Step-by-Step: Playbook For Your Brand To Follow – Converting Distributor Leads Into Business

0) Get your basics ready (15–30 mins)

  • Brand story in 3 lines (what you sell, who it’s for, why it’s selling already).
  • One-page Business Proposal (PDF, 1–2 pages max) with:
    1. Product range & MRP, 2) Distributor margin & schemes, 3) MOQs & credit policy,
    2. Supply & service SLAs, 5) Marketing support (promos, POSM), 6) Territory plan,
    3. Trial/launch offer, 8) Clear next steps & contact.
  • Price list (separate PDF), catalogue (optional), GST & basic KYC (if asked).
  • *** Model Formats Available ***

Pro tip: keep file names neat—BrandName_BizProposal.pdf, BrandName_PriceList.pdf.

1) Research & shortlist from Vanik Database (60–90 mins)

Use filters (state, category, turnover, investment capacity, retail reach). For each lead, check:

  • Fit: Do they already handle your category? Do they cover your target districts?
  • Capacity: Warehouse, vehicles, credit terms, retail reach.
  • Potential conflict: Competing brand tie-ups?
  • Quality: Years active, responsiveness, clarity of info.

Score quickly (0–20):

  • Fit (0–5) + Capacity (0–5) + Signals/Quality (0–5) + Proximity (0–3) − Conflicts (0–2)
    Tag: A (16–20), B (12–15), C (0–11)

Work in small batches: 15–25 contacts/day (don’t burn all your credits at once).

2) Warm the lead (10–20 mins per lead, only for A & B)

  • Check their website/socials for current brands, territories, owner name.
  • Personalize the first line of your message with something specific (“saw you cover South Kolkata kirana belt”).
  • If they’ve carried similar SKUs, mention the rotation you expect (e.g., “200–300 pcs/month/territory after Month 2”).

3) Send a short intro + attach proposal (Day 0)

Use email + WhatsApp (both). Keep it crisp; never dump 5 files at once. Send: proposal + price list.

Email – First Touch (copy-paste)

  • Subject (pick one):
    • “Quick intro: New [Category] brand for your [Territory] network”
    • “Distributor inquiry – [Brand] | Margin [xx%] | Intro & price list”
  • Body: Hi <Name>, I’m <Your Name> from <Brand>. We’re a <1-line what you sell + who buys>. We’re expanding in <City/State> and your coverage in <markets/territories> looks like a strong fit. Snapshot: • Distributor Margin: <xx%> (+ schemes) | MOQ: <X units> | Credit: <X days> • Delivery: <SLA> | Marketing: <demos/merch/launch offers> Attached: 1-pager proposal + price list. If it looks interesting, could we schedule a 10–15 min call this week? Thanks, <Name> | <Role> | <Phone/WhatsApp> <Website>

WhatsApp – First Touch

Hi <Name>, this is <Your Name> from <Brand>. 
We’re looking for a distributor in <City/territory>. 
Sharing a 1-page intro (PDF) + price list—margin <xx%>, MOQ <X>, credit <X days>. 
If relevant, may I call you for 10–15 mins this week? Thanks!

4) Follow-up cadence (polite, persistent, limited)

  • D+2 (WA nudge): “Hi , did you get a chance to review the 1-pager? Happy to align on margins/territory if it’s relevant.”
  • D+4 (email reply to same thread): “Looping back—happy to share samples & scheme sheet if you’d like.”
  • D+7 (call attempt): Short call (see script below). If no answer, drop a WA: “Tried calling—can I ring you at ?”
  • D+10 (last gentle nudge): “If not a fit now, may I check back after a month?” Then move to Nurture.

Recommended cap: max 4 touches over 10 days unless they engage.

5) Call script (qualification in 90 seconds)

  • Opener: “Hi , from . Is this a good time for a quick 2-minute intro?”
  • Qualify fast:
    1. “Do you currently handle in ?”
    2. “Typical monthly offtake and credit norms in your network?”
    3. “Any conflicts (brands you’d rather not add)?”
  • Offer value: “We’re offering <xx%> + intro scheme. Rotation target <X pcs/month/territory> by Month 2.”
  • Close: “Shall we fix a 15-min slot tomorrow to run margins/terms? I’ll WhatsApp the calendar slot.”

6) Meeting & negotiation checklist

Carry/attach: term sheet (margin + slab, schemes, targets), onboarding docs, sample distributor agreement (basic commercial terms), launch plan (30-60-90 days), initial PO template, POSM list. (IMPORTANT: Check model documents / agreements in Vanik )

Key points to lock:

  • Territory & exclusivity logic (clear boundaries, performance clause).
  • Margin (base + slab), payment terms, claims & damages process.
  • Targets, review cycle, marketing commitments, return/expiry policy.

7) Onboarding & launch (first 30–60–90 days)

  • Day 0–7: KYC + agreement + first PO + stock drop + beat plan.
  • Day 8–30: Joint market visits, retailer seeding, sampling/demos.
  • Day 31–60: Scale beats, add secondary schemes.
  • Day 61–90: Review targets; consider micro-exclusivity or additional territories if performance met.

Ready-to-copy micro-templates

WhatsApp Reminder (D+2)

Hi <Name>, checking in on the 1-pager I shared. If it aligns with your territory, 
happy to jump on a 10-min call to finalize terms. Thanks!

Email Bump (D+4)

Subject: Re: Distributor inquiry – <Brand> (<City>)
Hi <Name>,
Looping back in case this slipped through. We can share samples and a detailed scheme sheet.
Is <tomorrow/time> okay for a quick call?
Best, <Name>

“Already have a similar brand” (objection)

Totally fair. Many of our current distributors added us because we rotate faster in <specific outlet type> 
and our scheme is simpler (no paperwork clog). If you ever want a low-risk A/B—single beat, 30 days— 
I can support with demos + intro scheme. Shall I check back next month?

“Margin is low”

Understood. Our net works out to <xx%> with the scheme slab at <volume>. 
We also cover <logistics/merch/demo> in Month 1 to improve rotation. 
If we trial on one territory, we can review slabs after 30 days of actuals.

Opt-out / Respect

Thanks for confirming—it may not be a fit right now. I’ll not reach out again. 
If your plans change, I’m reachable on <number>. Wishing you great business!

Do:

  • Personalize first line; show you actually checked their coverage/brands.
  • Keep PDFs light (≤2–3 MB total per touch).
  • Log every touch and set a next action/date.

Don’t:

  • Don’t call repeatedly without an agreed time.
  • Don’t send rates in screenshots; use clean PDFs.
  • Don’t promise exclusivity without performance clauses.

What to track (KPIs)

  • Response rate (%), Connect rate (%), Qualified rate (%), Meeting rate (%), Win rate (%).
  • Days-to-first-response, touches-to-meeting.
  • Avg margin agreed, avg credit days, first PO value.

Important: Use Model Excel format from Vanik to log Leads and every Touch so you always know who needs a reminder next.

Simple business proposal outline (1–2 pages)

  1. Who we are (3 lines)
  2. Why it sells (traction: repeat rate, top outlets, key USPs)
  3. What’s in it for distributor (margin, schemes, credit norms, rotation target)
  4. Supply & support (SLA, demos, POSM, launch plan)
  5. Territory ask (area, exclusivity logic, initial stock plan)
  6. Next steps (15-min call + contact details)

Important: Modify Model Biz Proposal From Vanik For Creating Your Own in Few Minutes

Suggested weekly rhythm

  • Mon–Tue: Prospecting & A/B testing subject lines.
  • Wed–Thu: Calls/meetings; send term sheets.
  • Fri: Pipeline cleanup, schedule next week’s touches, review KPIs.

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