Giraffe Consulting
Strategy, SME growth and export development
SME and export programmes delivering measurable results
Giraffe Consulting designs and delivers programmes across Scotland that strengthen SME growth, export performance and sector competitiveness, working with Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Scottish Development International and the Scottish Government.
The following examples highlight the impact of our work and our practical approach, which delivers results.
Export Development Programmes
Client: Scottish Enterprise / Scottish Development International / Highlands and Islands Enterprise
Led delivery of award-winning Preparing to Export programmes enabling Scottish SMEs to enter international markets with clear strategies and export objectives.
The programmes enabled businesses to define export strategies, prioritise target markets and build the confidence to enter and grow internationally.
- Focus: export readiness, market prioritisation and action planning
- Delivery: structured workshops, sector-specific support and one-to-one mentoring
- Outcome: 1,000+ SMEs supported across Scotland
Growth and Scaling Support
Client: Scottish Enterprise
Delivered Pathways to Scale programmes enabling female founders to strengthen sales capability, clarify commercial priorities and develop structured approaches to winning business.
Through practical workshops and one-to-one mentoring, businesses defined target customers and sales pipelines, improved lead generation and conversion, and developed clear action plans to support sales growth.
- Focus: sales strategy, systems and stuctures for growth
- Delivery: workshops and one-to-one mentoring
- Outcome: increased confidence, earlier conversion of opportunities into revenue and improved sales performance
Technology Sector Export Plan
Client: Scottish Government
Led development of Scotland’s Technology Sector Export Plan, creating a clear framework to align industry, enterprise agencies and government around shared export growth priorities.
The work identified priority international markets, key technology sub-sectors and practical actions to strengthen export capability, internationalisation and global competitiveness across the sector.
- Focus: priority markets, sector strengths and export growth opportunities
- Delivery: stakeholder engagement, analysis and strategy development
- Outcome: framework to drive technology export growth, including priorities, markets, actions and KPIs
Foresighting and Market Analysis
Client: Scottish Enterprise
Delivered cloud computing and informatics foresighting assignments to identify international opportunities and emerging trends across priority sectors, supporting Scotland’s economic growth ambitions.
The work combined horizon scanning, sector analysis and expert insight to help Scottish Enterprise and businesses understand where to focus, which markets to prioritise and how to position competitively.
- Focus: international market opportunities, sector trends and growth areas
- Delivery: horizon scanning, market analysis and expert input
- Outcome: clear priorities and insights informing Scottish Enterprise strategy and investment decisions
Digital Exports & International E-commerce
Client: Scottish Enterprise / Scottish Development International / Highlands and Islands Enterprise
Designed and delivered digital export and international e-commerce programmes supporting SMEs to build international online sales channels and reach customers in priority markets.
The support helped businesses select platforms, optimise pricing and fulfilment and develop practical digital strategies to drive international sales growth.
- Focus: international e-commerce, digital channels and online sales growth
- Delivery: workshops, one-to-one support and practical implementation guidance
- Outcome: SMEs successfully selling into international markets through digital channels
Business Support Design
Client: Scottish Government / Business Gateway
Led the redesign of Scotland’s national Business Gateway service, strengthening consistency in delivery across the regions and improving how start-ups and established businesses access support.
The work resulted in a more integrated service model, ensuring businesses could access support through local offices, the online Business Gateway platform and by telephone.
- Focus: consistent service delivery, access channels and user experience
- Delivery: service design, framework development and stakeholder engagement
- Outcome: improved, more accessible business support service delivered across Scotland
Financial Services Connections
Client: Scottish Enterprise
Designed and delivered the “Connections” programme, linking Scottish technology companies with financial services organisations through structured, facilitated meet-the-buyer events.
The programme enabled SMEs to meet senior decision-makers, understand procurement processes and present their solutions, while raising the profile of Scottish financial services technology suppliers.
- Focus: market access, buyer engagement and overcoming barriers to entry
- Delivery: participant preparation and structured introductions / connection meetings
- Outcome: strong commercial impact, generating new business opportunities and measurable return on programme investment (£14 in new business for every £1 of public investment)
Commercial Breakthrough Service
Client: Scottish Enterprise
Delivered the Commercial Breakthrough Service to address gaps in sales and marketing capability among technology-based firms, enabling businesses to develop more structured and effective approaches to selling.
The programme began with a Business Development Review. Based on this, practical support enabled the companies to embed robust sales processes, improve targeting of customers and strengthen their ability to convert opportunities into sales.
- Focus: sales capability, structured selling and customer targeting
- Delivery: striuctured sales and marketing review, action plan and practical implementation support
- Outcome: improved sales capability and strong commercial impact, with a reported return of over 5:1 on public investment
International Strategy Workshops
Client: Highlands and Islands Enterprise
Facilitated International Strategy Workshops supporting SMEs to assess international opportunities and develop clear export growth objectives.
The workshops combine analsyis of internal capabilities, with market research and competitor analysis, enabling teams to select target markets and develop clear action plans linked to real market opportunities.
- Focus: international market selection, value proposition and customer targeting
- Delivery: structured workshops combining research, tools and practical strategic planning
- Outcome: clear international strategy and practical export action plan to support market entry / international expansion
Working with economic development agencies
We design and deliver SME and export programmes that are practical, targeted and focused on measurable impact.
Contact us to discuss your requirements or invite us to quote or participate in an upcoming tender.