A distributor may have a warehouse and an established sales team but few customers who actually buy your category. Selection should begin with the work the principal needs the distributor to perform, not with the distributor's company profile
Define the mandate first. Specify target segments, account ownership, inventory expectations, technical support, marketing responsibilities, reporting cadence, payment terms, and the level of market development required
Score evidence, not promises. Relevant customer access, category experience, sales coverage, service capability, financial capacity, and management attention should be tested through references and concrete operating examples
Align the economics. Margin alone does not create commitment. The structure must make the required activities commercially rational for both sides, especially when the product needs education, technical selling, trials, registration, or long buying cycles
Agree how the relationship will be reviewed from the start. A joint business plan, named accounts, forecast discipline, review meetings, and agreed corrective actions are more useful than broad exclusivity language without measurable commitments
The objective is to appoint a distributor able and willing to do the work the product actually requires
