Begin with the end in mind!

What does your ideal distributor look like? We feel that the key to a successful partnership is that the aims of both companies are aligned. To do this, an in-depth understanding of what you need from a distributor in the following key areas will be examined:

FINANCIAL AND COMPANY STRENGTHS
What is their standing with current and past customers, suppliers, the local business community and competitors? Are their facilities adequate? How qualified is their management team? What is their financial standing; can they finance initial sales and subsequent growth? What is their track record? How well established are they? Is their management philosophy compatible?

PRODUCT FACTORS
Do they have the relevant technical expertise and servicing capabilities? Are their current product lines compatible? What is the quality and sophistication of their product lines? Do they carry competitor products? 

MARKETING SKILLS
What is the extent of their geographical market coverage? Do they have experience with the target customers? What markets do they cover? How well trained is the sales force and what is their turnover? What is their market share? What trade fairs do they participate in? Are they members of any trade associations? Do they have the right connections with influencers in the market? Can they formulate and implement 2 to 3 year marketing plans?

COMMITMENT
How much are they prepared to invest in advertising and training? Are they willing to keep sufficient inventory? Are they willing to provide adequate market feedback? Would they be prepared to drop competing product lines? How volatile has their product mix been?

During the first stage of the Distributor Location Process, we will discuss your company, your products, your current distributors, your end users and your selling process to develop a profile of your ideal distributor. The attributes of your ideal distributor will be used as a basis for the search ensuring that the shortlist of potential channel partners supplied will have a close strategic fit to your company. For a copy of the questionnaire or to arrange an initial discussion please contact us.