Know-How Exchange : Other

If I were a prospective reseller I'd ask the following:

1. Who EXACTLY is the target audience for this product? Where are they? What are their pain points? How does this product address those pain points?

2. What's the BENEFIT for my target audience? What's my 30-second elevator speech?

3. What are you going to do to create awareness for the product? How are people going to learn about product availability before I show up to make a sales call? How are you going to generate hot leads for me?

4. What's in it for me to stop spending time on my current products (that pay the rent, buy food for my family, etc.) and instead focus my attention on introducing your new product? How much can I make? How long is the selling cycle likely to be?

5. Am I going to be competing with other resellers on this product or do I have some kind of exclusivity? Will I be competing with YOU, or will I earn the commission for any direct sale you make?

6. Do you have any experience with people in the target audience actually using this product, or is this essentially the beta test? If you have real-world experience, can we use that reference in our sales process? Are there testimonials? Proof of effectiveness?

7. What kind of sales support materials can we expect? What about customer service once I've closed the sale? How will you handle that?

the vast majority of resellers unfortunately do not conduct the sort of targeted outreach you are looking for.

You might do better trying to work with manufacturers reps and systems integrators.

Regarding systems integrators: they will be very interested to know whether or not they will be able to sell profitable add-on services such as customization, training, and maintenance.

I think it would be good to have Carol Blaha comment on this as well... I will send her a note.

Thanks Telemoxie for the note.

As you stated in last question-- in this field there are resellers and VAR's.

Both are going to want to know- is there a true market for this (can I sell it), is it priced appropriately, does your core customer align with their existing base (or will you dilute their focus), can you deliver what you say when you say you will do it, will you support them and their clients and how.

Leads are gravy, because a good reseller is already in the field and knows the nature of your product-- they know before they take it on exactly where to go with this product. If you are going to tell them about the leads generated, make sure they are quality leads. Who gets the leads? Are you going to give exclusives in specific territories or niches? Are you selling direct or will those sales be pulled thru them? What industry trade shows will you be showing?

Keep in mind when a reseller takes on a line, they are putting their reputation on the line with their existing and new customer base. If your product does not perform it's not just a black mark against you. The end user looks at it as the reseller let them down. And that can cause them a loss of business in other products they sell.

Target one, take them to lunch- they will tell you all you need to know. they'll also tell you about wonderful products that have left them hanging-- the good, the bad and just plain ugly.