Wanted: International sales agents, distributors, representatives

There are hundreds of thousand of ads or classifieds circulating through the media with a similar wording from individuals or companies trying to find partners of all kinds for their companies or products.

Of course: The Internet is basically a perfect place for this and it is perfectly qualified to supply such connections.

However, it is unfortunately often overlooked that also 'adventurers' of all kinds use this as a contact. Until the entrepreneur has figured out what kind of 'partner' has contacted him - especially when talking about a market or market segment for which not much experience is available or if a company is only trying to initiate sales using this way - much time may go by.

It would be even more critical if the company grants some kind of 'exclusivity' to this 'partner' due to the fact that he promises heaven and earth regarding his local connections, etc.

If in such a case the targets envisaged or even agreed are not reached or the right steps not undertaken, the respective market /market segment may be 'dead' for this enterprise for years.

During this time competitors have plenty of chances to grow within such a market which could make it very hard or even impossible for our company to enter this specific market later - besides of the profit lost already.

For this reason every company - whether small or big - should bother to enter every new market or market segment strategically.

This includes (but is not limited to !) having the following information before entering any agreement or binding obligation

- how many and which clients (size, turnover, etc.) are potentially for us as clientele available - and where are they situated in this region/country
- which needs do these clients have and inhowfar is our existing product suitable to serve them (or where/how do we have to adapt it)
- which sales channels are available, which are possibly permanently used already by the potential clients and which do we have to use therefore also
- which distributors or partners would therefor be suitable for us and are they free - means: free of any distribution rights or obligations from and versus competitors, etc.

Depending on the product to be sold there may be further questions to be answered.

After having collected and evaluated this information - however, not till then ! - we can start to develop a marketing strategy and look for the suitable sales partners. In addition this will give a better feeling for such market to the company and - as the information obtained will be discussed with him for targets, etc. - the local partner can develop more confidence in us.

In such a case the potential local partners can then also be contacted directly, giving them some information about the market potential having your products 'aboard' and the former 'fishing in the dark' becomes unnecessary.

An exception to this of course would be ads or classifieds in industrially limited portals, etc., but even here a certain caution should prevail.

Michael Richter
Hauptstrasse 27
88422 Seekirch/Germany
Marketing: http://www.marketing-und-vertrieb-international.com/en/
Country experience: http://www.internationales-marketingkonzept.de/en/
michael.richter@marketing-und-vertrieb-international.de
Phone: +49-7582-933371, Fax: +49-7582-933372

Michael Richter - International Marketing- and sales consultant - concentrates for more than 35 years on strategic marketing planning as well as marketing and selling of investment goods and long-lasting consumer goods in/to all 5 continents - since 1991 he works as an independent marketing consultant, especially for SMEs worldwide.

This release was published on openPR.