Delivered in partnership with the Estonian Centre for International Development Cooperation (ESTDEV), and supported by key regional partners including the EU-Georgia Business Council (EUGBC) and the University of Georgia, the ECM program combines global expertise with local insight to empower a new generation of certified export consultants.
Program Overview
ECM is a rigorous, nine-month professional development program combining virtual learning with in-person sessions. The curriculum emphasizes real-world application through project-based assignments, teamwork, and personalized mentorship. Graduates receive a recognized EU-level certification in export consulting, strengthening their role in international trade and SME development.
Program Features
- 9-month structured curriculum (360 academic hours)
- International mentors and collaborative team-based learning
- Real business cases and project-based assignments
- In-person opening and graduation events in Tallinn, Estonia (August 2025 and May 2026)
- Peer-to-peer learning and use of modern e-learning tools
- Core modules on export market research, international pricing, adaptation strategies, digital sales, marketing, logistics, CRM, and consultancy development
Learning outcomes
- Able to conduct market and customer research in international markets
- Can prepare and analyze export market entry strategies
- Can analyze marketing in the export market, create an export marketing strategy
- Can recommend product and price adjustments in the export market based on competitor analysis
- Able to use digital export tools including AI solutions
- Able to find and select partners in the export market and create long-term customer relationships
- Can plan logistics for the export market
- Master the principles of export project management
- Possesses the basic skills and methods necessary for the work of a consultant
- Able to create a profitable service portfolio
- Can use Business Storytelling to create references
- Can prepare a marketing communication plan for an export consulting company
- Can prepare a business plan for an export consulting company
- Has acquired systemic communication skills
Target group
- For starting export consultants
- For export managers of companies who want to become export consultants
- For business consultants who want to specialize in the export sector and create their own company
Curriculum objective
The goal of the training is to prepare professional export consultants who can successfully combine basic consultant skills and specific export knowledge to support companies in entering and expanding international markets.
The curriculum allows participants to acquire both practical skills for analyzing export markets and creating entry strategies, as well as develop professional consulting skills necessary to effectively advise clients in the context of international business and to establish their own export consulting company.
Training methods
The training is team-based, where formed teams acquire knowledge and work together to solve practical tasks. Learning is supported by various methods: educational videos to support independent work, workshops focusing on developing export and consulting skills, interim reviews with teams to discuss the progress of independent work, mentoring to address challenges, and feedback during the presentation of practical work.
Each learning module covers both export and consulting skills. In addition, participants will also focus on how to create social media content that supports a successful start-up in an export consulting business.
Students complete 7 learning modules where learning takes place at a specific pace. In the first week, educational videos are available in the learning environment and an opening seminar is held with entrepreneurs involved in the internship. This is followed by practical workshops where the content of independent work and an interim overview and mentoring sessions are introduced.
The module ends with the presentation of independent work to the company selected for the module and sharing experiences with fellow students.
Thesis: Creating and defending a three-year business plan for an export consulting company. The goal of the thesis is to create a comprehensive business concept for an export consulting company that could be successfully implemented.
Study content
Module 1:
- Export consulting basics,
- Collection and analysis of information on foreign markets
- Choosing a foreign market
- Analysis of the company’s export readiness.
- Principles of team formation and communication within a team
- Analysis of team members’ strengths and weaknesses
- Agreeing on team fundamentals and monitoring team development
- Agile project management basics, time planning
Module 2:
- Choosing a suitable foreign market entry model for your company
- Analysis of entry patterns
- Revenue and profit projection
- Risk analysis
- Market entry schedule
- Assessing the company’s capabilities
- International business networking and presentation skills
- Network strategy and mapping
- Communication skills in business networking
- Professional self-presentation
- Follow-up and relationship maintenance
Module 3
- Marketing and branding in international markets
- Brand strategy, identity and value proposition, positioning in the target market.
- Storytelling and branding.
- Competitor marketing mapping and marketing planning in the export market
- Sales and marketing of consulting services
- B2B market segmentation and positioning
- Setting performance indicators (KPIs)
- Long-term customer relationship management
- Business Storytelling and the Use of Success Stories
Module 4
- Adapting products to the export market
- Analysis of the need for adaptation, regulations and requirements, consumer habits and behavior
- Pricing strategy and services in the export market, profitability management
- Cultural specificities in export markets.
- Consulting firm work processes and tools
- Creating and piloting new services and products
- Standardization of processes
- Agile service development
Module 5
- Digital analysis and marketing of the client’s company
- Website diagnostics, competitor analysis,
- Digital tools for diagnostics
- Sales channels, sales funnel tracking, testing, conversion tracking
- Export consulting service portfolio and customer journeys
- Service portfolio design. Service mapping, service package creation, pricing, service scalability
- Customer journey analysis, persona creation, customer needs analysis, touchpoint creation.
Module 6
- Building customer relationships and managing key accounts
- Sales process analysis and optimization, sales process efficiency, Zmot concept, customer acquisition strategies, purchasing process synchronization
- Market and customer segmentation methodology, STP strategic approach, evaluation and valuation models, prioritization, analytical tools
- Creating an ideal customer profile (ICP), developing ICP criteria, ICP in the context of export
- Creating an export contact database,
- Sales of consulting services
- Referral marketing strategy, client portfolio creation, success story creation, contractual relationships
- Negotiation Skills, Harvard – Negotiation Concept, Influence Tools
Module 7
- International Trade and Supply Chain Management
- International logistics, Supply chain planning, Selection of transport modes Warehousing solutions. Cost optimization
- International agreements, INCOTERMS 2020 terms, Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), Tariffs and customs duties, International regulations,
- Supply chain risk management, mitigation measures
- Marketing and sales of e-consultation services
- Digital sales strategy, value proposition design, sales channel selection and optimization, digital.
- Finding sales contacts
- Digitalization of consulting services, service packaging, process creation and automation.
- Minimal service development, customer needs mapping, prototyping, testing, feedback collection and analysis
- Management of technical and business processes of the service, customer-visible and background processes, systems integration. Quality assurance.
REQUIREMENTS FOR COMPLETION: the learner has submitted and defended all practical assignments, attended at least 75% of meetings and successfully defended the export consulting business plan
Completion of training
DOCUMENT TO BE ISSUED: certificate/certificate
Trainers
- Roger Stent (UK)
- Jean Sutton (UK)
- Andy Paterson (UK)
- Steve Rawling (UK)
- Jaan Jarv (EST)
- Anu-Mall Mink (EST)
- Uwe Sponholtz (GER)
- Artem Danialiants (FIN)
- Tõnis Hintsov (EST)
Who Should Apply?
The program is designed for professionals working in:
- Export and business consulting
- SME support and innovation agencies
- Regional development organizations
- Chambers of commerce
- Public institutions involved in trade and economic development
Applications are welcome from individuals or teams (3- 6 people). Each team must include at least one C-level executive.
Eligibility Criteria
To qualify, applicants must:
- Hold a minimum of a Bachelor’s degree
- Have at least two years of experience in international business
- Demonstrate a good command of English
- Be available to travel to Estonia in August 2025 and May 2026
Additionally, applicants must currently reside in their country of citizenship (Georgia, Ukraine, Estonia, or Armenia).
Key Dates
- Applications Open: May 7, 2025
- Application Deadline: June 12, 2025
- Online Interviews: June 16-18, 2025
- Final Selection Announced: July 1, 2025
- Program Launch in Tallinn: August 18-19, 2025 (TBC)
- Graduation Ceremony in Tallinn: May 22, 2026
Tuition and Scholarships
For Georgian and Ukrainian participants:
- Full scholarships cover 100% of the tuition fee
- Note: Participants are responsible for their own travel expenses to and from Tallinn, Estonia for the opening and graduation events
For Estonian participants:
- Tuition fee: €3,300
- No travel funding is provided; domestic travel to Tallinn is expected
For Armenian participants:
- Tuition fee: €3,300
- Participants must also cover their own travel expenses to Tallinn, Estonia for both in-person sessions
Information Sessions in Georgia
Interested applicants from Georgia are invited to attend upcoming in-person info sessions:
- Batumi: June 2, 2025 | 13:00 – 15:00
- Tbilisi: June 3, 2025 | 15:00 – 17:30
Register here:
Apply Now
We invite dedicated professionals ready to shape the future of trade and economic growth through high-quality export consultancy. Join a community of experts, gain strategic tools, and earn a globally respected credential.
Application Forms by Country:
- Georgia: Apply here
- Ukraine: Apply here
- Estonia: Apply here
- Armenia: Apply here
Contact Us
For additional information or inquiries, please contact the Visionest Institute team.
Visionest Institute – Shaping Experts. Accelerating Impact.