Can a Western distributor sign you?

A distributor will rarely tell you why they said no. They will say they are not taking new lines this year. This checklist walks the six walls that actually stop the deal, and asks you to score yourself against each one.

It tells you where your gaps are. It does not tell you which market to enter or how to close them, because that depends on your product and your price.

• The market chose you

  Do you know why this market, and not the one next to it?

• Ready here is not ready there

  Would you pass the checks a distributor runs before they sign?

• A catalog is not a channel

  Is there anyone in market who could carry, quote and close your product?

• Lost to time zones

  Can you answer while the buyer is still awake?

• Invisible to buyers

  Do you exist when a buyer looks you up?

• Starting from doubt

  Is there any reason to believe you other than your own claims?