practice and gives you templates and tools, and it tells you where to check: your customs broker, freight forwarder, bank, accountant, lawyer and the official authority. Templates are starting points, not legally valid documents.
Does the kit help me set export prices?
It helps you quote prices on clear terms (Incoterm, currency, validity, payment terms) and shows what payment options and currency moves cost you. The cost build-up and price lists belong to The Landed Cost and Export Pricing System, which pairs with this kit.
I sell on marketplaces and my own web store. Is this for me?
Yes, for the cross-border side: choosing markets, the rules for your products, samples and small parcels, documents and payment. Platform fees, policies and programmes change often, so the kit describes them generally and asks you to check each platform's current terms.
How can I measure my starting point?
AssessAll offers related assessments you can take separately, including the Trade Compliance & Export Controls Judgment Certification, Commercial Terms and Contract Reading, and Business Arithmetic (percentages, profit and loss, interest). They are separate products, not included in the kit.
How do I turn what I learn into a development plan?
Use the readiness gaps and the first-shipment debrief as your goals, then build a plan you will follow with Jobulary. See how a Jobulary development plan works at jobulary.com/how-it-works.
How much does The Export Readiness and First Shipment Kit cost?
₹1,299 including 18% GST for buyers in India, or $34 for buyers outside India. One-time payment, no subscription, with an automatic invoice.
How do I get the files after paying?
Instantly. Your download page opens the moment payment succeeds, and a permanent download link is emailed to you. Download each file separately or everything in one ZIP.
What software do I need?
Any of the usual tools: Excel or Google Sheets for spreadsheets, Word or Google Docs for templates, Adobe Acrobat Reader, Preview, Xodo or GoodNotes for the fillable PDFs, and Google, Outlook or Apple Calendar for the calendar plan.
Can I get a refund?
Because it is a digital download, kits are not refundable once downloaded. We always refund a duplicate charge or a failed delivery, and if a file is corrupted and we cannot fix it within 3 working days. Full terms: bodhih.org/refunds.
Can my company buy this for a team?
Yes. Team and company licences, and workshops on this topic run by Bodhih Training, are available. Write to solutions@bodhih.com or call +91 99000 11601.
