The 48-Hour Golden Window After a Client Visit

One failure taught me more than ten successes. I shipped a container without confirming packaging details in writing. The buyer rejected it. I lost freight, duties, and the client. Every order now gets written packaging confirmation.

The biggest mistake in 10 years of exporting is trusting verbal promises. Clients who enthusiastically said they would order — I waited months. Now: trust is good, a deposit is better. Everything else is just intention.

Integrity is non-negotiable. Keep promises. If you can't deliver, communicate early. One deception costs you an entire market. The trade community is small — bad news travels fast.