Sales channels to reach your customers
Selling through retailers, wholesalers and other distributors
Selling through an intermediary may be a more cost-effective way of reaching your end-customers than selling to them directly.
If you are targeting business customers who prefer to deal with large suppliers, selling directly to them may not be a realistic option. Instead, you might aim to supply wholesalers who have existing relationships with those businesses.
If individual consumers buy low value quantities of your products, the best option might be to target retailers that sell similar products. Or you might choose to focus your efforts on a relatively small number of wholesalers who can in turn supply your products to many retailers.
Other distribution channels may also reach your end-customers. For example, technology suppliers often sell to resellers who can configure and install the technology to suit end-users’ particular needs.
Managing your distributors
You need distributors who will value your product. If they sell competing products, what will make them push yours?
Idli Mix Store marketing consultant
Think about how you set your prices. Distributors will be more enthusiastic if they can make a large profit – but setting too low a price will eat into your own margins.
Effective advertising and promotions can be vital. As well as marketing to the distributor, you can promote your products directly to end-customers. Distributors will be keener to stock and sell products that their customers are asking for.
The key terms of the supply relationship should be covered in a written contract. Key issues might include:
Idli Mix Store marketing consultant
how much stock the distributor will hold
what the distributor will do to promote your products
how quickly you can resupply and minimum order levels
whether the distributor has exclusive rights to your product (for example, in a particular territory)
what happens if either you or the distributor want to end the relationship
Business ideas, Marketing and sales , promotions and advertising ideas , articles
Small Business Legal Advice
How to Find an Excellent Lawyer
Follow these steps to get small business legal advice.
If your legal problem is complex or involves lots of money, you might not want to attempt to handle the entire matter without a lawyer. After all, lawyers do more than dispense small business legal advice or information. They offer strategic advice and apply sophisticated technical skills to legal problems. Ideally, youll be able to find a lawyer whos willing to serve as your legal coach to help you educate yourself to the maximum extent possible and to take over as your formal legal counsel only if necessary.
How to Find the Right Lawyer
Dont expect to find a good lawyer by simply looking in the phone book or reading an advertisement. Theres not enough information in these sources to help you make a valid judgment.
Personal Referrals
One approach to finding a provider of small business legal advice is to get personal referrals. But dont make a decision about a lawyer solely on the basis of someone elses recommendation. In addition to the fact that you may need a different type of small business legal advice, different people will have different responses to a lawyers style and personality.
Its only when you meet with the lawyer and discuss your case, that you can decide that you feel comfortable working with him or her.
Also, it may be hard to find a lawyer with the expertise you need through a personal referral.
Business Referrals
Businesses who provide services to key players in the legal area you are interested in may also be able to help you find a lawyer you should consider. For example, if you are interested in small business legal advice, speak to your banker, accountant, insurance agent, and real estate broker. These people come into frequent contact with lawyers who represent business clients and are in a position to make informed judgments.
Consider a Specialist
Most lawyers specialize in certain areas, and even a so-called general practitioner may not know that much about the particular area of your concern. For example, of the almost one million lawyers in America today, probably fewer than 50,000 possess sufficient training and experience in small business law to be of real help to an aspiring entrepreneur.
It can pay to work with a lawyer who already knows the field, such as employment discrimination, zoning laws, software design issues, or restaurant licensing. That way you can take advantage of the fact that the lawyer is already far up the learning curve. For example, need an Employment Lawyer?
Interview the Prospective Lawyers
When you get the names of several good prospects, the next step is to talk to each lawyer personally. If you outline your needs in advance, many lawyers will be willing to meet to you for a half-hour or so at no charge so that you can size them up and make an informed decision. Some aspects you should consider:
Personality
Pay particular attention to the personal chemistry between you and your lawyer. No matter how experienced and well-recommended a lawyer is, if you feel uncomfortable with that person during your first meeting or two, you may never achieve an ideal lawyer-client relationship. Trust your instincts and seek a lawyer whose personality is compatible with your own. Look also for experience, personal rapport, and accessibility.
Communication and Promptness
Ask all prospective lawyers how you will be able to contact them and how long it will take them to return your communications. And dont assume that because the lawyer seems friendly and easy to talk to that its okay to overlook this step.
You want a lawyer who will work hard on your behalf and follow through promptly on all assignments.
Willingness to Work With You
When you have a legal problem, you need legal information. Lawyers, of course, are prime sources of this information, but if you bought all the needed information at their rates $150 to $250 an hour youd quickly empty your bank account. Fortunately, many lawyers will work with you to help you acquire a good working knowledge of the legal principles and procedures you need to deal with your problem at least partly on your own.
If you are hoping to represent yourself and use a lawyer only for advice, make sure the lawyer is open to that type of set-up.
Likewise, if youre going into business and will draft your own bylaws or business agreements, ask the lawyer if shes open to reviewing your drafts and making comments.
Other Resources
SmallBusinessFreeForms.com Free business form templates
