How to find distributors for your products

1. Decide what you actually need a distributor to do

A distributor that sells through independent shops may be a poor fit for a manufacturer targeting industrial maintenance teams. Write a one-page brief before searching: what you sell, who buys it, where you want to sell and what support the partner must provide.

Be specific about the relationship. Do you need a business to buy and hold inventory, introduce prospects, install equipment or provide after-sales service? Ask how the proposed arrangement works; different responsibilities mean different economics. Your first goal is a compatible route to customers, not simply a well-known company.

• Product category, intended application and target customer.
• Country or region and the sales channels you want to reach.
• Indicative order size, delivery capacity and training you can provide.
• Essential certifications, storage conditions or technical support.
• Responsibilities you will keep and responsibilities you want the partner to handle.

2. Find businesses already close to your customers

Look for evidence of relevance: complementary product ranges, customers in your sector and coverage of the market you chose. Search company websites, industry associations, exhibition exhibitor lists and business platforms such as Dinnava. Keep a short reason beside each candidate: 'supplies electrical wholesalers' is more useful than 'large company.'

Use more than one discovery route. If you are an eligible export-ready U.S. business, the U.S. Commercial Service also offers an International Partner Search with its own eligibility rules and fees. This is a separate government service, not part of Dinnava.

Further reading: U.S. International Trade Administration: International Partner Search

3. Check commercial fit before discussing exclusivity

Ask who will sell your product, how they would introduce it and what experience they have with similar customers. Request relevant trade references and check them independently. The International Trade Administration recommends examining a representative's history, product-launch approach, references and ability to meet your specific requirements.

A useful conversation goes beyond 'we can sell everything.' Ask the candidate to describe a first customer segment and the resources they would allocate. Record unanswered questions as unknowns, not positive scores. A polished website or a search result is a starting point—not proof of capacity or reliability.

• Relevant customer access: who can they realistically reach?
• Product fit: complementary range or a conflict with an existing supplier?
• Execution: named sales contact, stock handling and service capacity.
• Commercial fit: realistic margin, order quantities and payment expectations.
• Evidence: registration, references and an achievable launch plan.

Further reading: U.S. International Trade Administration: Evaluate Foreign Representatives

4. Give a good partner a reason to reply

Your introduction should make the opportunity easy to understand. Include a short product overview, the customer problem it solves, the market you want to enter and the support you can offer. Share a concise catalogue or technical sheet when appropriate, rather than a large unexplained attachment.

Protect information in stages. An initial conversation does not need confidential formulas, customer lists or unrestricted design files. Begin with enough information to assess fit, then decide what further disclosure is necessary. Ask for a short conversation with a clear purpose: evaluating the product category and a possible pilot.

Subject: Distribution discussion — [product category] in [market]

Hello [name],
Your work with [specific customer segment or product range] looks relevant to our [product]. We supply [brief offer] for [target customer] and are exploring distribution in [market].
We can provide [training, samples or technical support]. Would a short discussion help us assess product fit, sales coverage and a possible first order?
If this is outside your scope, please let me know.
[Name, role and company]

5. Agree a manageable first step

Consider a defined pilot: selected products, a specific customer segment and a review date. Agree what success means—for example, completed training, qualified customer discussions or an initial order. Those are proposed milestones, not predicted results.

Before goods move, document prices, payment arrangements, responsibilities, returns and warranty handling. For international shipments, choose the appropriate delivery term and named place; ICC's Incoterms rules allocate important delivery costs, risks and obligations. They do not replace a complete commercial agreement. Get qualified advice before accepting exclusivity or making binding commitments.

Further reading: International Chamber of Commerce: Incoterms 2020

Frequently asked questions

Sources and further reading

• U.S. International Trade Administration: International Partner Search — A separate government partner-discovery service with eligibility and fees; no Dinnava affiliation.
• U.S. International Trade Administration: Evaluate Foreign Representatives — Independent assessment of history, launch approach, references and relevant capabilities.
• International Chamber of Commerce: Incoterms 2020 — Delivery costs, risk and obligations in international goods transactions.