How to find distributors
Finding a distributor, a sales partner or a joint venture partner is classic request of many companies. To simplify, we have chosen to call it a ‘distributor search’, but this covers all kind of systematic search and validation of partners in the German market. Only clients are excluded of this process, because these would be approached in the frame of a sales process.
This compact and efficient process starts with an initial interview to clarify needs and wishes and to identify the criteria for the search process:
- Frame-conditions
- Search profile
- Target audience
- Review of existing marketing material (and much more!)
Creating a handout with the business proposal in German language shows the potential partner that we are working in a professional way and that our approach is substantiated. This is ensured by good texts, a skilled marketing team and lot’s of experience!
The research of suitable partners is the backbone of this process and includes:
- Check of diverse databases
- Desktop research
- Check of websites
- Financial data
- Commercial register
- Priorization (and much more!)
Once the targets have been identified and given a “green light”, the most important element begins with the contacting phase. This can stretch over several weeks and requires persistence and concentration:
- Phoning
- Emails
- Generation of interest in products / services of our client
- Pre-negotiations, meetings
- Reporting (and much more!)
In the end there will be a clean shortlist of interested distributors/ partners in the German market. In most cases these are visited together with our client, presentations and agreements are taken care of and the business can begin. It needs no detailed mentioning that we arrange the travels, assist with all sorts of assisting services like translation, legal support etc. so that our clients are always comfortable and well represented once on German ground.