It is often a surprise to a manufacturer to discover that a prospective foreign rep doesn't
immediately "fall in love" with their product. Not surprisingly, they want to handle top-of-the-line or
state-of-the-art quality products. They want and expect their manufacturers to be stable and reliable
suppliers of product. They want advertising, marketing, and financial support. They want personal
contact by top management. They want exclusivity and the manufacturer's commitment not to sell
direct into their territory. And they want to be treated with respect by being given the same credit
terms as the domestic reps.
They also want a long-term relationship with the manufacturer, in good times as well as in the
not-so-good times. They do not want to invest time into building a local marketplace for you and in
three years have you take it all away. Are they expecting too much from you? Maybe, but a good
foreign rep deserves it.
Foreign reps are typically suspicious of American manufacturers. They have a long history of
working with U.S. companies who are eager to export when the U.S. domestic market is down,
but who are eager to leave them when the domestic economy is up.
Foreign reps are also baffled by the high management turnover in U.S. companies. Since they prefer
building strong long-term personal relationships with their suppliers, they believe there is a lack of
management continuity within the international sales departments of American companies. It is
important to discuss your long-term plans and goals with them.
The point in this discussion is that to obtain the best foreign reps, you must sell the company as well
as the product to prospective candidates. This may be a different concept to many U.S.
manufacturers.
