Start with the end customers you want to reach
Specify whom you want to sell to and through which channels. Supplying retail shops, selling to hotels and selling to factory users may require different knowledge and follow-up methods. A company list should therefore connect to the channels you actually want.
Consider a hypothetical product that needs a demonstration. A partner with a broad network but no team to explain the product may not yet be suitable. Conversely, a smaller company may have direct experience with your target customer group. Both are questions to investigate, rather than conclusions to make in advance.
Examine the existing portfolio and the place for your product
Research the types of products a prospective partner already distributes. Yours might fill a missing category or overlap with products they prioritise. Website information is a starting point, but it does not confirm their terms, interest or constraints.
Ask about product priorities, introducing new brands and who would be responsible for follow-up. Contractual or exclusivity questions require review by the relevant professional under a separate scope. Commercial screening should not stand in for legal advice.
Discuss responsibilities before expected sales
The term “representative” can refer to several roles. Clarify who would import, hold stock, deliver, demonstrate, provide after-sales service or take responsibility for product information. These details show what your own business would still need to arrange.
Start with a question list used for every candidate company and record the actual answers. If an answer has not arrived, mark it as unknown. Do not award scores based only on a feeling or company size.
- Whether the partner reaches the desired customers and channels
- How existing products relate to or overlap with yours
- Which responsibilities they are ready to take on and which need discussion
- What information is confirmed and what still needs asking
Separate suitability from interest
A company may look suitable from research but have no interest in the product. Another may express interest while still needing several readiness checks. Finding a company, receiving a response and confirming a meeting are therefore different statuses.
The quantities and working period for research, outreach and discussion coordination must follow the selected package. Meetings, appointment as a distributor, contracts and sales are not guaranteed. A useful report should show what needs checking next.
Prepare information that lets partners assess you too
Alongside your questions about partners, prepare company information, product details, prices, terms you can offer and ready-to-use materials. The search then assesses suitability on both sides, rather than simply collecting as many company names as possible.
Before discussing the work on Fastwork, summarise your priority sales channels, the responsibilities you need and the terms you can be flexible about. This gives a clearer basis for defining market research and screening criteria than starting with “Find me the best distributor.”
Your next step
For each promising partner, you should be able to explain how they suit your customer group and selling approach, with questions that still need checking. A large customer base is only one piece of information to consider.
