One of the main reasons many exporters are successful is that they have selected the right overseas partner. This partner has provided them with an added-value service and, in many instances, given local competitive advantage. The consequences of failure of an arrangement can be far-reaching in terms of costs, time and a negative impact on local reputation.
In other words, your agent or distributor can make or break your company's efforts in that market.
Differentiate yourself from your competitors in order to win the attention of the major sellers and distributors – there are only a few key players per market.
- Have a 5 year plan for how you go about exporting your product in the medium to long term – this will give greater focus and structure to your initial movements.
- Have a clear regional strategy whereby you might target a country like Colombia or Canada first in order to test the waters before trying to break into a bigger market like America or Brazil.
- Find the people who are busy and be sceptical about the people who approach you first – the best sales reps are the ones who make you wait for a deal.
- Exclusivity has to be earned so don’t rush making an agent or distributor your exclusive representative for selling your product.
- Test the waters with a new sales rep by hiring them on a trial period with clear targets and a clear time-frame for them.
- Be specific with your terms and regions in your contract to avoid any confusion or legal complications.
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