Responsiveness activities and intelligence are two categories in which export market orientation has been classified. Even though previous studies have greatly focused on the intelligence and responsiveness of international channel partners that help these activities improve export venture performance. The study explores the advantages that are influenced by choosing international partners through direct contacts or word-of-mouth. The advantages of responsiveness activities and intelligence are also explored in this study. Data is gathered from 246 Japanese manufacturers of exporting firms. For hypotheses testing, regression analysis and post hoc analysis are used. Our findings show international channel partner chosen by word-of-mouth has a moderating effect on export-focused strategies. The study enhances the understanding of export market orientation by breaking it into two key aspects; gathering market insights, and taking actions based on those insights and giving factual proof of how these activities interact differently with partner selection.